Missouri’s Seven Thriving Districts

District 1: Northwest Missouri
Counties: Andrew, Atchison, Caldwell, Carroll, Clinton, Daviess, DeKalb, Gentry, Grundy, Harrison, Holt, Livingston, Mercer, Nodaway, Worth 
District Population: 148,901 
Biggest City (population): Maryville (10,461) 
Other Population Centers: Chillicothe, Cameron, Bethany, Savannah  
Major Employers: Kawasaki Motors, Northwest Missouri State University, Mosaic Life Care

The 15 counties that makeup Northwest Missouri are a study not in contradictions but in complementing contrasts. For one, it’s a largely rural span, but one that can still be home to commuters working in St. Joseph and Kansas City. For another, the average Gross Domestic Product in those counties comes to about $492.55 million. While it continues a slower rebound to pre-pandemic GDP levels, no region in Missouri had a faster GDP growth rate (9.05 percent) than the Big Northwest in the four years leading up to the 2020 outbreak.

For another, despite the preponderance of farms and ranches in the region, its economy is also driven by modern industry—food processing, drawing on its juxtaposition with regional agriculture, as well as animal health research and production, metal fabrication, and chemical manufacturing.

A major growth driver in this corner of the state is Northwest Missouri State University in Maryville. With more than 700 faculty and staff, it generates an estimated $830 million economic impact and added regional income, the equivalent of enterprises creating nearly 9,500 jobs. And during the 2020 pandemic, the university found its fiscal footing without resorting to layoffs, position cuts or furloughs. 

Combine those factors with a remarkably low cost of living and outstanding quality of life, and it’s easy to see why residents of this region think they are holding onto a hidden gem.  

District 2: Northeast Missouri
Counties: Adair, Audrain, Chariton, Clark, Knox, Lewis, Linn, Macon, Marion, Monroe, Pike, Putnam, Ralls, Randolph, Schuyler, Scotland, Shelby, Sullivan 
District Population: 218,189 
Biggest City (population): Kirksville (17,474) 
Other Population Centers: Hannibal, Moberly, Mexico, Macon  
Major Employers: Truman State University, KraftHeinz, A.T. Still University, Northeast Regional Medical Center

Think of Northeast Missouri as the Little Engine That Could: Despite being the only one of Missouri’s seven distinct districts without a single mile of pavement as part of the interstate highway system, the 18 counties in this district combined for more than $7 billion of the state’s GDP in 2022, an average of more than $514 million each. And for two of those counties, year-over-year growth in that metric easily topped any of the 112 other county-level entities in Missouri: an eye-popping 57.75 percent for Schuyler County to lead the state, and 50.45 percent in nearby Sullivan County.

One reason for that stellar performance: Key elements of the economy in Northeast Missouri are intricately linked with the transportation sector, and Missouri has seen no shortage of growth with trucking and distribution in the era of e-commerce. An analysis by the state’s transportation department, in fact, showed that non-government employment in the northeast is concentrated in 10 sectors, including more than half with a transportation aspect: retail trade, farm employment, manufacturing, construction, hospitality and food service, and warehousing.

A transportation asset this region does have going for it is U.S. 36, effectively a four-lane, divided highway with access that is limited, but not as drastically as you’d find on an official interstate highway. As a practical matter, gives it the border-to-border (or river-to-river, from the Missouri to the Mississippi) traffic flow at an interstate equivalent. Freight moves by multiple transportation modes in the Northeast District. Major intersections include I-72 as you cross the Mississippi into Illinois, as well as U.S. 24, U.S. 36, U.S. 54, U.S. 61, U.S. 63 and U.S. 136. 

A regional airport is located in Kirksville, and major rail access is provided by Burlington Northern Santa Fe, Norfolk Southern, Canadian Pacific Kansas City Southern and Union Pacific. The region also has a Mississippi River port facility at Lewis County.

Top industries include food processing and manufacturing, with major employers the likes of ConAgra, General Mills, Kraft and Tyson. 

But much more is going on in this region: home prices are among the most competitive in the state for buyers, access to higher education and workforce training for employers, an outstanding quality of life for residents, and lots of links that make up the nation’s food value chain.  

District 3: Kansas City Area
Counties: Buchanan, Cass, Clay, Jackson, Johnson, Lafayette, Pettis, Platte, Ray, Saline
District Population: 1,471,855 
Biggest City (population): Kansas City (510,704) 
Other Population Centers: Independence, Lee’s Summit, St. Joseph, Blue Springs, Liberty  
Major Employers: Oracle Cerner, Saint Luke’s Health System, HCA Midwest Health, Ford Motor Co., Hallmark

Without question, the reason the Kansas City region has one of America’s most stable economies has long been its rich diversity of business sectors operating there. From food production to the creative classes, from financial services to vehicle manufacturing, Kansas City has long had a cushion against economic downturns in specific sectors.

And over the past generation, that diversity has increased big time. First came the explosion in the logistics sector, with national distribution concerns erecting million-square-foot—and bigger—warehouses to span America’s vital central corridors for rail and highway traffic. More recently have come the massive data centers—billions of dollars in planned development are helping the region validate its claim to becoming the nation’s Silicon Prairie.

Missouri’s Kansas City region is an area of contradiction, with large, open expanses along the historic Missouri River and the bustling city for which the area is named. This diversity is not superficial; it represents a unique variety that helps make this area both attractive and economically viable. Although agriculture is important, the region is home to modern bioscience research, major arts and cultural amenities, and a range of lifestyle and business options associated with big-city lights.

This area is also fond of calling itself the Heartland, and there are two important definitions. The region is near the literal center of the country, and its location astride multiple transportation corridors is significant for current businesses and future development. 

The area is classically Midwestern in its outlook, with an easygoing friendliness that may surprise outsiders, and is cherished by those who call Kansas City home.  

District 4: Mid-Missouri
Counties: Boone, Callaway, Camden, Cole, Cooper, Gasconade, Howard, Maries, Miller, Moniteau, Morgan, Osage, Phelps, Pulaski 
District Population: 583,922 
Biggest City (population): Columbia (128,555) 
Other Population Centers: Jefferson City, Rolla, Fulton, Camdenton, Osage Beach
Major Employers: University of Missouri, State of Missouri, Central Bancorp, Fort Leonard Wood

From vacation and retirement development near the Lake of the Ozarks and government activity in the state capital of Jefferson City to the college town of Columbia and the transportation corridor of I-70, Mid-Missouri is composed of multiple areas with distinct business climates.

The area’s business diversity has helped strengthen an economy that at one time relied almost solely on agriculture. Although Mid-Missouri still boasts some of the most productive farmland in the nation, the region has come a long way in the tourism, transportation and distribution sectors. As a result, Mid-Missouri’s Callaway and Morgan counties were two of only five in the state to experience double-digit GDP growth from 2021 to 2022.

With approximately 120,000 residents, Columbia is the largest city in the region. This community boasts the state’s largest university campus and two additional four-year universities. The University of Missouri provides employment for 24,500 people, including 5,500 members of the professorial staff. Even at that scale, however, Columbia remains a college town—though it also encompasses far more than that persona might suggest. Located near the middle of the state on the I-70 corridor, Columbia contributes heavily to the transportation/distribution economy in the area, which also includes surrounding communities like Cooper County’s Boonville.

The presence of major universities is a driving factor in several Mid-Missouri communities. The city of Rolla is a center for technology and engineering research and education thanks to the presence of the Missouri University of Science and Technology. Fulton is home to Westminster College and William Woods University.

Not surprisingly, state and city governments drive the economy in Jefferson City. The Lake of the Ozarks region, including the communities of Camdenton and Osage Beach, is home to a thriving tourist trade. The economy of Hermann is also supported largely by the tourist trade—this Mid-Missouri community is situated in the middle of Missouri’s wine country.  

District 5: Saint Louis Area
Counties: Franklin, Jefferson, Lincoln, Montgomery, Saint Charles, Saint Louis, Warren
District Population: 2,136,394 
Biggest City (population): St. Louis (286,578) 
Other Population Centers: O’Fallon, St. Charles, St. Peters, Florissant, Chesterfield, Union, Wentzville, Wildwood 
Major Employers: Ascension Health, BJC Healthcare, Emerson Electric, Edward Jones, Anheuser- Busch/InBev, Evernorth

Clearly, the economic and cultural dynamo of Missouri, St. Louis is both a good representative of the state and, in many ways, distinct from it.

While much of Missouri exhibits a rural, even western flavor, St. Louis is often described as the “eastern” U.S. city that lies furthest west. (Kansas City, by contrast, is considered the furthest east “western” city.)

St. Louis does have the cultural and entertainment strengths to make this claim. Along with New Orleans and Chicago, St. Louis is one of the original American cities that helped give birth to the blues and jazz. A major league city in multiple sports, it boasts art galleries, theaters and an overall cultural vitality that would be at home on the East Coast.

Yet, in other ways, the St. Louis region is distinctly Midwestern and Missouri. In business terms, the area brings a central location that is increasingly playing a vital role for transportation and distribution firms. The crossroads of several major highways and interstates, this area is seeing the beginning of a significant development trend that exploits the area’s location for just-in-time supply chains.

The region is also building on several surprising strengths. Home to numerous Fortune 500 companies from a wide range of industries, the area has the advantage of both a diverse economy and the workforce skills they support. Perhaps most significantly, the area has an education system to support and expand this strength, with nationally recognized colleges and universities.

Several additional strengths may be a surprise in other ways. Health-care is a dramatic powerhouse here, both economically and in terms of the services provided to residents of both Missouri and adjacent Illinois. That, coupled with the region’s education and research foundation, is being used to successfully position the area as a leader in biosciences. Another local strength, transportation, is helping the St. Louis Region expand its successes in international markets.  

District 6: Southwest Missouri
Counties: Barry, Barton, Bates, Benton, Cedar, Christian, Dade, Dallas, Douglas, Greene, Henry, Hickory, Howell, Jasper, LaClede, Lawrence, McDonald, Newton, Ozark, Polk, Saint Clair, Stone, Taney, Texas, Vernon, Webster, Wright 
District Population: 1,148,888 
Biggest City (population): Springfield (170,067) 
Other Population Centers: Joplin, Branson, Nixa, Ozark, Clinton 
Major Employers: Leggett & Platt, Cox Health, Jack Henry & Associates, Missouri State University

Don’t look now, but something’s buzzing in Southwest Missouri, and it’s not just because of Branson tourism. The region boasted three of the five counties with the highest GDP growth between 2021 and 2022, with McDonald County topping the state (up 16.9 percent), Barry at No. 4 (up 11.9 percent), and Lawrence, up 10.8 percent. 

Keep in mind: Only five counties statewide saw double-digit GDP growth year-over-year.

What accounts for that? In part, the region offers a lot of contrast, from designated wilderness areas where only the sound of a clear stream can be heard to the bright lights of Branson, the thriving entertainment center.  

Little more than a generation ago, the area outside of Branson and Springfield was largely rural, with an agricultural economy, but now it is very much a sleeping giant that has awakened. Industries, from transportation to health-care, are becoming major factors in growth and are, in some areas, nationally ranked. 

Nor is this growth limited to just a few geographical slivers. Although Springfield and Joplin are by far the largest cities, intense development is occurring in a range of communities. Traffic on the area’s excellent highway network, with Interstate 44 as a vital spine, is creating extensive opportunity for development based on local retail markets as well as commercial distribution and regional tourism.

Fortunately, the area has managed to grow without losing its advantages. An excellent environment still supports one of the largest tourism industries in Missouri, and the cost of living is still remarkably low. While salaries are not as high here, the low cost of living in most areas more than compensates. Average home prices often run less than 50 percent below other areas of the country.

There are positive changes, however, including an influx of new amenities. Led by an increasingly influential Missouri State University in Springfield, the area’s many colleges and universities have expanded, along with arts and entertainment offerings that have helped deepen the area’s diversity. The region is also showing an emphasis on health in its older areas, with a surprising range of downtown developments in both large and small communities.  

District 7: Southeast Missouri
Counties: Bollinger, Butler, Cape Girardeau, Carter, Crawford, Dent, Dunklin, Iron, Madison, Mississippi, New Madrid, Oregon, Pemiscot, Perry, Reynolds, Ripley, Saint Francois, Saint Genevieve, Scott, Shannon, Stoddard, Washington, Wayne
District Population: 506,995 
Biggest City (population): Cape Girardeau (40,377) 
Other Population Centers: Farmington, Poplar Bluffs, Sikeston, Bloomfield, Perryville
Major Employers: St. Francis Medical Center, Southeast Missouri State University

Looking for a place with small-town charm and all of the cultural and educational amenities of a larger metropolitan area? Then Southeast Missouri may have what you’re looking for. Standing at the nexus of two powerful economic segments of the nation, it stands as a gateway to both the Deep South and the Midwest.

The Deep South? you ask. Yes, indeed. By virtue of a geological rift that separates much of the Bootheel region from the more traditional Plains-state character of Missouri’s topography, that part of the state is a close cultural fit to the south. You’ll even find fields of cotton and gins to process it. And because of the way the state’s highway system is designed, the biggest city within 100 miles is across the river in Tennessee; it takes considerably more time to reach St. Louis and even Columbia, in the center of the state.

Bounded on the east by the mighty Mississippi River, on the south by Arkansas and on the west by the sprawling Missouri Ozarks region, Southeast Missouri is a popular destination for working, playing, visiting and living, and within easy range of a major metropolitan area, with St. Louis to its north and northeast.

Residents here enjoy quality health-care, education, employment, cultural experiences and entertainment. The rural areas offer an abundance of outdoor recreational options, historically significant destinations, and a slower pace of life—and one that comes at a considerable saving for both business and residents, given the extremely low costs of living that mark the region.