Recent issues
Vol. 6, Issue 2: Social Capital in Friendship Connections – Jan. 27, 2025 (PDF)
Social capital — the relationships between individuals — can create access to other forms of capital and support local economic development. Bonding ties, or the clustering of similar individuals, can foster trust, while bridging ties (connecting diverse individuals) can expand access to resources.
Vol. 6, Issue 1: Gross Domestic Product Trends – Jan. 7, 2025 (PDF)
Missouri’s economy reached $430 billion in 2023, with real growth of 2.6% compared to the previous year. This growth rate was slightly below the U.S. average of 2.9%, ranking Missouri 25th nationwide. Roughly 82% of the state’s 115 counties, including St. Louis City, grew their economies from 2022 to 2023. This is a significant improvement from 2021 to 2022, when only 37% of the state’s 115 counties grew their economies.
Vol. 5, Issue 15: Commuting Trends – Dec. 9, 2024 (PDF)
Commuting miles have changed little over the past decade but vary significantly based on workers’ locations and their home county’s economic structure. Lower-paid Missouri workers commute longer distances than employees earning higher wages. Residents in counties dependent on mining or farming employment, which make up a quarter of all Missouri counties, see the longest one-way commutes.