Population and Change. Over the period from 2000 to 2006, West Central Extension Region's population increased by 59,500, going from 1168087 to 1227587 in 2006. This was a change of 5.1 percent, as compared with Missouri (4.4%).

Components of Change. Natural Increase is defined as births minus deaths. West Central Extension Region had 44,720 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, West Central Extension Region had a net migration of 14,784.

Age. In 2006, West Central Extension Region reported 12.0 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 25.0 percent. Missouri reported 24.1 percent during the same period.

Diversity. As of the 2006 estimates from the Census Bureau, 82.2 percent of the population in the Extension Region was White (1008664). The Extension Region reported 174,118 Blacks (14.2%), 18,614 Asians (1.5%) and 6,356 American Indian (0.5%). There were 65,858 Hispanics (5.4%).

Place of Residence. Estimates for 2006 also show 82.1 percent of the population lived in places of 2,500 or less in West Central Extension Region. Those living in smaller places account for 4.3 percent of the Extension Region's population and 13.6 percent lived in unincorporated areas.

Housing. According to the Census Bureau's estimates, there were 546,807 housing units in West Central Extension Region in 2006 The homeownership rate in 2000 was 66.7 percent compared to 70.3 percent statewide. The median value of owner-occupied housing units in 2000 was $89,845 compared with a statewide median value of $89,900.

Households and Families. There were about 465,128 households in the Extension Region according to the 2000 decennial census. Families comprised 66.2 percent of households (308,046). About 22.4 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 West Central Extension Region (9.9%) were more than Missouri (9.1%).

Families and Children. Median family income for West Central Extension Region was $50,382 in 2005 compared to $46,044 for Missouri.

The 2005 poverty rate in West Central Extension Region was 12.1 percent which was lower than that of the state (13.6%). The poverty rate among children (17.2%) was lower than that of the state (19.5%).

The annual Kids Count reports West Central Extension Region indicators on children were ranked 349 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 48.7 per 1,000 girls. The area also reported child abuse cases at a rate of 31.5 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 752,359 jobs in West Central Extension Region in 2005. Retail Trade accounts for more than 10.9 percent of the total jobs (81,751). Local government (65,890), Health care and social assistance (61,435) and Manufacturing (53,535) are the next highest categories.

Agriculture. The 2002 Census of Agriculture reported 12,657 farms in the Extension Region with total sales of about $494.060 million and production expenses of $472.291 million. There was $21.769 million in net farm income reported in the Extension Region with 7.5 percent of all farms having sales of $100,000 or more and 60.6 percent of farms with less than $10,000 in sales.

Extension Region Income Patterns. West Central Extension Region generated over $39,239 million of total personal income in 2004. Per capita income was $32,247 compared with $31,231 for Missouri. Significant source of income were: Personal current transfer receipts $6,149 (15.7%); Dividends, interest, and rent: $4,901 (12.5%); Professional and technical services: $3,384 (8.6%); Manufacturing: $3,330 (8.5%) .

Commuting. In West Central Extension Region, 37 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 West Central Extension Region 27.7 percent traveled as long. At the same time, 4.8 percent of workers traveled more than 60 minutes to work compared with 5.4 percent statewide.

Educational Attainment. In West Central Extension Region, about 22.7 percent of residents aged 25 years and over (171,939) were college graduates in 2000 compared with 21.6 percent statewide. An additional 224,731 residents 25 and over in West Central Extension Region had some college education (29.6%) compared with 27.0 percent of all Missourians of that age.

The high school graduation rate in West Central Extension Region (85.2%) in 2006 as reported by the Missouri Dept. of Education and Secondary Education was less than the state (85.8%).

Disabilities. There were 74,488 persons age 65 and older in the Extension Region who reported having a disability in 2000 (55.2%). The corresponding Missouri rate is 55.3 percent. Among the working age population (aged 16 to 64) in West Central Extension Region 83,315 reported some work disability, a rate of 11.1 percent compared to a state rate of 10.8 percent.

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