Population and Change. Over the period from 2000 to 2006, Northeast Extension Region's population decreased by 1,345, going from 195,398 in 2000 to 194,053 in 2006. This was a change of -0.7 percent, as compared with Missouri (4.4%).

Components of Change. Natural Increase is defined as births minus deaths. Northeast Extension Region had 775 more births than deaths between 2000 and 2006 Net migration is the difference between the number of people who moved into an area and the number of people who moved out. So a negative net migration means a net loss of persons due to migration, while a positive value represents a net gain. Between 2000 and 2006, Northeast Extension Region had a net migration of -2,120.

Age. In 2006, Northeast Extension Region reported 16.0 percent of its residents were 65 and older compared to 13.3 percent statewide. At the same time, the proportion of young people under 18 in the Extension Region was 23.1 percent. Missouri reported 24.1 percent during the same period.

Diversity. As of the 2006 estimates from the Census Bureau, 94.7 percent of the population in the Extension Region was White (183,738). The Extension Region reported 6,585 Blacks (3.4%), 1,081 Asians (0.6%) and 653 American Indian (0.3%). There were 3,342 Hispanics (1.7%).

Place of Residence. Estimates for 2006 also show 37.7 percent of the population lived in places of 2,500 or less in Northeast Extension Region. Those living in smaller places account for 22.6 percent of the Extension Region's population and 39.7 percent lived in unincorporated areas.

Housing. According to the Census Bureau's estimates, there were 91,782 housing units in Northeast Extension Region in 2006 The homeownership rate in 2000 was 73.0 percent compared to 70.3 percent statewide. The median value of owner-occupied housing units in 2000 was $55,923 compared with a statewide median value of $89,900.

Households and Families. There were about 76,204 households in the Extension Region according to the 2000 decennial census. Families comprised 67.1 percent of households (51,140). About 23.1 percent of households were married couples with children under 18, which was less than for the state overall (23.3 percent). Single parent families in Northeast Extension Region (7.4%) were fewer than Missouri (9.1%).

Families and Children. Median family income for Northeast Extension Region was $37,667 in 2005 compared to $46,044 for Missouri.

The 2005 poverty rate in Northeast Extension Region was 17.1 percent which was higher than that of the state (13.6%). The poverty rate among children (22.8%) was higher than that of the state (19.5%).

The annual Kids Count reports Northeast Extension Region indicators on children were ranked 841 out of 114 counties and St. Louis Extension Region in the state in 2006. Kids Count indicators show that low birth weight infants decreased to 7.8 percent and births to teenage mothers were 35.9 per 1,000 girls. The area also reported child abuse cases at a rate of 40.4 per 1,000 for 2006 compared to 32.7 per 1,000 statewide.

Jobs by Sector. The October 2007 unemployment rate was 5.3 percent compared with 5.2 percent statewide. There were 107,461 jobs in Northeast Extension Region in 2005. Farm employment accounts for more than 13.1 percent of the total jobs (14,074). Retail Trade (12,478), Local government (11,585) and Manufacturing (10,490) are the next highest categories.

Agriculture. The 2002 Census of Agriculture reported 13,194 farms in the Extension Region with total sales of about $650.451 million and production expenses of $600.131 million. There was $50.320 million in net farm income reported in the Extension Region with 10.2 percent of all farms having sales of $100,000 or more and 54.7 percent of farms with less than $10,000 in sales.

Extension Region Income Patterns. Northeast Extension Region generated over $4,490 million of total personal income in 2004. Per capita income was $23,122 compared with $31,231 for Missouri. Significant source of income were: Personal current transfer receipts $1,181 (26.3%); Dividends, interest, and rent: $713 (15.9%); Manufacturing: $456 (10.2%); Local government: $367 (8.2%) .

Commuting. In Northeast Extension Region, 29 percent of workers commute outside their home Extension Region to work in 2000. Statewide, 33 percent of workers traveled between 30 and 60 minutes to work, while in Northeast Extension Region 17.1 percent traveled as long. At the same time, 5.5 percent of workers traveled more than 60 minutes to work compared with 5.4 percent statewide.

Educational Attainment. In Northeast Extension Region, about 13.8 percent of residents aged 25 years and over (17,459) were college graduates in 2000 compared with 21.6 percent statewide. An additional 28,380 residents 25 and over in Northeast Extension Region had some college education (22.4%) compared with 27.0 percent of all Missourians of that age.

The high school graduation rate in Northeast Extension Region (87.6%) in 2006 as reported by the Missouri Dept. of Education and Secondary Education was higher than the state (85.8%).

Disabilities. There were 16,980 persons age 65 and older in the Extension Region who reported having a disability in 2000 (57.5%). The corresponding Missouri rate is 55.3 percent. Among the working age population (aged 16 to 64) in Northeast Extension Region 12,615 reported some work disability, a rate of 10.7 percent compared to a state rate of 10.8 percent.

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