About Missouri

Missouri is a state located in the eastern Midwestern section of the United States, bordering Iowa, Illinois, Nebraska and southern Kansas. With over six million residents, it's the ninth-most densely populated state of the nation. The capital, Jefferson City, is its largest city. The state is today the twenty-second-largest in area covered by population.

Missouri has much to offer the visitor interested in outdoor activities. It offers mountains, rivers, forests, preserves and other natural areas for recreation. Wildlife is especially abundant in Missouri. Wolves, coyotes, foxes, bobcats, bears, eagles, deer and many migratory birds call Missouri home. There are opportunities for fishing, hunting, camping and hiking. Bulldog breeders also find a good market in Missouri.

History buffs will discover that Missouri has a long and colorful history, especially along the Mississippi River. Missouri became a major railroad connection between Chicago and St. Louis. The "American Railroad" left its tracks in Independence Hall Park across the street from the park. In the early twentieth century, the Great Depression gave rise to urban renewal and development in major cities like St. Louis. The city added two major bridges and major roadways, like what we see today along the river. Missouri even hosted the first major international automobile event in the world when the Ford Motor Company's Dearborn car rolled off the assembly line in Missouri.

Demography is one of the most important factors in deciding where to locate a family in Missouri. Like the rest of the United States, Missouri is aging. The national average in median age is thirty-six years old. This is well above the national average of 28 years old. As the population ages, Missouri will likely continue to grow more populated. The number of people of childbearing age is also on the rise in this fast-growing country.

Missouri does have many native populations that have moved from other states or who have moved to this state in recent times. These include African-Americans, who make up about twenty-two percent of the Missouri population, and Hispanic immigrants, who comprise another twenty-four percent. The countrywide trend of migration may contribute to the increase in the population of Missouri. Some people move from nearby states to settle down in Missouri because it offers both good jobs and proximity to their home state. Others move from other countries to reach Missouri, which has an economy that is highly dependent on trade with other countries. And finally, some people choose to leave their current location for better employment prospects in Missouri.

The overall demographics of Missouri will continue to change as people continue to migrate to and from this state. Some areas of Missouri seem to be gaining residents at a faster rate than others. These include the cities of St. Louis and Missouri City, where there are already several growing populations. Other areas, like Rolla and Columbia, seem to have more turnover than others.

The primary reason that migration occurs is often because of the changing economic landscape within the community in which people reside. As business grows, employment opportunities open up, and property values rise, the rates of residence among certain groups tend to change. Demography and local culture both play a role in the way people move from place to place.

Because migration can be a very natural process, demography and its effects on a state's population can be easily tracked. There are even tools available online that allow anyone to look at a particular county in Missouri and see what kind of population it has. This is helpful when studying the migration trends of a specific ethnic group, like the Black population or the Native American population. Demographics can provide important clues about how a town or city will fit into its surrounding area or what kind of economic growth it might experience in the future.