As happens at the beginning of every Fall, this week the U. S. Census Bureau released its annual American Community Survey results at the state, county and major city level.
The news for Missouri is, as expected, not good.
► Again in 2018, the gap between the national Household Median Income and Missouri’s median widened;
► Missouri’s population continues to grow much more slowly than the nation’s;
► The City of St. Louis population is still dropping; and,
► Missouri is increasingly become a land of senior citizens.
A few years back, Missouri’s Median Household Income stood at better than 90% of the national median. By 2017 Missouri was at 89% and that dropped to 88% in 2018.
2017 2018
National Median
Household Income $60,336 $61,937
Missouri Median $53,578 $54,478
To put is simply, the typical Missouri family lives on $145 a week less than the typical American family (and Missourians are $203 below Illinois families). The gap between Missouri and the nation can be expected to widen even more in coming years. The only mitigating factor: Missouri’s voter-approved mandated increases in the state’s minimum wage. I expect that will lessen the rate of widening.
That’s not good.
From 2017 to 2018 the population of Missouri increased by 12,920 people: that’s about half the rate of the national increase.
National Population 325,719,178 327,167,439
Missouri 6,113,532 6,126,452
Per the 2018 report, the estimated population of St. Louis City is 302,838.
(For the record, for a lot of reasons city residents are less likely than the average American to complete the American Community Survey. Still, since the methodology of the survey remains unchanged, the continued drop in posted city population probably reflects a similar long-term decline in the number of residents. I’ve already put $20 on a 2020 census finding of 285,000 city residents.)
While the St. Louis Post-Dispatch chose to highlight the increase of young, well-educated, high-earning people in the city, the state’s reality isn’t as rosy: Missouri is getting older, especially in rural areas.
Oh yes, despite the increase in good paying jobs in the city, the Median Household Income in the City of St. Louis in 2018 was $43,889 – well below the county’s $66,778 and the state’s $54,478. Again, think of the city income as $440 a week below the county’s!
So, overall the news is not good. Missouri continues to slide well below the average. That can be expected to continue.
Glenn