Data / Rankings / Job destruction rate / Counties in Missouri

Counties in Missouri by job destruction rate

Howard County had the highest job destruction rate of 115 counties in 2020, at 22.863%. Sullivan County had the lowest, at 3.458%. The median was 10.536% and the figure for Missouri was 10.355%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

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Highest22.863Howard County
Lowest3.458Sullivan County
Median10.536115 counties
Missouri10.355History

Map of counties, 2020

Adair County: 10.685 %Andrew County: 11.998 %Atchison County: 10.078 %Audrain County: 12.802 %Barry County: 9.661 %Barton County: 15.538 %Bates County: 15.466 %Benton County: 11.162 %Bollinger County: 11.349 %Boone County: 10.38 %Buchanan County: 9.754 %Butler County: 8.136 %Caldwell County: 14.696 %Callaway County: 9.063 %Camden County: 10.184 %Cape Girardeau County: 7.914 %Carroll County: 9.5 %Carter County: 10.954 %Cass County: 10.098 %Cedar County: 12.519 %Chariton County: 12.193 %Christian County: 11.364 %Clark County: 22.145 %Clay County: 9.314 %Clinton County: 13.853 %Cole County: 7.723 %Cooper County: 9.526 %Crawford County: 7.324 %Dade County: 13.215 %Dallas County: 13.626 %Daviess County: 11.311 %DeKalb County: 13.871 %Dent County: 10.536 %Douglas County: 8.769 %Dunklin County: 11.664 %Franklin County: 10.996 %Gasconade County: 10.847 %Gentry County: 15.672 %Greene County: 8.873 %Grundy County: 9.937 %Harrison County: 8.977 %Henry County: 11.947 %Hickory County: 17.65 %Holt County: 8.39 %Howard County: 22.863 %Howell County: 9.719 %Iron County: 12.839 %Jackson County: 10.082 %Jasper County: 10.986 %Jefferson County: 11.524 %Johnson County: 9.324 %Knox County: 14.88 %Laclede County: 7.816 %Lafayette County: 14.547 %Lawrence County: 13.949 %Lewis County: 14.8 %Lincoln County: 10.222 %Linn County: 4.531 %Livingston County: 7.285 %McDonald County: 5.81 %Macon County: 7.317 %Madison County: 7.899 %Maries County: 10.033 %Marion County: 10.944 %Mercer County: 8.663 %Miller County: 10.335 %Mississippi County: 16.118 %Moniteau County: 11.255 %Monroe County: 14.646 %Montgomery County: 10.973 %Morgan County: 10.839 %New Madrid County: 8.337 %Newton County: 7.138 %Nodaway County: 7.339 %Oregon County: 16.726 %Osage County: 4.52 %Ozark County: 11.627 %Pemiscot County: 10.716 %Perry County: 7.812 %Pettis County: 8.252 %Phelps County: 10.302 %Pike County: 9.102 %Platte County: 11.517 %Polk County: 8.889 %Pulaski County: 8.486 %Putnam County: 7.794 %Ralls County: 6.971 %Randolph County: 9.125 %Ray County: 8.735 %Reynolds County: 6.524 %Ripley County: 20.179 %St. Charles County: 11.345 %St. Clair County: 16.822 %Ste. Genevieve County: 18.832 %St. Francois County: 11.167 %St. Louis County: 10.214 %Saline County: 14.556 %Schuyler County: 14.319 %Scotland County: 14.327 %Scott County: 10.472 %Shannon County: 8.512 %Shelby County: 9.577 %Stoddard County: 9.175 %Stone County: 12.078 %Sullivan County: 3.458 %Taney County: 14.136 %Texas County: 12.883 %Vernon County: 7.643 %Warren County: 8.864 %Washington County: 11.067 %Wayne County: 20.383 %Webster County: 7.139 %Worth County: 19.244 %Wright County: 15.732 %St. Louis city: 10.527 %
  • Under 8.1
  • 8.1 to 9.5
  • 9.5 to 11
  • 11 to 12
  • 12 to 15
  • 15 and over
%, 2020. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Business Dynamics Statistics: job destruction rate, all covered industries, nation and states from 1978, counties from 2010. Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

Top 40 counties, 2020

Howard County: 22.863 %Howard County22.863Clark County: 22.145 %Clark County22.145Wayne County: 20.383 %Wayne County20.383Ripley County: 20.179 %Ripley County20.179Worth County: 19.244 %Worth County19.244Ste. Genevieve County: 18.832 %Ste. Genevieve County18.832Hickory County: 17.65 %Hickory County17.65St. Clair County: 16.822 %St. Clair County16.822Oregon County: 16.726 %Oregon County16.726Mississippi County: 16.118 %Mississippi County16.118Wright County: 15.732 %Wright County15.732Gentry County: 15.672 %Gentry County15.672Barton County: 15.538 %Barton County15.538Bates County: 15.466 %Bates County15.466Knox County: 14.88 %Knox County14.88Lewis County: 14.8 %Lewis County14.8Caldwell County: 14.696 %Caldwell County14.696Monroe County: 14.646 %Monroe County14.646Saline County: 14.556 %Saline County14.556Lafayette County: 14.547 %Lafayette County14.547Scotland County: 14.327 %Scotland County14.327Schuyler County: 14.319 %Schuyler County14.319Taney County: 14.136 %Taney County14.136Lawrence County: 13.949 %Lawrence County13.949DeKalb County: 13.871 %DeKalb County13.871Clinton County: 13.853 %Clinton County13.853Dallas County: 13.626 %Dallas County13.626Dade County: 13.215 %Dade County13.215Texas County: 12.883 %Texas County12.883Iron County: 12.839 %Iron County12.839Audrain County: 12.802 %Audrain County12.802Cedar County: 12.519 %Cedar County12.519Chariton County: 12.193 %Chariton County12.193Stone County: 12.078 %Stone County12.078Andrew County: 11.998 %Andrew County11.998Henry County: 11.947 %Henry County11.947Dunklin County: 11.664 %Dunklin County11.664Ozark County: 11.627 %Ozark County11.627Jefferson County: 11.524 %Jefferson County11.524Platte County: 11.517 %Platte County11.517Howard County: 22.863 %Howard County22.863Clark County: 22.145 %Clark County22.145Wayne County: 20.383 %Wayne County20.383Ripley County: 20.179 %Ripley County20.179Worth County: 19.244 %Worth County19.244Ste. Genevieve County: 18.832 %Ste. Genevieve County18.832Hickory County: 17.65 %Hickory County17.65St. Clair County: 16.822 %St. Clair County16.822Oregon County: 16.726 %Oregon County16.726Mississippi County: 16.118 %Mississippi County16.118Wright County: 15.732 %Wright County15.732Gentry County: 15.672 %Gentry County15.672Barton County: 15.538 %Barton County15.538Bates County: 15.466 %Bates County15.466Knox County: 14.88 %Knox County14.88Lewis County: 14.8 %Lewis County14.8Caldwell County: 14.696 %Caldwell County14.696Monroe County: 14.646 %Monroe County14.646Saline County: 14.556 %Saline County14.556Lafayette County: 14.547 %Lafayette County14.547Scotland County: 14.327 %Scotland County14.327Schuyler County: 14.319 %Schuyler County14.319Taney County: 14.136 %Taney County14.136Lawrence County: 13.949 %Lawrence County13.949DeKalb County: 13.871 %DeKalb County13.871Clinton County: 13.853 %Clinton County13.853Dallas County: 13.626 %Dallas County13.626Dade County: 13.215 %Dade County13.215Texas County: 12.883 %Texas County12.883Iron County: 12.839 %Iron County12.839Audrain County: 12.802 %Audrain County12.802Cedar County: 12.519 %Cedar County12.519Chariton County: 12.193 %Chariton County12.193Stone County: 12.078 %Stone County12.078Andrew County: 11.998 %Andrew County11.998Henry County: 11.947 %Henry County11.947Dunklin County: 11.664 %Dunklin County11.664Ozark County: 11.627 %Ozark County11.627Jefferson County: 11.524 %Jefferson County11.524Platte County: 11.517 %Platte County11.517
%. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Business Dynamics Statistics: job destruction rate, all covered industries, nation and states from 1978, counties from 2010. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCounties2020 (%)Change on 2019
1Howard County22.863+14.29 pts
2Clark County22.145+10.66 pts
3Wayne County20.383-3.72 pts
4Ripley County20.179+8.06 pts
5Worth County19.244+9.79 pts
6Ste. Genevieve County18.832+11.74 pts
7Hickory County17.65+10.36 pts
8St. Clair County16.822+7.74 pts
9Oregon County16.726+9.26 pts
10Mississippi County16.118+3.86 pts
11Wright County15.732+6.28 pts
12Gentry County15.672+5.59 pts
13Barton County15.538-1.54 pts
14Bates County15.466+4.3 pts
15Knox County14.88+4.06 pts
16Lewis County14.8+4.17 pts
17Caldwell County14.696-2.09 pts
18Monroe County14.646-2.18 pts
19Saline County14.556+7.48 pts
20Lafayette County14.547+2.04 pts
21Scotland County14.327+5.21 pts
22Schuyler County14.319+5.83 pts
23Taney County14.136+3.76 pts
24Lawrence County13.949+3.6 pts
25DeKalb County13.871+5.82 pts
26Clinton County13.853-2.49 pts
27Dallas County13.626-19.05 pts
28Dade County13.215+4.21 pts
29Texas County12.883+1.05 pts
30Iron County12.839+2.63 pts
31Audrain County12.802+5.17 pts
32Cedar County12.519-0.05 pts
33Chariton County12.193+0.58 pts
34Stone County12.078-0.33 pts
35Andrew County11.998-4.3 pts
36Henry County11.947+1.38 pts
37Dunklin County11.664-3.22 pts
38Ozark County11.627-4.03 pts
39Jefferson County11.524-0.15 pts
40Platte County11.517+1.67 pts
41Christian County11.364-1.01 pts
42Bollinger County11.349+1.06 pts
43St. Charles County11.345+0.57 pts
44Daviess County11.311+0.66 pts
45Moniteau County11.255+1.1 pts
46St. Francois County11.167-0.75 pts
47Benton County11.162-6.69 pts
48Washington County11.067+0.8 pts
49Franklin County10.996+1.4 pts
50Jasper County10.986+2.31 pts
51Montgomery County10.973+3.74 pts
52Carter County10.954+0.11 pts
53Marion County10.944-1.08 pts
54Gasconade County10.847+2.73 pts
55Morgan County10.839-5.24 pts
56Pemiscot County10.716-0.96 pts
57Adair County10.685-1.58 pts
58Dent County10.536+0.38 pts
59St. Louis city10.527-0.5 pts
60Scott County10.472+2.05 pts
61Boone County10.38+0.35 pts
62Miller County10.335-1.37 pts
63Phelps County10.302+1.37 pts
64Lincoln County10.222-0.16 pts
65St. Louis County10.214+0.34 pts
66Camden County10.184-1.42 pts
67Cass County10.098-1.3 pts
68Jackson County10.082-1.61 pts
69Atchison County10.078+0.07 pts
70Maries County10.033+5.05 pts
71Grundy County9.937-14.07 pts
72Buchanan County9.754+3.1 pts
73Howell County9.719+0.29 pts
74Barry County9.661+3.38 pts
75Shelby County9.577-2.88 pts
76Cooper County9.526-6.65 pts
77Carroll County9.5-0.85 pts
78Johnson County9.324-2.02 pts
79Clay County9.314+1.15 pts
80Stoddard County9.175+1.65 pts
81Randolph County9.125+1.48 pts
82Pike County9.102-0.47 pts
83Callaway County9.063+1.26 pts
84Harrison County8.977+1.53 pts
85Polk County8.889-12.21 pts
86Greene County8.873+0.4 pts
87Warren County8.864-1.39 pts
88Douglas County8.769-1.96 pts
89Ray County8.735-3.24 pts
90Mercer County8.663-1.95 pts
91Shannon County8.512-0.2 pts
92Pulaski County8.486-1.67 pts
93Holt County8.39-4.52 pts
94New Madrid County8.337-2.71 pts
95Pettis County8.252+0.67 pts
96Butler County8.136-7.34 pts
97Cape Girardeau County7.914-0.21 pts
98Madison County7.899-0.85 pts
99Laclede County7.816-0.29 pts
100Perry County7.812-0.25 pts
101Putnam County7.794-5.09 pts
102Cole County7.723-1.11 pts
103Vernon County7.643-0.34 pts
104Nodaway County7.339-0.56 pts
105Crawford County7.324-2.82 pts
106Macon County7.317-1.16 pts
107Livingston County7.285-1.03 pts
108Webster County7.139-3.78 pts
109Newton County7.138-0.59 pts
110Ralls County6.971-1.16 pts
111Reynolds County6.524-1.03 pts
112McDonald County5.81+0.02 pts
113Linn County4.531-8.78 pts
114Osage County4.52-0.24 pts
115Sullivan County3.458-1.55 pts

Other periods

About this ranking

Jobs lost at closing and shrinking establishments during the year, as a percentage of average employment in the two years. United States: Census Bureau Business Dynamics Statistics.

A gross flow: jobs added elsewhere are not subtracted, so the net change is job_creation_rate minus this rate. Not a layoff rate: it counts positions lost at establishments, not people who lost a job. The year is the twelve months to March: 2023 compares March 2022 with March 2023.

Every value in the ranking comes from the same publisher and the same period, so the counties are compared on one definition. Equal values share a rank.

How to cite

U.S. Census Bureau. Business Dynamics Statistics: job destruction rate, all covered industries, nation and states from 1978, counties from 2010. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/bds/tables/time-series/2023/bds2023_st_cty.csv. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Citation styles

The publisher is the author. Invokely is named only as the place the figures were read, where a style asks for it.

APA 7

U.S. Census Bureau. (2025). Business Dynamics Statistics: job destruction rate, all covered industries, nation and states from 1978, counties from 2010 (Counties in Missouri by job destruction rate, 2020) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/bds/tables/time-series/2023/bds2023_st_cty.csv

MLA 9

Business Dynamics Statistics: job destruction rate, all covered industries, nation and states from 1978, counties from 2010, Counties in Missouri by job destruction rate, 2020. U.S. Census Bureau, 25 Sept. 2025, https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/bds/tables/time-series/2023/bds2023_st_cty.csv. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/job-destruction-rate/missouri-counties?period=2020. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

U.S. Census Bureau. 2025. Business Dynamics Statistics: job destruction rate, all covered industries, nation and states from 1978, counties from 2010. Counties in Missouri by job destruction rate, 2020. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/bds/tables/time-series/2023/bds2023_st_cty.csv. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/job-destruction-rate/missouri-counties?period=2020.

Harvard

U.S. Census Bureau (2025) Business Dynamics Statistics: job destruction rate, all covered industries, nation and states from 1978, counties from 2010, Counties in Missouri by job destruction rate, 2020 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/bds/tables/time-series/2023/bds2023_st_cty.csv, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/job-destruction-rate/missouri-counties?period=2020 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_counties_in_missouri_by_2020,
  author = {{U.S. Census Bureau}},
  title = {{Business Dynamics Statistics: job destruction rate, all covered industries, nation and states from 1978, counties from 2010: Counties in Missouri by job destruction rate, 2020}},
  year = {2025},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/bds/tables/time-series/2023/bds2023_st_cty.csv},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/job-destruction-rate/missouri-counties?period=2020. Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. Business Dynamics Statistics: job destruction rate, all covered industries, nation and states from 1978, counties from 2010. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/bds/tables/time-series/2023/bds2023\_st\_cty.csv. Retrieved 2026-10-12.},
}
RIS
TY  - DATA
AU  - U.S. Census Bureau
TI  - Business Dynamics Statistics: job destruction rate, all covered industries, nation and states from 1978, counties from 2010: Counties in Missouri by job destruction rate, 2020
PY  - 2025
DA  - 2025/09/25
PB  - U.S. Census Bureau
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/bds/tables/time-series/2023/bds2023_st_cty.csv
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/job-destruction-rate/missouri-counties?period=2020
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/job-destruction-rate/missouri-counties?period=2020.
N1  - Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. Business Dynamics Statistics: job destruction rate, all covered industries, nation and states from 1978, counties from 2010. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/bds/tables/time-series/2023/bds2023_st_cty.csv. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  -
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Questions

Which county has the highest job destruction rate?

Howard County, with 22.863% in 2020, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which county has the lowest job destruction rate?

Sullivan County, with 3.458% in 2020.

Where does this ranking come from?

Every value comes from one source and one period, so the places are comparable: U.S. Census Bureau, Business Dynamics Statistics: job destruction rate, all covered industries, nation and states from 1978, counties from 2010. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Job destruction rate: other rankings

Counties in Missouri: more rankings