Trendsights Newsletter

May Job Postings 2022 to 2023 Job Ad Comparison
Job postings decreased by 12 percent from May 2022 to May 2023. In May 2023, there were 71,580 online job postings compared to 81,640 in May 2022. The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for May 2023 of 2.5 percent was unchanged from April and higher than the rate of 2.1 percent a year ago. Despite the overall decline, job postings for Registered Nurses and Licensed Practical Nurses nearly doubled compared to last year.
Missouri Data Center Offers Demographics by Radius Tool
The Missouri Census Data Center Circular Area Profiling System (CAPS) application allows users to enter a location, based on either latitude-longitude coordinates or ZIP code, and up to five radius values in miles. The results are a series of U.S. Census data-based profile reports, one for each radius. This data allows for quick demographic and socioeconomic data comparisons around that geographic point. Click on the link above to use the CAPS tool.
Industry Concentration Dashboard
Industry concentration analysis, using location quotients (LQs), helps identify the industries that are more specialized in a geographic area. Businesses that are more specialized, due to exporting goods and services or because they draw customers in from outside the state, are important sources of income and opportunity to an area. This updated industry concentration Tableau dashboard can be used to explore industry concentrations for the state and its counties.
WIOA Demographics by County
The latest demographic data, such as educational attainment, gender, age, race and ethnicity, are available for Missouri and its counties. The easy-to-use Excel file format includes data for each county for 44 demographic factors, and is formatted with a separate tab showing the counties by Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) region.
County Average Wages 2022
St. Louis City had the highest average annual wage across all private industries in 2022 at $73,685, compared to the state average of $60,159. County average wage figures are derived from the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW), a cooperative program between the U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics and the Missouri Department of Higher Education and Workforce Development. Click on the link above to view county average wages for both privately-owned industries and for all industries combined.
May 2023 Online Job Postings
There were 71,580 new job postings in Missouri in May 2023, according to data from Lightcast™. This was down from 74,450 in April 2023. Health Care and Social Assistance; Retail Trade; and Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation were the industries with the most new job postings in the state during the month.
Business Index Increases
Missouri’s Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) for May was 51.2, increasing 1.7 points from April, according to the monthly Mid-America Business Conditions Survey conducted by Creighton University. Economists consider the index a key economic indicator. It measures such factors as new orders, production, supplier delivery times, backlogs, inventories, prices, employment, import orders and exports. Typically, a score greater than 50 indicates an expansionary economy, while a score below 50 forecasts a sluggish economy.
Father's Day Fun Facts
Father's Day is a day to recognize and honor the men and father figures who have made a difference in our lives. Almost three of every four consumers plan to celebrate Father's Day this year. Shop in one of the 352 hardware stores in Missouri to find the perfect gift! Click on the link above to see other fun facts about this holiday.
2022 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics Dashboard
How much does a registered nurse earn in the St. Louis area? How many electricians are employed in southwest Missouri? These are the kinds of questions that the Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) data can answer. OEWS data provides employment and wage estimates for over 800 occupations in Missouri and sub-state areas. This data is produced by conducting a survey of employers across Missouri to ensure that data is available for many different geographic areas. Explore the 2022 employment and wage data for the state, regions, and metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs).
First Quarter 2023 Cost of Living
Missouri had the fourth lowest cost of living in the United States for the first quarter of 2023. In general, states in the central U.S. had lower cost of living averages. States with higher costs of living relative to the U.S. average were Hawaii, Alaska, and those in the Northeast and on the West Coast.
Fastest Growing St. Louis Occupations
The St. Louis Region is projected to have more than 140,000 total job openings each year between 2022 and 2024. The three fastest growing occupations are First-Line Supervisors of Gambling Service Workers; Hotel, Motel, and Resort Desk Clerks; and Home Health and Personal Care Aides. Click on the link above to learn more about the fastest growing occupations in the St. Louis Region.
St. Louis Real-Time Labor Market Summary
St. Louis Region employers posted 97,330 job ads from January through March 2023, with 71 percent for full-time positions. More than half of the region’s job postings during the quarter were in four industries: Health Care and Social Assistance; Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services; Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services; and Retail Trade.
Census Data Gem: OnTheMap
Data Gems from the U.S. Census Bureau are a series of "how-to" videos available for data users who are looking for a quick and easy way to enhance their knowledge of Census data. This instructional six-part video series about OnTheMap will show users how to visualize data for an area about workers, jobs, and labor force characteristics using the OnTheMap tool.
Southwest Region Labor Market Summary
Southwest Missouri employers posted 7,210 job ads from January through March 2023, with 72 percent for full-time positions. More than half of the region’s job postings during the quarter were in three industries: Health Care and Social Assistance, Manufacturing, and Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services
April Online Job Postings
There were 74,450 new job postings in Missouri in April 2023, according to data from Lightcast™. This was down from 80,190 in March 2023. Health Care and Social Assistance, Retail Trade, and Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation were the industries with the most new job postings in the state during the month.
Fastest Growing Occupations 2022-2024
Missouri is projected to have more than 350,000 total job openings each year between 2022 and 2024. Some of the jobs with the fastest projected growth rates include Nurse Practitioners; Logisticians; Ushers, Lobby Attendants, and Ticket Takers; Computer Controlled Tool Programmers; Cooks; Operations Research Analysts; and Information Security Analysts.
Mother's Day Fun Facts
According to the National Retail Federation, consumers are eager to honor mothers with flowers, gift cards, an evening out, and jewelry in 2023. Mother's Day spending is projected to reach $35.7 billion nationwide, with the average person spending $274.02. View this infographic for some facts and figures about how mothers will be honored on their special day.
Real-Time Job Summaries Q1 2023
Missouri employers posted 257,300 job ads from January through March 2023, with 70 percent for full-time positions. Health Care and Social Assistance was the industry with the largest number of job postings, making up 25 percent of the total. The St. Louis Region had over 97,000 job postings in the quarter, which was the most of any region. See summaries for the state and each region in these quarterly briefs.
March 2023 Job Ad Comparison
Job postings increased 16 percent from March 2022 to March 2023. In March 2023, there were 100,050 online job postings compared to 86,350 in March 2022. The number of job postings in the Health Care and Social Assistance Industry increased by 66 percent over the year.
Where Americans Moved in 2022
Where and why did Americans move in 2022? According to the United Van Lines 2022 National Movers Study, Missouri was a “balanced state” for movers, with nearly the same number of residents moving inbound as outbound. Almost 42 percent relocated to the state due to a job, while over 37 percent moved here for family reasons. Click on the link above to access the interactive map with more details about movers in Missouri and the U.S.
Census Household Pulse Survey Tool - New Data Released
The U.S. Census Bureau recently released new data from their Household Pulse Survey (HPS). The HPS is an effort by the Census Bureau and other federal statistical agencies to inform federal and state response and planning by providing near real-time data on the social and economic issues impacting American households. The survey provides data for topics such as food scarcity and concerns about price increases. Data is available for states and some large metropolitan areas.
Northeast Region Profile
The Northeast Region is comprised of 16 counties in northeastern Missouri. This region is home to several cities including Kirksville, Hannibal, Moberly, and Warrenton. The Northeast Region workforce has around 123,900 employees, making up 4.2 percent of Missouri’s employment. The largest employing industries in the region are Health Care and Social Assistance, Manufacturing, and Retail Trade.
BLS Feedback Survey: Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics is conducting a survey of individuals and groups who use data developed as part of the federal-state Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) cooperative program. The survey covers topics including how the data are used, adequacy of the data detail, program documentation, and potential enhancements for the program. Whether you use the data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics website or from MERIC, this feedback survey is an opportunity to share how you use the OEWS data and how it may be improved.
Missouri Short-term Occupational Projections 2022-2024
New Missouri occupational projections for 2022-2024 estimate employment growth of 1.7 percent over the period. Occupational groups projected to have the fastest two-year growth rates are Construction and Extraction, Healthcare Support, and Personal Care and Service. Additional information by detailed occupation is in this Excel file download.