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Pulaski County, MO Economy
Unemployment was 4.5% in Aug 2026 and jobs paid $48,911 a year on average.
- Unemployment rate
- 4.5%
- -0.1 pts in a year
- Labor force
- 18,541
- -4.4% in a year
- Income per person
- $50,340
- 60th of 115 in MO
- Average annual pay
- $48,911
- 13,141 jobs, 2025
Unemployment rate in Pulaski County
Monthly. County rates are not seasonally adjusted, so they rise and fall with the seasons.
Show as a table
| Period | Pulaski County |
|---|---|
| Aug 2026 | 4.5% |
| Dec 2025 | 3.3% |
| Dec 2024 | 3.3% |
| Dec 2023 | 2.8% |
| Dec 2022 | 2.3% |
| Dec 2021 | 2.4% |
| Dec 2020 | 4.1% |
| Dec 2019 | 3.5% |
| Dec 2018 | 2.9% |
| Dec 2017 | 3.2% |
| Dec 2016 | 4.1% |
| Dec 2015 | 5.2% |
| Dec 2014 | 6.7% |
| Dec 2013 | 7.9% |
| Dec 2012 | 8.0% |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics ยท Last updated 09/01/2026
Jobs and pay by industry
Private employers in Pulaski County, annual average 2025. Industries with too few employers to publish are left out.
Swipe the table sideways to see more columns.
| Industry | Jobs | 1-year change | Average pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accommodation and food services | 2,752 | -1.7% | $29,505 |
| Retail trade | 1,674 | -1.3% | $34,104 |
| Health care and social assistance | 976 | +3.1% | $47,370 |
| Administrative and support services | 455 | -6.4% | $58,363 |
| Construction | 352 | +4.8% | $51,742 |
| Finance and insurance | 273 | 0.0% | $58,258 |
| Other services | 241 | +5.7% | $39,646 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 218 | +4.3% | $39,320 |
| Manufacturing | 138 | +8.7% | $47,675 |
| Utilities | 127 | +1.6% | $87,111 |
| Real estate and rental | 117 | +2.6% | $48,683 |
| Educational services | 94 | -18.3% | $43,941 |
| Information | 90 | -3.2% | $46,274 |
| Wholesale trade | 65 | -5.8% | $53,125 |
| Arts, entertainment and recreation | 41 | -2.4% | $35,717 |
Latest quarter (Q1 2026): 12,724 jobs (-5.6% from a year earlier), average weekly wage $973.
Income and output
Bureau of Economic Analysis, 2024
- Total personal income
- $2.72B
- +5.6% in a year
- Income per person
- $50,340
- MO: $64,920
- GDP
- $3.01B
- Current dollars
- Real GDP growth
- +2.0%
- Adjusted for inflation
Show as a table
| Period | Pulaski County |
|---|---|
| 2024 | $50,340 |
| 2023 | $47,787 |
| 2022 | $44,520 |
| 2021 | $45,379 |
| 2020 | $43,889 |
| 2019 | $41,021 |
| 2018 | $38,989 |
| 2017 | $38,396 |
| 2016 | $37,288 |
| 2015 | $37,712 |
| 2014 | $37,158 |
| 2013 | $38,515 |
| 2012 | $39,762 |
| 2011 | $41,255 |
| 2010 | $39,468 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Economic Accounts
Businesses by industry, trucking companies, banks and bankruptcies in Pulaski County.
Business profileBusinesses in Pulaski County
County Business Patterns 2023 and Nonemployer Statistics 2024
- Employer businesses
- 653
- Employees
- 8,340
- Mid-March
- Annual payroll
- $322M
- Self-employed businesses
- 2,653
- $102M receipts
By industry
- Retail trade12519.1%
- Accommodation and food services11117.0%
- Other services9013.8%
- Health care and social assistance639.6%
- Construction487.4%
- Professional and technical services467.0%
- Finance and insurance416.3%
- Real estate and rental385.8%
By number of employees
- 1 to 433451.4%
- 5 to 913320.5%
- 10 to 1910716.5%
- 20 to 49609.2%
- 50 to 99101.5%
- 100 to 24960.9%
- 250 to 49900.0%
- 500 to 99900.0%
- 1,000 or more00.0%
Neighboring counties
Unemployment rate, Aug 2026
| County | Rate | 1 year |
|---|---|---|
| Camden County | 3.4% | -0.6 pts |
| Miller County | 3.4% | -0.2 pts |
| Maries County | 3.5% | -0.8 pts |
| Phelps County | 3.9% | -0.4 pts |
| Texas County | 4.4% | -0.6 pts |
| Pulaski CountyThis county | 4.5% | -0.1 pts |
| Laclede County | 4.6% | -0.8 pts |
Federal money in Pulaski County
Federal awards, pandemic loans and political donations
Frequently asked questions
- What is the unemployment rate in Pulaski County, MO?
- The unemployment rate in Pulaski County was 4.5% in Aug 2026, not seasonally adjusted, with 18,541 people in the labor force.
- What is the average salary in Pulaski County?
- Jobs in Pulaski County paid an average of $48,911 in 2025 ($941 a week), across 13,141 jobs covered by unemployment insurance.
- What are the biggest industries in Pulaski County?
- The largest private industries by jobs are accommodation and food services (2,752), retail trade (1,674), health care and social assistance (976).
- What is the income per person in Pulaski County?
- Personal income per person was $50,340 in 2024, compared with $64,920 for Missouri. It counts wages, business income, investment income and government benefits.
- How many businesses are in Pulaski County?
- Pulaski County had 653 business establishments with paid employees in 2023, plus 2,653 businesses with no employees.