Weak Economic Growth in Missouri’s Largest Cities Is Holding Down Statewide Growth Rates

The economic health of Missouri is tightly bound to the fortunes of Saint Louis and Kansas City, as these two metropolitan areas account for over half of the state’s output. Unfortunately, the performance of both cities has been dismal in the 21st century, and the predictable result is that growth statewide has been poor as well. This essay examines growth not only in Saint Louis and Kansas City, but also in the state’s smaller metropolitan areas and rural areas, comparing them to counterparts nationwide. Although there have been pockets of economic vitality throughout the state, the two major metro areas have generated a drag on state ouput that has left Missouri as one of the slowest growing states in the nation. Click here to read the entire essay.