BLS - U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

03/17/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 03/17/2026 13:35

County Employment and Wages in Missouri — Third Quarter 2025

News Release Information

26-538-KAN
Tuesday, March 17, 2026

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County Employment and Wages in Missouri - Third Quarter 2025

Employment decreased in 6 of the 7 largest counties in Missouri from September 2024 to September 2025, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Acting Regional Commissioner Jerome Watters noted that St. Louis County had the largest over-the-year decrease in employment, with a loss of 2.2 percent. (See chart 1 and table 1.)

View Chart Data
Chart 1. Over-the-year percent change in covered employment among the largest counties in Missouri, September 2025
County Percent change, September 2025

St. Louis

-2.2

St. Louis City

-1.1

Clay

-1.0

St. Charles

-0.3

Greene

-0.2

Jackson

-0.2

Boone

1.2

Among the seven largest counties in Missouri, employment was highest in St. Louis County (584,100) in September 2025. Together, the seven largest counties accounted for 59.8 percent of total covered employment within the state. Nationwide, the 372 largest counties comprise 73.2 percent of total covered employment in the United States. (Large counties and county equivalents are those with annual average employment levels of 75,000 or more in 2024.)

Large county average weekly wages in the third quarter 2025

All six large Missouri counties with published data reported average weekly wage increases over the year. (See chart 2.) Clay had the largest increase (+6.0 percent). Over-the-year wage changes for Missouri's other large counties ranged from 5.6 percent to 3.2 percent.

View Chart Data
Chart 2. Over-the-year percent change in covered average weekly wages among the largest counties in Missouri, third quarter 2025
County Percent change, third quarter 2025

Clay

6.0

Boone

5.6

St. Louis

5.1

St. Charles

3.9

St. Louis City

3.4

Greene

3.2

The weekly wage in St. Louis City ($1,549) was above the national average of $1,459. Average weekly wages in the remaining six large counties ranged from $1,445 in St. Louis County to $1,131 in Greene.

Smaller county average weekly wages in the third quarter of 2025

Employment and wage levels (but not over-the-year changes) are also available for the 108 small counties in Missouri, defined as having employment below 75,000 in 2024. (See table 2.) Wage levels in all 108 smaller counties were below the national average. Buchanan reported the highest average weekly wage ($1,182). Ozark reported the lowest average weekly wage ($626) in the state, closely followed by Worth ($629).

Among all 115 Missouri counties, 15 reported average weekly wages of $774 or less, 26 had wages from $775 to $849, 28 had wages from $850 to $924, 24 had wages from $925 to $999, and 22 had average weekly wages of $1,000 or higher. (See map 1 and table 2.)

Map 1. Average weekly wages by county in Missouri, third quarter 2025

(U.S. average = $1,459)

Additional statistics and other information

QCEW data for states have been included in this release in table 3.

Nationwide coverage of the largest counties is published in the County Employment and Wages news release. Additional information about quarterly employment and wages data is available in the news release Technical Note and from the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages website.

If you are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, please dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services.

The County Employment and Wages release for the fourth quarter 2025 is scheduled to be released on Tuesday, June 2, 2026.

Table 1. Covered establishments, employment, and wages in the United States and the seven largest counties in Missouri, third quarter 2025
Area Establishments,
third quarter
(thousands) 		Employment Average weekly wage (1)
September 2025
(thousands) 		Percent change,
September
2024-25 (2) 		National ranking
by percent change (3) 		Third quarter
2025 ($) 		National ranking
by level (3) 		Percent change,
third quarter
2024-25 (2) 		National ranking
by percent change (3)

United States (4)

12,353.8 155,767.7 0.1 -- 1,459 -- 4.7 --

Missouri

256.0 2,903.7 -0.4 -- 1,249 31 4.4 21

Boone

5.3 100.7 1.2 37 1,233 228 5.6 40

Clay

6.9 111.4 -1.0 299 1,228 234 6.0 26

Greene

11.5 179.9 -0.2 199 1,131 322 3.2 268

Jackson

26.3 378.1 -0.2 199 1,392 123 (5) -

St. Charles

11.3 162.7 -0.3 223 1,145 311 3.9 185

St. Louis

47.4 584.1 -2.2 358 1,445 93 5.1 66

St. Louis City

16.0 219.3 -1.1 312 1,549 63 3.4 251

(1) Average weekly wages were calculated using unrounded data.
(2) Percent changes were computed from employment and pay data adjusted for noneconomic county reclassifications.
(3) Ranking does not include data for Puerto Rico or the Virgin Islands.
(4) Totals for the United States do not include data for Puerto Rico or the Virgin Islands.
(5) Data do not meet BLS or state agency disclosure standards.

Note: Data are preliminary. Dashes indicate data not applicable or available. Covered employment and wages include workers covered by Unemployment Insurance (UI) and Unemployment Compensation for Federal Employees (UCFE) programs.

Table 2. Covered establishments, employment, and wages in the United States and all counties in Missouri, third quarter 2025
Area Establishments Employment September 2025 Average weekly wage ($) (1)

United States (2)

12,353,804 155,767,691 1,459

Missouri

255,989 2,903,680 1,249

Adair

851 9,318 886

Andrew

492 2,882 789

Atchison

231 1,667 859

Audrain

645 7,919 943

Barry

1,005 13,089 941

Barton

352 3,563 855

Bates

489 3,801 848

Benton

577 3,893 755

Bollinger

251 1,849 802

Boone

5,334 100,747 1,233

Buchanan

2,713 46,328 1,182

Butler

1,569 17,968 935

Caldwell

244 1,922 814

Callaway

978 14,961 1,165

Camden

1,791 18,251 970

Cape Girardeau

2,901 41,529 1,038

Carroll

326 2,643 868

Carter

262 1,471 739

Cass

2,736 31,922 950

Cedar

412 3,601 787

Chariton

266 1,818 833

Christian

2,510 20,896 867

Clark

180 1,375 713

Clay

6,942 111,432 1,228

Clinton

502 5,067 930

Cole

2,775 54,477 1,160

Cooper

501 5,112 851

Crawford

705 6,903 963

Dade

189 1,696 788

Dallas

457 2,899 700

Daviess

289 1,819 810

De Kalb

279 2,312 930

Dent

567 3,685 835

Douglas

294 2,385 750

Dunklin

1,813 8,980 715

Franklin

3,146 40,001 1,020

Gasconade

552 5,065 779

Gentry

241 2,051 826

Greene

11,507 179,896 1,131

Grundy

293 2,821 835

Harrison

284 2,494 809

Henry

728 8,281 986

Hickory

213 1,574 723

Holt

178 1,262 854

Howard

244 2,473 828

Howell

1,483 15,286 887

Iron

590 3,422 984

Jackson

26,308 378,082 1,392

Jasper

3,591 56,713 985

Jefferson

4,766 50,021 988

Johnson

1,343 16,447 919

Knox

110 892 801

Laclede

903 13,095 941

Lafayette

965 8,927 895

Lawrence

989 9,193 936

Lewis

260 2,455 925

Lincoln

1,288 13,209 1,025

Linn

399 4,033 854

Livingston

491 6,094 883

McDonald

489 5,907 874

Macon

444 4,830 873

Madison

351 3,620 828

Maries

196 1,403 830

Marion

1,033 12,975 977

Mercer

122 818 875

Miller

803 7,959 910

Mississippi

425 3,018 868

Moniteau

366 4,012 924

Monroe

259 1,819 818

Montgomery

340 3,220 958

Morgan

660 4,739 792

New Madrid

937 7,281 888

Newton

1,540 23,196 1,072

Nodaway

639 8,247 851

Oregon

277 2,519 731

Osage

282 4,494 1,037

Ozark

275 1,496 626

Pemiscot

946 4,737 746

Perry

597 9,631 1,029

Pettis

1,339 19,811 993

Phelps

1,394 19,645 1,056

Pike

519 5,165 1,035

Platte

3,245 48,512 1,115

Polk

836 9,345 927

Pulaski

937 13,185 943

Putnam

141 959 841

Ralls

279 3,625 1,036

Randolph

683 9,328 967

Ray

472 4,112 899

Reynolds

277 1,744 937

Ripley

671 2,762 640

St. Charles

11,345 162,747 1,145

St. Clair

260 1,768 770

Ste. Genevieve

517 6,232 1,129

St. Francois

1,955 23,019 870

St. Louis

47,365 584,087 1,445

Saline

675 8,925 924

Schuyler

102 965 799

Scotland

153 1,332 884

Scott

1,321 16,249 981

Shannon

248 1,557 668

Shelby

211 1,831 895

Stoddard

887 10,095 916

Stone

919 7,529 797

Sullivan

144 2,328 936

Taney

2,251 29,209 844

Texas

650 5,831 813

Vernon

753 7,067 921

Warren

817 9,540 1,003

Washington

790 4,959 777

Wayne

396 2,259 755

Webster

935 8,773 906

Worth

66 357 629

Wright

617 4,694 807

St. Louis City

15,956 219,313 1,549

(1) Average weekly wages were calculated using unrounded data.
(2) Totals for the United States do not include data for Puerto Rico or the Virgin Islands.

Note: Data are preliminary. Dashes indicate data not applicable or available. Covered employment and wages include workers covered by Unemployment Insurance (UI) and Unemployment Compensation for Federal Employees (UCFE) programs.

Table 3. Covered establishments, employment, and wages by state, third quarter 2025
State Establishments,
third quarter
(thousands) 		Employment Average weekly wage (1)
September 2025
(thousands) 		Percent change,
September
2024-25 		Third quarter
2025 ($) 		National ranking
by level 		Percent change,
third quarter
2024-25 		National ranking
by percent change

United States (2)

12,353.8 155,767.7 0.1 1,459 -- 4.7 --

Alabama

165.7 2,119.0 0.6 1,212 36 3.6 38

Alaska

25.3 342.4 -0.1 1,455 13 5.3 7

Arizona

228.4 3,215.4 -0.2 1,360 19 4.0 31

Arkansas

111.2 1,310.5 0.5 1,135 49 3.8 33

California

1,986.7 18,281.7 0.3 1,815 4 7.2 2

Colorado

252.9 2,886.4 -0.6 1,570 7 5.7 3

Connecticut

149.6 1,693.8 0.1 1,604 6 3.8 33

Delaware

46.7 480.8 0.0 1,394 17 4.8 13

District of Columbia

51.5 737.4 -3.1 2,393 1 5.7 3

Florida

892.1 9,818.1 -0.2 1,342 21 5.1 8

Georgia

397.2 4,874.5 0.4 1,349 20 3.5 43

Hawaii

62.1 640.1 0.1 1,342 21 3.1 48

Idaho

103.7 879.8 1.3 1,180 44 4.9 11

Illinois

386.5 6,086.3 -0.1 1,457 12 4.3 23

Indiana

197.1 3,198.4 0.1 1,214 35 4.3 23

Iowa

109.6 1,549.3 -0.9 1,194 39 3.6 38

Kansas

102.2 1,431.7 0.1 1,179 45 3.8 33

Kentucky

160.7 1,995.4 -0.4 1,176 46 4.3 23

Louisiana

158.7 1,913.1 -0.1 1,187 42 3.3 46

Maine

67.4 659.2 -0.2 1,231 33 5.0 10

Maryland

199.5 2,739.5 -1.3 1,526 9 3.8 33

Massachusetts

293.2 3,625.0 -0.9 1,818 3 4.8 13

Michigan

316.0 4,423.8 -0.4 1,323 25 4.5 18

Minnesota

214.3 2,958.6 0.2 1,438 15 3.6 38

Mississippi

91.3 1,172.6 0.0 1,005 51 4.7 15

Missouri

256.0 2,903.7 -0.4 1,249 31 4.4 21

Montana

64.6 518.3 -0.4 1,182 43 5.1 8

Nebraska

78.6 1,021.8 -0.1 1,190 40 3.1 48

Nevada

109.5 1,581.0 1.4 1,314 27 4.3 23

New Hampshire

67.3 687.8 -0.6 1,481 11 5.5 6

New Jersey

334.9 4,301.0 0.4 1,558 8 3.6 38

New Mexico

69.0 876.4 0.3 1,190 40 3.2 47

New York

720.8 9,808.4 0.4 1,757 5 4.7 15

North Carolina

386.3 4,939.4 0.5 1,328 23 4.2 27

North Dakota

36.7 433.8 -0.5 1,291 29 2.8 50

Ohio

346.6 5,537.8 0.1 1,279 30 3.4 44

Oklahoma

128.8 1,697.9 -0.3 1,143 48 4.5 18

Oregon

180.5 1,994.7 -1.3 1,409 16 4.2 27

Pennsylvania

397.2 6,066.3 0.2 1,383 18 4.1 30

Rhode Island

48.8 503.3 0.2 1,322 26 4.7 15

South Carolina

190.8 2,312.3 0.7 1,198 38 4.9 11

South Dakota

40.9 462.9 0.1 1,146 47 4.0 31

Tennessee

224.2 3,255.5 -1.2 1,327 24 5.7 3

Texas

854.9 14,062.3 0.7 1,444 14 3.6 38

Utah

142.4 1,745.9 1.2 1,297 28 3.8 33

Vermont

34.1 307.2 -0.7 1,243 32 4.4 21

Virginia

324.0 4,142.4 0.7 1,504 10 4.2 27

Washington

242.3 3,639.4 -0.1 1,923 2 7.7 1

West Virginia

62.1 701.1 -0.1 1,121 50 3.4 44

Wisconsin

211.6 2,949.1 -0.4 1,228 34 4.5 18

Wyoming

31.7 285.6 -1.1 1,201 37 2.0 51

Puerto Rico

52.8 945.5 -0.6 687 (3) 2.7 (3)

Virgin Islands

3.0 33.2 -5.4 1,025 (3) 4.7 (3)

(1) Average weekly wages were calculated using unrounded data.
(2) Totals for the United States do not include data for Puerto Rico or the Virgin Islands.
(3) Data not included in the national ranking.

Note: Data are preliminary. Dashes indicate data not applicable or available. Covered employment and wages include workers covered by Unemployment Insurance (UI) and Unemployment Compensation for Federal Employees (UCFE) programs.

BLS - U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics published this content on March 17, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on March 17, 2026 at 19:36 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]