Commuting to Work Outside of Home County 1990-2000
The source of employment of one-third of Missouri in 2000 was located outside their county of residence. That is an increase from 1990 when 31.2 percent of Missouri workers were employed outside their home county. Table 1 shows that the number of workers employed outside their home county increased during the 1990s in all but two counties. The two exceptions were St. Louis County where the number of commuting workers declined by more than 23,000 from 1990 to 2000 and in Shannon County where there was a decline of only five. The change in St. Louis County was significant. There were 32.5 percent of county residents employed outside the county in 1990, but that declined to 28.0 percent in 2000. A higher percentage of St. Louis County workers were employed in their home county in 2000, perhaps because some employers relocated to St. Louis County during the 1990s.
The percent of workers employed outside their home county increased in 101 of the 115 counties. Even in those counties in which the percent of commuting workers declined the change was small. The greatest change was in St. Louis County in which the proportion of commuters, as mentioned above, declined from 32.5 percent in 1990 to 28.0 percent in 2000.
Counties with Largest Percentage Increases in Commuting 1990-2000
The counties with the greatest increases in percent of employed residents who were employed outside the county were generally small population rural counties. The greatest increase occurred in Wayne County where 23.5 percent of workers were commuting in 1990, which increased to 42.9 percent in 2000. A similarly large increase occurred in Worth County where the 20.3 percent of resident workers employed outside the county increased to 38.6 percent in 2000. Other large increases occurred in Putnam County, which increased from 21.4 percent in 1990 to 37.6 percent in 2000; Gentry, which increased from 19.9 percent to 33.4 percent; and Madison, which increased from 27.2 percent to 40.5 percent. Each of the above five counties with the greatest relative increases is located adjacent to a county which is a center of a regional labor market.
Centers of Regional Labor Markets
| Map 1 click map for larger version 
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Map 1 shows 17 counties in which fewer than 18 percent of county workers are employed outside the county. Inspection of the map shows that counties with a relatively high percentage of commuters generally surround the counties with a small percentage of commuters. In other words, counties with a low percent of commuters are the centers of regional labor markets.
Map 1 shows counties in north Missouri which appear to be labor market centers are Nodaway (Maryville), Buchanan (St. Joseph), Livingston (Chillicothe) and Adair (Kirksville). Labor market centers in the Central Region include Boone (Columbia), Cole (Jefferson City), Pettis (Sedalia) and Saline (Marshall). Labor market centers in the Southwest Region include Jasper (Joplin), Greene (Springfield) and Taney (Branson). South Central Region centers include Laclede (Lebanon), Phelps (Rolla), Pulaski (Fort Wood), and Howell (West Plains). Southeast labor market centers include Butler (Poplar Bluff) and Cape Girardeau.
Variation Among the Counties in the Percent of Commuters
Generally, counties with the largest proportion of residents working outside their home county are located adjacent to major employment center counties. Commuting to work outside the home county has generally become more prevalent during the 1990s. In 1990 there were 17 counties in which more than 50 percent of employed residents worked outside their home county; in 2000 there were 25 counties that fell in that category.
Of the 25 counties in which more than 50 percent of employed residents work outside their home county, 12 are metropolitan counties and 13 are non-metropolitan. The metro counties with the highest proportion of commuting residents include Jefferson (65.0 percent), Warren (56.8 percent), Lincoln (54.8 percent), and St. Charles (53.0 percent), in the St. Louis metro area. In the Kansas City metro area counties with the highest levels of commuting are, in order, Clinton (66.4 percent), Cass (64.1 percent), Ray (64.1 percent), Platte (60.3 percent) and Clay (51.3 percent). In the Springfield metro area 64.3 percent of Christian County employed workers and 55.5 percent of Webster County employed workers hold their job outside their home county. Andrew County, in the St. Joseph metro area, has the state's highest rate of residents commuting to work outside the home county (72.7 percent)
Rural counties having the highest rates are generally those within easy commuting distance to one or more regional trade centers. Examples include:
- Maries County (65.5 percent), which is adjacent to Phelps (Rolla) Pulaski (Fort Wood) and Cole (Jefferson City) Counties;
- Caldwell County (62.4 percent) adjacent to Livingston (Chillicothe) and Clinton (Cameron) Counties;
- Bollinger County (61.7 percent) adjacent to Cape Girardeau;
- Ralls (60.3 percent) adjacent to Marion (Hannibal) County;
- Osage County (58.7 percent) adjacent to Cole County (Jefferson City);
- DeKalb (56.3 percent) adjacent to Buchanan (St. Joseph) and Clinton (Cameron) Counties;
- Stone (54.0 percent) adjacent to Taney (Branson) County;
- Dallas (53.2 percent) adjacent to Greene (Springfield) and Laclede (Lebanon) Counties;
- Washington (51.6 percent) adjacent to Jefferson and Franklin Counties in the St. Louis Metro Area;
- Hickory (51.4 percent) adjacent to Camden (Camdenton) County;
- Howard (51.5 percent) adjacent to Boone (Columbia) County;
- Schuyler (51.4 percent) adjacent to Adair (Kirksville) County; and,
- Clark (51.3 percent) adjacent to Keokuk, Iowa.
In each of the above counties the percent of workers working outside their home county increased significantly during the 1990s. It is evident that commuting to work in larger labor market counties has become a more important part of the economic base of the above counties. It also provides additional evidence of the extent of urban sprawl occurring in the vicinity of larger trade centers.
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OSEDA Regional Grouping of Counties Many demographic factors vary by region within the state of Missouri. For the convenience of our user community, OSEDA prepares tables using three different regional groupings of counties: Extension, Economic Development and Transportation. For each of these groupings, one table summarizes the indicators by regional total and a second table shows values for each county grouped by region. Users may select the county grouping most helpful for their application and understanding. |
Missouri Commuting Patterns Among Regions 1990-2000
Commuting Among University of Missouri Extension Regions
Table 2 shows that the percent of workers commuting to work outside their home county ranges from a low of 33.4 percent in the South Central and Southeast Regions in 2000 to a high of 46.0 percent in the Northwest Region.
The percent of commuters increased in all eight regions during the 1990s although the percent increase was smallest in the East Central (St. Louis) and West Central (Kansas City) regions. Among the eight regions those two regions had by far the greatest rate of commuting in 1990s. In the East Central Region the percent commuting to work outside the county increased from 42.6 percent in 1990 to 43.3 percent in 2000; in the West Central Region commuting increased from 42.0 in 1990 to 43.1 percent in 2000.
In the remaining six regions there were significant increases in the extent of commuting outside the home county during the 1990s. The greatest increase occurred in the Southeast Region, which increased from 26.8 percent in 1990 to 33.4 percent in 2000. Following the Southeast, commuting in the Northwest Region increased from 39.5 percent in 1990 to 46.0 percent in 2000. In addition to those two, the remaining four regions all had commuting increases of similar magnitude during the 1990s.
Aside from the East Central and West Central Regions, commuting to work outside the home county became much more prevalent throughout the state during the 1990s. All but two counties had a greater number of people commuting to work outside their home county in 2000 than in 1990. This pattern is clearly affecting the economy of both the counties workers are commuting from and the counties they are commuting to. To the extent that workers bring their earnings back to their home county they contribute to the county's economic base
Commuting Among Missouri Department of Transportation Districts
Table 3 shows that the percent of workers commuting to work outside their home county ranges from a low of 29.8 percent in the Macon District in 2000 to a high of 48.1 percent in the St. Joseph District. In addition to the St. Joseph District the highest rates of commuting occurred in the Springfield and Hannibal Districts with percentages of 45.0 and 46.2 percent respectively.
The percent of commuters increased in all ten districts during the 1990s although the percent increase was smallest in the St. Louis and Kansas City Districts. Those two districts had the greatest rate of commuting in 1990s among the ten districts. In the St. Louis District the percent commuting to work outside the home county increased from 42.4 percent in 1990 to 42.9 percent in 2000; in the Kansas City District commuting increased from 42.3 in 1990 to 43.3 percent in 2000.
In the remaining eight districts there were significant increases in the extent of commuting outside the home county during the 1990s. The greatest increase occurred in the Springfield District, which increased from 37.5 percent in 1990 to 45.0 percent in 2000. Following the Springfield District, commuting in the St. Joseph District increased from 41.3 percent in 1990 to 48.1 percent in 2000. Significant increases also occurred in the Sikeston District, which increased from 26.9 percent in 1990 to 32.7 percent in 2000 and in the Macon District which increased from 22.8 percent in 1990 to 29.8 percent in 2000. In addition to those four the remaining four districts (Jefferson City, Willow Springs, Joplin and Hannibal) all had commuting increases of somewhat smaller magnitude during the 1990s.
Aside from the St. Louis and Kansas City Districts, commuting to work outside the home county became much more prevalent throughout the state during the 1990s. All but two counties had a greater number of people commuting to work outside their home county in 2000 than in 1990. This pattern is clearly affecting the economy of both the counties workers are commuting from and the counties they are commuting to. To the extent that workers bring their earnings back to their home county they are contributing to the county's economic base.
Commuting Among Missouri Department of Economic Development Regions
Table 4 shows that the percent of workers commuting to work outside their home county ranges from a low of 29.0 percent in the North Central Region in 2000 to a high of 46.9 percent in the Springfield-Branson Region. In addition to the Springfield-Branson Region the highest rates of commuting occurred in the Kansas City MSA (44.7 percent), and in the St. Louis and Northwest Regions each having 43.4 percent commuting to work outside the home county.
The percent of commuters increased in all thirteen districts during the 1990s although the percent increase was smallest in the St. Louis and Kansas City MSAs. Those two regions had the greatest rate of commuting in 1990 among the thirteen regions. In the St. Louis MSA the percent commuting to work outside the home county increased from 42.8 percent in 1990 to 43.4 percent in 2000. In the Kansas City MSA commuting increased from 43.8 percent in 1990 to 44.7 percent in 2000.
In the remaining eleven regions there were significant increases in the extent of commuting outside the home county during the 1990s. The greatest increases occurred in the Springfield-Branson Region, which increased from 39.6 percent in 1990 to 46.9 percent in 2000. Following the Springfield-Branson Region, commuting in the Northwest Region increased from 36.0 percent in 1990 to 43.4 percent in 2000. Significant increases also occurred in the West Central Region, which increased from 24.1 percent in 1990 to 32.7 percent in 2000 and in the North Central Region which increased from 20.8 percent in 1990 to 29.0 percent in 2000. In addition to those three, five additional regions (Central, Bootheel, South Central, Northeast and Lower East Central - Cape) had significant commuting increases during the 1990s.
Aside from the St. Louis and Kansas City Districts, commuting to work outside the home county became much more prevalent throughout the state during the 1990s. All but two counties had a greater number of people commuting to work outside their home county in 2000 than in 1990. This pattern is clearly affecting the economy of both the counties workers are commuting from and the counties they are commuting to. To the extent that workers bring their earnings back to their home county they are contributing to the county's economic base.
| Detailed Tables | ||
The following links provide detailed tables of Personal Income in Missouri, 1990-2000. They are available in both HTML and Adobe Acrobat(PDF) formats. All Missouri Counties |
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| Missouri Commuting Patterns, 1990-2000 - By County with State Totals | HTML | |
| Regional Tables | ||
| UO/E Regions | ||
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Missouri Commuting Patterns, 1990-2000 - By UM Extension Region |
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| Missouri Commuting Patterns, 1990-2000 - By County Within UM Extension Region | HTML | |
| DED Regions | ||
| Missouri Commuting Patterns, 1990-2000 - By DED Region | HTML | |
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Missouri Commuting Patterns, 1990-2000 - By County Within DED Region |
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| MoDOT Regions | ||
| Missouri Commuting Patterns, 1990-2000 - By DOT District | HTML | |
| Missouri Commuting Patterns, 1990-2000 - By County Within DOT District | HTML | |
This file last modified Thursday May 07, 2009, 16:03:46
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