In 2003, about 4 in 10 Missouri payroll jobs were filled by workers commuting from another county. By 2023, that number had grown to more than half of all jobs.
Nonmetro Missourians now travel an average of 28 miles one way to work, compared to 16 miles for urban workers. These patterns underscore the important bonds between Missouri’s urban and rural communities, as the shared labor markets benefit both workers’ livelihoods and the businesses that employ them.
Together, these trends highlight why it is essential to think regionally when planning economic and workforce development strategies. Courtesy MU Extension, Butler Mo.
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