YOUR BUSINESS AUTHORITY
Springfield, MO
YOUR BUSINESS AUTHORITY
Springfield, MO
Missouri placed eight counties in the top 30, more than any other state in the nine-state region. Pulaski County was Missouri’s top performer, ranking third on the list. The county had increases of 31.3 percent in personal income, 9.9 percent in population and 13.9 percent in employment, earning it an index score of 2.8.
Christian County also was in the top 30 for the region, ranking ninth with an index score of 1.76.
Other Missouri counties in the top 30 were Dallas, Lincoln, Phelps, Benton, Warren and St. Charles.
“The report showed that Missouri weathered the national recession even better than our neighboring states,” said Missouri DED Director Kelvin Simmons in a news release. “The better news is that we have seen even stronger job and income growth in 2004. Missouri added 42,600 jobs between January and November.”
On the negative side, Mercer, Sullivan and Holt Counties in northern Missouri were among the bottom 30 counties in the region, with index scores of -2.48, -2.22 and -1.82, respectively. St. Louis City, St. Louis County and Jackson County also had negative index ratings.
The lack of economic momentum in St. Louis County and Jackson County together had a strong adverse effect on the state’s overall performance, because the two areas combine for more than one third of the state’s economy, the release said.
The index compares counties’ growth, personal income, population and employment to the regional average. An index score of zero indicates average growth compared to the rest of the region.
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