Southeast Region

The Southeast Region of Missouri includes 13 counties and key cities such as Cape Girardeau, Sikeston, Caruthersville, and Park Hills. In 2023, the region employed 156,500 workers, making up 5.2% of Missouri’s workforce, with an unemployment rate of 3.4%, slightly above the state average of 3.0%. The workforce is aging, with 24.1% of workers aged 55 or older, and the region has a higher disability rate (17.0%) compared to Missouri’s 12.3%. Educational attainment is below the state average, with only 27.3% of residents holding an associate degree or higher, while 13.6% have less than a high school education.

The region’s largest industries include health care and social assistance (29,400 jobs), manufacturing (17,500 jobs), and retail trade (17,200 jobs). From 2019 to 2023, employment declined by 3.0%, with the health care sector losing over 2,300 jobs. However, retail trade, food services, transportation, and finance gained jobs. The highest employment concentrations are in gasoline stations, mining, crop production, wood product manufacturing, and truck transportation, reflecting the region’s mix of agriculture, manufacturing, and logistics.

The highest-demand jobs include home health aides, retail salespersons, truck drivers, and restaurant cooks, while nursing assistants and general managers are projected to grow significantly. Online job postings highlight strong demand for nurses, truck drivers, and retail supervisors. Employers continue to face hiring challenges due to skill shortages, and on-the-job training remains a key workforce development strategy. Future job growth is expected in hospitals, retail, real estate, and construction, shaping the workforce over the next decade.