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The stigma of laziness can often extend beyond the workplace and into the communities we inhabit. If you find yourself in one of these Missouri towns, you might notice a trend of lower productivity that could reflect on the local workforce.
This isn’t meant to be a harsh judgment; rather, it’s an observation of how certain attitudes and behaviors can permeate a community and affect its overall work ethic. In this article, we dive deep into the data to identify the towns in Missouri where residents may be less engaged in work, based on recent census statistics and employment trends.
Through extensive research utilizing the most current American Community Survey data, we’ve analyzed various metrics associated with productivity and work engagement. Here are the ten cities that ranked as the “Least Productive Places in Missouri” based on our findings:
Continue reading to find out more about these communities or jump ahead to see how your town measures up. And interestingly, Wildwood has emerged as the most industrious location in Missouri.
How We Identified the Least Productive Cities in Missouri
At Zippia, we leverage data to tackle tough questions. Our analysis taps into the latest American Community Survey data, allowing us to identify trends and insights about work habits across Missouri.
To establish our rankings, we assessed various criteria that are indicative of productivity levels in these cities. Our analysis focused on:
- Average hours worked
- Commute times
- Workers per household (labor force divided by number of households)
- Unemployment rates
- Percentage of college-educated adults
In essence, if a community exhibits lower engagement in education and work, it is likely to rank lower in productivity. After analyzing data from 128 locations in Missouri with populations over 5,000, we ranked each city based on these criteria, ultimately creating a productivity index.
The city with the lowest score on this index was designated the “Least Productive Place in Missouri,” and Caruthersville topped the list.
1. Caruthersville
Population: 6,086 College Educated: 12.2%
Unemployment Rate: 13.4%
2. Charleston
Population: 5,905 College Educated: 9.6%
Unemployment Rate: 22.2%
3. Poplar Bluff
Population: 17,190 College Educated: 16.1%
Unemployment Rate: 10.3%
4. Cameron
Population: 10,008 College Educated: 11.7%
Unemployment Rate: 13.0%
5. Clinton
Population: 9,014 College Educated: 15.0%
Unemployment Rate: 8.9%
6. Kennett
Population: 11,002 College Educated: 14.0%
Unemployment Rate: 10.8%
7. Lebanon
Population: 14,595 College Educated: 13.7%
Unemployment Rate: 10.2%
8. West Plains
Population: 12,176 College Educated: 16.3%
Unemployment Rate: 8.4%
9. Nevada
Population: 8,318 College Educated: 12.9%
Unemployment Rate: 6.5%
10. Sullivan
Population: 7,058 College Educated: 12.9%
Unemployment Rate: 18.5%
Analyzing Productivity Across Missouri
Determining the least productive places in Missouri might seem subjective, but our data-driven approach sheds light on communities where work engagement is notably low, educational attainment is lacking, and overall productivity is hindered.
Comprehensive List of the Least Productive Places in Missouri
| City | Rank |
|---|---|
| Caruthersville | 1 |
| Charleston | 2 |
| Poplar Bluff | 3 |
| Cameron | 4 |
| Clinton | 5 |
| Kennett | 6 |
| Lebanon | 7 |
| West Plains | 8 |
| Nevada | 9 |
| Sullivan | 10 |
Understanding the productivity landscape in Missouri offers insights into the challenges faced by these communities. While the data may reveal low engagement, it also presents opportunities for improvement and growth moving forward. By addressing these issues, towns can work towards becoming more vibrant and productive places to live and work.
Author
Chris Kolmar is a co-founder of Zippia and the editor-in-chief of the Zippia career advice blog. He has hired over 50 people in his career, been hired five times, and wants to help you land your next job. His research has been featured on the New York Times, Thrillist, VOX, The Atlantic, and a host of local news. More recently, he's been quoted on USA Today, BusinessInsider, and CNBC.
