Scores by category

Each category averages its indicators' percentile scores among US metro and micro areas.

Safety37#585/924
Economy8#855/925
Housing56#409/925
Health17#771/925
Healthcare39#568/923
Environment58#390/917
Education14#796/925
Infrastructure7#860/925
Community69#283/925
Leisure & amenities22#726/925

Strengths · Weaknesses

Indicators where West Plains, MO micropolitan area ranks highest and lowest among US metro and micro areas (score = percentile, 100 = best).

Strengths

Voter turnout · high79.6%
98/100Missouri 66.7%United States 65.2%2024U.S. Election Assistance CommissionAggregated from counties
Effective property tax rate · low0.44%
91/100Missouri 0.89%United States 0.94%2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B25090
Drug overdose deaths · low8.4 /100k
91/100Missouri 18.0 /100kUnited States 18.4 /100kMar 2025–Feb 2026Centers for Disease Control and PreventionAggregated from counties
Grocery stores · high2.2 /10k
86/100Missouri 1.5 /10kUnited States 1.7 /10k2025U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsAggregated from counties
Primary care physicians · high89 /100k
85/100Missouri 72 /100kUnited States 76 /100k2022University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteAggregated from counties
Rent as share of income · low26.7%
78/100Missouri 28.1%United States 30.6%2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B25071

Weaknesses

Adult smoking · high22.1%
2/100Missouri 19.5%United States 16.1%2023University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteAggregated from counties
Gyms and fitness centers · low0.3 /10k
4/100Missouri 1.2 /10kUnited States 1.3 /10k2025U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsAggregated from counties
Average weekly wage · low$897
4/100Missouri $1,278United States $1,5142025U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Frequent mental distress · high21.0%
5/100Missouri 19.8%United States 18.6%2023University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteAggregated from counties
Public EV charging ports · low0.7 /10k
6/100Missouri 5.3 /10kUnited States 7.6 /10kOct 2026U.S. Department of EnergyAggregated from counties
Median household income · low$50,993
6/100Missouri $71,583United States $81,6042020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B19013

Trends

The largest changes over about five years, next to the country's over the same periods.

Drought exposureWorsening
0% (2021) → 65% (Oct 2025–Sep 2026)
+65 pts5 yearsUS 40% → 43%
New business applicationsImproving
6.8 /1k (2020) → 14.5 /1k (2025)
+114%5 yearsUS 13.1 /1k → 16.6 /1k
Gyms and fitness centersWorsening
1.0 /10k (2020) → 0.2 /10k (2025)
−76%5 yearsUS 1.2 /10k → 1.3 /10k
Child care cost burdenWorsening
20.4% (2020 & 2021) → 34.5% (2023 & 2024)
+14 pts3 yearsUS 24.5% → 27.9%
Broadband subscriptionsImproving
72.2% (2015-2019) → 85.6% (2020-2024)
+13 pts5 yearsCensus table B28002US 82.7% → 91.0%
Property crime rateImproving
2,806 /100k (2020) → 956 /100k (2025)
−66%5 yearsUS 1,929 /100k → 1,535 /100k

What changed in five years

How each measure moved between two periods about five years apart, read against whether more or less is better, the published margin of error and the same change in other places.

Over about five years, West Plains, MO micropolitan area improved on 14 of 31 measures with a comparison and declined on 6. 8 moved within the margin of error and 3 barely changed.

Earlier period
Latest period
Lower standingHigher standing

Position is the place's standing among metro and micro areas: further right is better, whichever way the measure counts. Periods differ by measure (most compare 2015-2019 with 2020-2024); each row names its own in its tooltip and in the table.

Improved14

New businesses+114%6.8 /1k → 14.5 /1k
Firearm deaths−48%35.2 /100k → 18.3 /100k
Property crime−66%2,806 /100k → 956 /100k
Child poverty−7.8 points31.6% → 23.8%
Broadband+13 points72.2% → 85.6%

Declined6

Commute+4.1 min19.0 min → 23.1 min
Gyms−76%1.0 /10k → 0.2 /10k
Restaurants−20%8.3 /10k → 6.6 /10k
Arts & recreation−25%3.3 /10k → 2.5 /10k
Pharmacies−32%2.5 /10k → 1.7 /10k

All 31 measures

Change of every measure of West Plains, MO micropolitan area between two periods about five years apart
Measure	Before	After	Change	Reading	Favourable vs peers
Arts, entertainment and recreation	3.3 /10k2020	2.5 /10k2025	−25%	Declined	4%
Average commute time	19.0 min2015-2019	23.1 min2020-2024	+4.1 min	Declined	2%
Average weekly wage	$7032020	$8972025	+28%	Improved	83%
Bachelor's degree or higher	18.0%2015-2019	17.8%2020-2024	−0.2 points	Within the margin of error	7%
Broadband subscriptions	72.2%2015-2019	85.6%2020-2024	+13 points	Improved	85%
Child poverty rate	31.6%2015-2019	23.8%2020-2024	−7.8 points	Improved	91%
Distance to an airport	90 mi2020	90 mi2025	0 mi	Little change	50%
Drug overdose deaths	14.9 /100k2020	8.4 /100kMar 2025–Feb 2026	−44%	Improved	73%
Effective property tax rate	0.44%2015-2019	0.44%2020-2024	+0 points	Within the margin of error	8%
Firearm deaths	35.2 /100k2020	18.3 /100kMay 2025–Apr 2026	−48%	Improved	99%
Grocery stores	2.3 /10k2020	2.2 /10k2025	−2.4%	Little change	40%
Gyms and fitness centers	1.0 /10k2020	0.2 /10k2025	−76%	Declined	1%
High school diploma or higher	87.0%2015-2019	86.9%2020-2024	−0.1 points	Within the margin of error	6%
Home price to income ratio	2.9×2015-2019	3.4×2020-2024	+0.5×	Declined	47%
Homicide rate	10.6 /100k2020	4.4 /100kMay 2025–Apr 2026	−58%	Improved	84%
Income adjusted for local prices	$41,0692019	$54,8122024	+33%	Improved	62%
Income inequality (Gini index)	0.4622015-2019	0.4612020-2024	−0.001	Within the margin of error	58%
Median household income	$38,3572015-2019	$50,9932020-2024	+33%	Improved	79%
New business applications	6.8 /1k2020	14.5 /1k2025	+114%	Improved	97%
Pharmacies	2.5 /10k2020	1.7 /10k2025	−32%	Declined	8%
Poverty rate	22.3%2015-2019	20.3%2020-2024	−2 points	Within the margin of error	72%
Property crime rate	2,806 /100k2020	956 /100k2025	−66%	Improved	98%
Public libraries	0.7 /10k2019	0.7 /10k2024	−2%	Little change	47%
Rent as share of income	26.5%2015-2019	26.7%2020-2024	+0.2 points	Within the margin of error	55%
Rent-burdened households	39.6%2015-2019	44.9%2020-2024	+5.3 points	Within the margin of error	16%
Restaurants and bars	8.3 /10k2020	6.6 /10k2025	−20%	Declined	4%
Suicide rate	20.9 /100k2020	19.2 /100kMay 2025–Apr 2026	−8.1%	Improved	76%
Traffic deaths	21.5 /100k2015-2019	18.3 /100k2020-2024	−15%	Improved	82%
Unemployment rate	6.6%2020	4.6%2025	−2 points	Improved	22%
Uninsured residents (under 65)	16.8%2015-2019	14.4%2020-2024	−2.4 points	Within the margin of error	89%
Violent crime rate	367 /100k2020	293 /100k2025	−20%	Improved	57%

“Against peers” compares the change with the same change in the 708 metro and micro areas that have the same two periods. It describes how common a change is, not why it happened.

Sources: Regional Economic Accounts; Local Area Unemployment Statistics; Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; Mapping Injury, Overdose, and Violence; American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates; Business Formation Statistics; Uniform Crime Reporting Program, Return A master files; Public Libraries Survey; Fatality Analysis Reporting System; Distance to airports and intercity rail. Values are the latest and the one five years earlier of the same publisher dataset; datasets that changed publisher in between are never compared.

Survey estimates (American Community Survey) compare the two most recent 5-year windows that do not share years, so the margin of error of the difference holds. The 2015-2019 window predates the pandemic and 2020-2024 includes it.
A change counts only when it is larger than 1.645 times the square root of the two standard errors squared, summed (a 90% margin). Measures published without a margin must change by at least 5% to count.
“Against peers” compares the change with the same change in the 925 metro and micro areas that have the same two periods. It describes how common a change is, not why it happened.
Standing is a percentile among the same places: 0 is the lowest value on the measure (or the worst when lower is better), 100 the best.

Metro and micro areas like West Plains, MO micropolitan area five years ago that improved

The places whose measures looked most like those of West Plains, MO micropolitan area in the earlier period, ranked by how many measures improved beyond the margin of error, minus how many declined. A comparison of published data, not a forecast and not advice.

For comparison, West Plains, MO micropolitan area itself moved −1.1 points in standing on average over the same 30 measures (standings of all places average about zero).

How the ranking works

Similarity is the root-mean-square difference of standings in the earlier period over the measures most places have. Places are ranked by measures that improved beyond the margin of error minus those that declined (a count that estimation noise in small places cannot inflate), then by the mean change of standing over the measures a place has in both periods. Only places with more improvements than declines and a rise in standing are listed. Standings are relative, so a place can improve in absolute terms and still lose standing.

Who lives here

Age, race and education of residents, from the American Community Survey. Shares are of all residents (age), residents of every origin (race) or adults 25 and over (education).

Age and sex

40,383 residents

Men
Women

80 and over
70–79
60–69

Income

How household income is spread, not just the middle: each bar is the share of households in that income range.

Household income

15,965 households (±235)

West Plains, MO micropolitan area
United States share

Under $25k25%3,925
$25k–50k24%3,820
$50k–75k21%3,373

Homes

Who owns and who rents, what homes cost, and what the housing stock looks like.

Owners and renters

15,965 households (±235)

West Plains, MO micropolitan area
United States share

Own70%11,223
Rent30%4,742

No change since 2015–2019 is larger than the margin of error.

Table view

Getting to work

How workers travel to their job and how long it takes them.

How people get to work

16,384 workers (±578)

West Plains, MO micropolitan area
United States share

Drive alone78%12,718
Carpool14%2,318
Public transit0.1%†15

Jobs and pay

What the largest occupations here pay, from the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes no occupation wages for West Plains, MO micropolitan area.

Local businesses

Employer businesses and sole proprietors by industry, per resident and against the state and the nation. Counts of businesses next to counts of people, not a measure of demand.

West Plains, MO has 1,076 employer establishments, 264 for every 10,000 residents (1.06× the US rate of 248), with 15,374 paid employees at an average annual pay of $42,121. The Census Bureau also counts 3,424 nonemployer businesses, mostly sole proprietors.

Establishments: 1,076; 3,424 nonemployers
Per 10,000 residents: 264; US 248
Paid employees: 15,374
Average annual pay: $42,121; US $68,342

Employer establishments, employees, average pay and nonemployers of West Plains, MO by industry, with the density per resident against the nation

Ambulatory health care services	92	22.6	1.08×About typical	1,518	$57,308	113
Restaurants and other eating places	66	16.2	0.88×About typical	1,308	$19,119	18
Specialty trade contractors	53	13	0.84×About typical	385	$65,509	404
Automotive repair and maintenance	49	12	2.39×More than typical	210	$38,962	104
Truck transportation	47	11.5	2.28×More than typical	231	$50,368	152
Lessors of real estate	43	10.6	0.86×About typical	97	$36,299	244
Religious organizations	40	9.8	1.77×More than typical	187	$18,545	—
Individual and family services	33	8.1	2.89×More than typical	380	$27,511	12
Full-service restaurants	32	7.9	1.02×About typical	434	$20,767	6
Offices of other health practitioners	31	7.6	1.25×More than typical	131	$40,244	53
Insurance agencies and brokerages	26	6.4	1.45×More than typical	100	$43,790	39
Limited-service restaurants	26	6.4	0.80×Fewer than typical	831	$18,350	9

Rank places for an industry

County Business Patterns (2023); Nonemployer Statistics (2024)

Per-resident figures divide by the population estimate of 2023: 40,725 residents here, 336,755,052 in the United States. County Business Patterns counts establishments in 2023; the Nonemployer Statistics count businesses in 2024.
“More than typical” is a density at least 1.25 times the nation's per resident, “fewer” at most 0.8 times, with at least 10 establishments. It compares counts of businesses with counts of people: it says nothing about demand, incomes, size, quality or profit, and visitors and commuters are not residents.
The Census Bureau adds noise to employment and payroll to protect confidentiality, and withholds some figures: an industry with few establishments can show employees or pay as unavailable.
Industries overlap: a narrower industry (full-service restaurants) is part of a broader one (restaurants), so the rows do not add up.
A metro area's figures are the exact sums of its counties.
Industries follow the North American Industry Classification System; the two surveys use different editions (NAICS 2017 and 2022), which this page matches industry by industry.

Federal contract spending

In FY2026, federal agencies obligated $52.3M on contracts performed in West Plains, MO micropolitan area: $1,281 per resident (US $1,994).

Obligations: $52.3M; +730% vs FY2025
Per resident: $1,281; US $1,994
Sole-source: 0.7%; US 30%
Single offer: 1.9%; US 8.8%

A signal is a reason to look closer, not evidence of wrongdoing: most sole-source awards are lawful and justified.

Top buying agencies

Department of the Army$50.3M96%
Defense Logistics Agency$727K1.4%
Federal Prison System / Bureau of Prisons$554K1.1%
National Park Service$296.8K0.6%
Forest Service$222.3K0.4%
Department of the Air Force$154K0.3%
National Transportation Safety Board$24.9K0.0%
Defense Contract Management Agency$17.1K0.0%

Top recipients

DRS SUSTAINMENT SYSTEMS, INC$50.4M96%
ASRC FEDERAL FACILITIES LOGISTICS, LLC$744.1K1.4%
AIR EVAC EMS, INC$554K1.1%
LABOR OMNIA VINCIT JV LLC$296.8K0.6%
SILHOUETTE FARM & FORESTRY, LLC$198.5K0.4%

Spending by fiscal year

62.9MFY2017
14.1MFY2018
55.3MFY2019
26.8MFY2020
29.2MFY2021
83.7MFY2022
81.1MFY2023
30.8M

Top industries (NAICS)

Other transportation equipment manufacturing · 3369$50.3M96%
Other ambulatory health care services · 6219$479.3K0.9%
Architectural, engineering, and related services · 5413$296.8K0.6%
Electrical equipment manufacturing · 3353$268.5K0.5%
Other general purpose machinery manufacturing · 3339$264.8K0.5%
Support activities for forestry · 1153$198.5K

Largest awards

LOW RATE INITIAL PRODUCTION/FULL RATE PRODUCTION FOR THE JOINT ASSAULT BRIDGE.$443.3M
DRS SUSTAINMENT SYSTEMS, INC· Howell County, MO· Other equipment & supplies· Nov 9, 2016 – Jun 1, 2026· W56HZV16C0028
FMS CASE: IS-ZJY HEAVY DUTY TANK TRAILERS FOR THE COUNTRY OF ISRAEL$27.9M
DRS SUSTAINMENT SYSTEMS, INC· Howell County, MO· Weapons, aircraft, ships & vehicles· Dec 27, 2023 – Feb 4, 2026· W56HZV24C0020
TUNNER LOADER OVERHAUL$10.5M
DRS SUSTAINMENT SYSTEMS, INC· Howell County, MO· Equipment maintenance· Nov 1, 2023 – Feb 10, 2026· FA853424F0001
TUNNER LOADER SUPPORT

Source: Federal contract transactions (Federal Procurement Data System) (U.S. Department of the Treasury, USAspending.gov), data current to Oct 3, 2026, loaded Oct 3, 2026.

Federal grants & assistance

Grants, loans (counted at their subsidy cost), direct payments and insurance, by fiscal year of the action (USAspending.gov, FABS). Reported apart from contracts and never added to them.

In FY2026, federal agencies obligated $286.4M in grants, loans, direct payments and insurance for West Plains, MO micropolitan area: $7,019 per resident (US $12,955).

Assistance · FY2026: $286.4M; −7.9% vs FY2025
Per resident: $7,019; US $12,955
Loan face value: $13.3M; lent or guaranteed
To individuals: 2.2%; counted, never named

Top programs

96.002 · Social Security Retirement Insurance$160.4M56%
64.109 · Veterans Compensation for Service-Connected Disability$36.2M13%
96.001 · Social Security Disability Insurance$33.5M12%
96.004 · Social Security Survivors Insurance$19.5M6.8%
96.006 · Supplemental Security Income$12.4M4.3%
84.063 · Federal Pell Grant Program$3.3M1.1%
10.109 · Livestock Forage Disaster Program$3M1.0%
64.110 · Veterans Dependency and Indemnity Compensation for Service-Connected Death$2.7M1.0%

Top recipients (organizations)

MISSOURI STATE UNIVERSITY$2.8M1.0%
WEST PLAINS, MO
MISSOURI DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION$1.6M0.6%
JEFFERSON CITY, MO
OZARK ACTION INC$1.6M0.5%
WEST PLAINS, MO
THE RURAL ALLIANCE FOR BETTER FAMILY HEALTH$1.2M0.4%
WEST PLAINS, MO
OZARKS MEDICAL CENTER$750K

Organizations only: awards to individuals and county aggregate records count in the totals but are never listed. Grants to state governments recorded at the agency's own address are counted statewide, not in the capital's county.

Top agencies

Social Security Administration$225.8M79%
Under Secretary for Benefits/Veterans Benefits Administration$40.8M14%
Department of Veterans Affairs
Farm Service Agency$4.1M1.4%
Department of Agriculture
Department of Education$3.4M1.2%
Railroad Retirement Board$2.5M0.9%

Assistance by fiscal year

254.4MFY2021
249.4MFY2022
275.1MFY2023
275.1MFY2024
310.9MFY2025
286.4MFY2026

County aggregates

94%

Share of obligations reported only as county totals of many small awards (for example Social Security or Medicare payments), with no recipient named.

Source: Federal financial assistance transactions (Financial Assistance Broker Submission) (U.S. Department of the Treasury, USAspending.gov), data current to Oct 3, 2026, loaded Oct 3, 2026 · FY2021–FY2026.

Counties in West Plains, MO

Whole counties, as the U.S. Office of Management and Budget delineates the area. Federal spending below is the exact sum of these counties.

Howell CountyCentral county2640,798

Principal cities

The cities the area is named for.

West PlainsPrincipal city12,441

Largest cities and towns

By population, for places with most of their residents in the area.

Other metro and micro areas in Missouri

Areas based in Missouri, best score first.

Similar metro and micro areas

Closest indicator profiles across the country (no model: score distances).

Data and sources

Latest published value of each indicator; periods differ by source. Values flagged by their publisher are marked.

Mapping Injury, Overdose, and ViolenceCenters for Disease Control and Prevention · release 2026-10-01
PLACES: Local Data for Better HealthCenters for Disease Control and Prevention · release 2025
Daily county PM2.5 and ozone (EPA downscaler model)Centers for Disease Control and Prevention · U.S. Environmental Protection Agency · release 2022
Care Compare: Hospital General Information and Timely and Effective CareCenters for Medicare & Medicaid Services · release 2026-07-22
Distance to airports and intercity railFederal Aviation Administration · Bureau of Transportation Statistics · U.S. Census Bureau · release 2025+amtrak-2026-04-23
Uniform Crime Reporting Program, Return A master filesFederal Bureau of Investigation · release 2025
Public Libraries SurveyInstitute of Museum and Library Services · release FY2024
U.S. Drought Monitor county statisticsNational Drought Mitigation Center (University of Nebraska–Lincoln), USDA and NOAA · release 2026-09-29
Fatality Analysis Reporting SystemNational Highway Traffic Safety Administration · release 2024
nClimGrid-Daily county averagesNOAA National Centers for Environmental Information · release 2025
Regional Economic AccountsU.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis · release 2024
Local Area Unemployment StatisticsU.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · release 2025
Quarterly Census of Employment and WagesU.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · release 2026 Q1
American Community Survey 5-Year EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2017-2024
Building Permits SurveyU.S. Census Bureau · release 2026-08
Business Formation StatisticsU.S. Census Bureau · release 2026-10-01
Population Estimates ProgramU.S. Census Bureau · release 2025
Small Area Health Insurance EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2024
Small Area Income and Poverty EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2024
Alternative Fuels Data Center station locatorU.S. Department of Energy · release 2026-10
Election Administration and Voting SurveyU.S. Election Assistance Commission · release 2024
Air Quality Index Annual Summary by CountyU.S. Environmental Protection Agency · release 2025
County Health Rankings & RoadmapsUniversity of Wisconsin Population Health Institute · release 2022-2025+2026-03-supplement

JSON · /api/v1/places/M48460

Scores by category

Strengths · Weaknesses

Strengths

Weaknesses

Trends

What changed in five years

Improved14

Declined6

Metro and micro areas like West Plains, MO micropolitan area five years ago that improved

Who lives here

Age and sex

Income

Household income

Homes

Owners and renters

Getting to work

How people get to work

Jobs and pay

Local businesses

Federal contract spending

Top buying agencies

Top recipients

Spending by fiscal year

Top industries (NAICS)

Largest awards

Federal grants & assistance

Top programs

Top recipients (organizations)

Top agencies

Assistance by fiscal year

County aggregates

Counties in West Plains, MO

Principal cities

Largest cities and towns

Other metro and micro areas in Missouri

Similar metro and micro areas

Data and sources

Improved14

Declined6

Age and sex

Household income

Owners and renters

How people get to work

Race and Hispanic origin

Education

Rent paid

Home values

Age of homes

Size of homes

Time to get to work

Top programs

Top recipients (organizations)

Top agencies

Assistance by fiscal year

County aggregates

By type

Top buying agencies

Top recipients

Spending by fiscal year

Top industries (NAICS)

Largest awards

What was bought