State Resources


Missouri Business Resources

Admitted as a state in 1821, Missouri was known as the “Gateway to the West” because of its many routes to the Pacific. The Gateway Arch monument in St. Louis honors the state’s history.

Due to its central location, Missouri is a major transportation crossroad, with the two largest cities of St. Louis and Kansas City being the main hubs. St. Louis has the nation’s largest inland riverport, located at the intersection of the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers. Missouri’s role as a link to the West continues today with the five interstates that crisscross the state.

Missouri is the leading manufacturing state in the Midwest, and the leading agricultural state in the union. The main manufacturers are aerospace and transportation, and machinery, chemicals, publishing, food products and electrical equipment are important. State exports have more than doubled the past five years, with Canada and South Korea as the top markets.

Business Data

Per Capita Real GDP$33,297 Rank: 37/50 (2006)
Population5,595,210 Rank: 17/50 (2000)
Per Capita Personal Income$32,705 Rank: 31/50 (2006)
Unemployment Rate5.50% Rank: 39/50 (2008)
Business Tax Climate IndexRank: 15/50 (2008)
Corporate Tax Rate
Individual Tax Rate 1.5% - 6.0%
Sales Tax Rate 4.225%

Business Tax Climate Index

Individual Income Tax Index Rank23
Sales Tax Index Rank22
Unemployment Insurance Tax Index Rank4
Property Tax Index Rank9
Business Tax Climate Index15
Corporate Tax Index Rank10

State Information

AbbreviationMO
CapitalJefferson City
Nick NameShow Me State
State Web Sitehttp://www.missouri.gov
MottoThe Welfare of the People is the Highest Law

Top 5 Export Partner Countries

Canada, Korea, South, Mexico, China, Japan

Top 5 Export Merchandise

Chemicals Sales Transportation Equipment Sales Computers and Electronic Products Manufacturing Primary Metals Manufacturing Chemicals Manufacturing

Major Cities

Kansas, Springfield, St. Louis

GDP

Total Gross Domestic Product (USD Millions) $229,470.00 (2007)
Per Capita Real GDP (USD)$32,590.00 Rank: 40 (2007)

Population Stats

Population 5,911,605 Rank: 18 (2008)

Age Distribution

Under 18 Population1,427,690
Under 18 Percent of Total Population26%
65 and older Population755,379
65 and older Percent of Total Population14%

Gender Distribution

Male Population48.6%
Female Population51.4%
Non-English Speaker (at home)210,705
Net International Immigration42,690
Birth Rate13.5%
Percent of People Under Poverty Level13.3%
Rank21

Expenditure

Per Capita State Spending$22,980
Rank44
Energy Expenditures per Person$3,689
Expenditures of State and Local Government Employee-Retirement Systems$2,638,394

Revenue

Personal Income$33,984
Rank31
State Internal Revenue Collection$48,568,138
Rank19
Cash and Deposits by State Government$2,233,480
Per Capita State Tax Collection$1,751
Rank47

Education

High School Graduation Rate77.2%
Rank16
Percent of Population with a Bachelor's Degree15.4%
Rank36
Percent of Population with an Advanced Degree8.6%
Rank28

Largest Universities

University of Missouri, Columbia Missouri State University Webster University
High School Graduation Rate77.2%

Logistics

Public Road Length (Mile)127,205
Gas Tax Rate (%)17%
Highway Planning and Construction (USD Thousands)773,247
Number of Public Airports131

Main Airports

MCI: Kansas City SGF: Springfield STL: St. Louis

Ports

Kansas City St. Louis

Weather


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State Business Links

St Louis Today
http://www.stltoday.com

Secretary of State

Missouri Secretary of State
http://www.sos.mo.gov
Source for genealogical information, including courthouse records from Missouri counties, and census and historical information

Small Business Administration

Missouri Small Business Administration
http://www.sba.gov/localresources/district/mo
SBA guarantees loans for everything from purchasing land to constructing a building, machinery and equipment, inventory, working capital, and lines of credit. Financial assistance is provided through the many 7(a), 504 and Microloan loan programs. The 7(a) program includes SBAExpress, Community Express, Patriot Express, CAPLines, International Trade, Export Working Capital, DELTA, and Women and Minority Pre-Qualification loans.

Top 10 Business Links

Missouri Business Development Program
http://www.missouribusiness.net/
This site provides extensive information on starting a business in Missouri, with all necessary steps outlined and various tools and resources provided. Other business programs and resources are also available.
Missouri Development
http://www.missouridevelopment.org/
Part of the department of economic development, this website offers a variety of tools to assist entrepreneurs, such as a finance guide, international trade information, economic and business statistics. In the business solutions section, regional profiles, industry information, tax information, and other useful information is provided.
Missouri Enterprise
http://www.missourienterprise.org/SeminarsEvents/Overview/tabid/62/Default.aspx
Missouri enterprise offers a variety of business courses, on a fee basis, to help entrepreneurs better handle their business.
Missouri Procurement Technical Assistance Centers
http://www.missouribusiness.net/ptac/index.asp
These centers provide aid to small businesses in obtaining different levels of government contracts. In addition to training events, various services, such as help preparing bids or registration assistance, are offered.
Missouri Small Business Development Centers
http://www.missouribusiness.net/sbdc/
The Missouri SBDCs aim to help small businesses in Missouri. They offer counseling services on all manner of business matters affecting forming or existing small businesses at low or no cost. Training workshops and seminars are offered as well.
St. Louis Business Journal
http://stlouis.bizjournals.com/stlouis/
This online version of the St. Louis Business Journal provides news articles pertaining to news updates, special reports, and business advice for Missouri businesses.
U.S. Export Assistance Center of Kansas City
http://www.buyusa.gov/kansascity/
The Kansas City branch of the Department of Commerce, which services Missouri, specializes in helping small to medium sized companies develop and execute exporting strategies. Fees vary and are based on the service being provided. Industry bulletins, a trade lead database, and archived webinars and videos are available for free. There is also an export assistance center for St. Louis, Missouri.
World Trade Center St. Louis
http://www.worldtradecenter-stl.com/
This center offers members aid in competing globally, helping out with market research, trade information, and counseling; networking, contacts, and referrals; and international training, education, and seminars. Membership is required to take advantage of these services.

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