Population and Change. Over the period from 2000 to 2006, South Central Extension Region's population increased by 17,766, going from 355,584 to 373,350 in 2006. This was a change of 5.0 percent, as compared with Missouri (4.4%).

Components of Change. Natural Increase is defined as births minus deaths. South Central Extension Region had 4,113 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, South Central Extension Region had a net migration of 13,653.

Age. In 2006, South Central Extension Region reported 15.5 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 23.4 percent. Missouri reported 24.1 percent during the same period.

Diversity. As of the 2006 estimates from the Census Bureau, 94.8 percent of the population in the Extension Region was White (353,787). The Extension Region reported 7,578 Blacks (2.0%), 3,053 Asians (0.8%) and 3,117 American Indian (0.8%). There were 7,221 Hispanics (1.9%).

Place of Residence. Estimates for 2006 also show 24.2 percent of the population lived in places of 2,500 or less in South Central Extension Region. Those living in smaller places account for 10.7 percent of the Extension Region's population and 65.1 percent lived in unincorporated areas.

Housing. According to the Census Bureau's estimates, there were 186,213 housing units in South Central Extension Region in 2006 The homeownership rate in 2000 was 73.8 percent compared to 70.3 percent statewide. The median value of owner-occupied housing units in 2000 was $77,616 compared with a statewide median value of $89,900.

Households and Families. There were about 139,658 households in the Extension Region according to the 2000 decennial census. Families comprised 71.2 percent of households (99,468). About 24.6 percent of households were married couples with children under 18, which was more than for the state overall (23.3 percent). Single parent families in South Central Extension Region (7.6%) were fewer than Missouri (9.1%).

Families and Children. Median family income for South Central Extension Region was $34,978 in 2005 compared to $46,044 for Missouri.

The 2005 poverty rate in South Central Extension Region was 18.1 percent which was higher than that of the state (13.6%). The poverty rate among children (27.0%) was higher than that of the state (19.5%).

The annual Kids Count reports South Central Extension Region indicators on children were ranked 1089 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 7.6 percent and births to teenage mothers were 60.7 per 1,000 girls. The area also reported child abuse cases at a rate of 43.4 per 1,000 for 2006 compared to 32.7 per 1,000 statewide.

Jobs by Sector. The October 2007 unemployment rate was 5.7 percent compared with 5.2 percent statewide. There were 203,203 jobs in South Central Extension Region in 2005. Retail Trade accounts for more than 12.8 percent of the total jobs (26,005). Manufacturing (22,032), Farm employment (17,108) and Local government (16,813) are the next highest categories.

Agriculture. The 2002 Census of Agriculture reported 15,759 farms in the Extension Region with total sales of about $408.845 million and production expenses of $402.276 million. There was $6.569 million in net farm income reported in the Extension Region with 5.3 percent of all farms having sales of $100,000 or more and 63.6 percent of farms with less than $10,000 in sales.

Extension Region Income Patterns. South Central Extension Region generated over $8,927 million of total personal income in 2004. Per capita income was $24,138 compared with $31,231 for Missouri. Significant source of income were: Personal current transfer receipts $2,221 (24.9%); Dividends, interest, and rent: $1,273 (14.3%); Manufacturing: $830 (9.3%); Military: $793 (8.9%) .

Commuting. In South Central Extension Region, 27 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 South Central Extension Region 19.5 percent traveled as long. At the same time, 7.7 percent of workers traveled more than 60 minutes to work compared with 5.4 percent statewide.

Educational Attainment. In South Central Extension Region, about 13.1 percent of residents aged 25 years and over (30,573) were college graduates in 2000 compared with 21.6 percent statewide. An additional 55,187 residents 25 and over in South Central Extension Region had some college education (23.7%) compared with 27.0 percent of all Missourians of that age.

The high school graduation rate in South Central Extension Region (87.8%) in 2006 as reported by the Missouri Dept. of Education and Secondary Education was higher than the state (85.8%).

Disabilities. There were 29,852 persons age 65 and older in the Extension Region who reported having a disability in 2000 (57.1%). The corresponding Missouri rate is 55.3 percent. Among the working age population (aged 16 to 64) in South Central Extension Region 27,123 reported some work disability, a rate of 12.8 percent compared to a state rate of 10.8 percent.

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