Jobs, pay and daily life in Jackson, from official statistics with source and year on every table.
Click any dot to open that city: jobs, pay, rent, commute, county economy and climate. Dot size follows population; colours follow the state flag.
By AtiveSite · Published 07/11/2026 · Updated 07/11/2026 · Every figure is linked to its source below.
Jackson is a city in Missouri with 15,659 residents. The median household earns $77,105 a year and the median rent is $900 a month, which is 14.0% of the median household income. It is part of the Cape Girardeau, MO-IL metropolitan area, where BLS counts 44,680 jobs.
How Jackson compares. Among the 80 largest places in Missouri, Jackson is #57 by population, #22 for rent (#1 = cheapest), #23 for long commutes (#1 = fewest), #25 for homeownership (#1 = highest). Its county, Cape Girardeau County, is #16 of 115 counties for average pay ($51,752).
Jackson has 15,659 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 0.3% of the population of Missouri. It covers 11 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 1,457 people per square mile. The median age is 37.1, 5% younger than the state median (37.1 against 39.0).
The median gross rent is $900 a month (rent plus utilities), 13% below the state median ($900 against $1,033). Over a year that is 14.0% of the median household income. US housing guidance treats housing as affordable when it takes 30% of income or less, so the typical household is under that line. The median home value is $240,000, which is 3.1 times the median household income ($77,105); a ratio under 4 usually means ownership is within reach for many households. 71.1% of households own their home, 4% above the state average (71.1% against 68.1%).
The Cape Girardeau, MO-IL metropolitan area has 44,680 jobs in the BLS wage survey, and the median pay across all occupations is $44,470 a year, 13% below the national median ($44,470 against $50,980). The biggest occupation groups are office and administrative support (5,010 jobs, median $39,440); food preparation and serving related (4,500 jobs, median $29,450); healthcare practitioners and technical (4,330 jobs, median $75,440). The area is most specialised in office and administrative support (1.0 times), where the share of workers is above the national share. The best-paying groups with at least 5,000 jobs are office and administrative support ($39,440). In 2026M09 the unemployment rate of Cape Girardeau County was 2.9%. 67.9% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in Cape Girardeau County; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.
Among workers, 78.8% drive alone, 0.1% use public transit, 0.6% walk, 12.4% work from home. 5.6% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, 52% below the state average (5.6% against 11.5%).
35.8% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 10% above the state share (35.8% against 32.4%). 1.7% of residents were born outside the United States, 61% below the state share (1.7% against 4.5%). The poverty rate is 8.6%, 32% below the state rate (8.6% against 12.6%).
The warmest month is Jul, averaging 78°F (25.7°C), and the coolest is Jan at 32°F (0.2°C). About 1,214 mm (48 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; Apr is the wettest month (133 mm) and Jan the driest (78 mm). These values come from NASA satellite-based climatology on a grid of about 50 km, so they describe the wider area, not a weather station in the city.
Closest cities in this guide: Cape Girardeau (7 miles, similar rent); Sikeston (34 miles, similar rent); Farmington (51 miles, rent 5% lower); Poplar Bluff (60 miles, rent 16% lower). Rent differences are against Jackson; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.
Federal jobs in Missouri (989) →State guide: MissouriCountry guideCape Girardeau CountyMissouri rankings
These links go to official sources and open in a new window. The first one is the government's or company's own site as listed in Wikidata (property "official website"); check it before relying on it.
There are 989 federal postings open in Missouri (USAJOBS, state level; we do not have a city filter for them). Private-sector jobs are not in this feed.
Open federal jobs in Missouri →
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 1,540 | 1.24 | $33,940 | $28,600 | $38,010 | -5% |
| Registered Nurses | 1,470 | 1.52 | $82,640 | $62,620 | $104,830 | -15% |
| Retail Salespersons | 1,460 | 1.30 | $30,250 | $28,600 | $41,910 | -15% |
| General and Operations Managers | 1,450 | 1.44 | $74,790 | $39,830 | $165,630 | -29% |
| Cashiers | 1,270 | 1.43 | $29,350 | $28,600 | $35,780 | -11% |
| Cooks, Fast Food | 1,070 | 5.79 | $28,820 | $28,600 | $33,870 | -7% |
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | 1,030 | 2.58 | $47,100 | $39,080 | $61,100 | -26% |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 930 | 1.14 | $35,040 | $29,410 | $46,290 | -6% |
| Office Clerks, General | 850 | 1.19 | $38,830 | $28,630 | $59,100 | -14% |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 820 | 1.26 | $28,710 | $28,600 | $60,520 | -19% |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 730 | 1.24 | $50,200 | $36,900 | $77,050 | -14% |
| Nursing Assistants | 680 | 1.63 | $36,650 | $30,610 | $43,460 | -13% |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 600 | 0.70 | $36,430 | $29,670 | $50,820 | -9% |
| Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary | 600 | 1.48 | $29,070 | $28,600 | $38,270 | -21% |
| Customer Service Representatives | 580 | 0.78 | $38,190 | $29,540 | $61,660 | -15% |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 520 | 0.47 | $29,810 | $28,600 | $35,360 | -4% |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 510 | 0.80 | $35,130 | $29,440 | $43,090 | -5% |
| Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive | 500 | 1.02 | $37,480 | $29,820 | $48,960 | -21% |
| Maintenance and Repair Workers, General | 490 | 1.12 | $48,830 | $33,570 | $76,440 | -2% |
| Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses | 410 | 2.21 | $60,100 | $45,700 | $74,250 | -7% |
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Registered Nurses | 1,470 | 1.52 | $82,640 | $62,620 | $104,830 | -15% |
| General and Operations Managers | 1,450 | 1.44 | $74,790 | $39,830 | $165,630 | -29% |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 730 | 1.24 | $50,200 | $36,900 | $77,050 | -14% |
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | 1,030 | 2.58 | $47,100 | $39,080 | $61,100 | -26% |
| Office Clerks, General | 850 | 1.19 | $38,830 | $28,630 | $59,100 | -14% |
| Customer Service Representatives | 580 | 0.78 | $38,190 | $29,540 | $61,660 | -15% |
| Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive | 500 | 1.02 | $37,480 | $29,820 | $48,960 | -21% |
| Nursing Assistants | 680 | 1.63 | $36,650 | $30,610 | $43,460 | -13% |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 600 | 0.70 | $36,430 | $29,670 | $50,820 | -9% |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 510 | 0.80 | $35,130 | $29,440 | $43,090 | -5% |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 930 | 1.14 | $35,040 | $29,410 | $46,290 | -6% |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 1,540 | 1.24 | $33,940 | $28,600 | $38,010 | -5% |
| Retail Salespersons | 1,460 | 1.30 | $30,250 | $28,600 | $41,910 | -15% |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 520 | 0.47 | $29,810 | $28,600 | $35,360 | -4% |
| Cashiers | 1,270 | 1.43 | $29,350 | $28,600 | $35,780 | -11% |
| Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary | 600 | 1.48 | $29,070 | $28,600 | $38,270 | -21% |
| Cooks, Fast Food | 1,070 | 5.79 | $28,820 | $28,600 | $33,870 | -7% |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 820 | 1.26 | $28,710 | $28,600 | $60,520 | -19% |
These figures are for the whole Cape Girardeau, MO-IL metropolitan area, not the city alone.
Median pay across all occupations: $44,470 (US $50,980); unemployment 3.0% (2026M09).
| Industry (residents) ⇅ | Share of employed residents ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Education and health care | 29.7% |
| Retail trade | 13.7% |
| Manufacturing | 12.5% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 7.4% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 7.2% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 6.8% |
| Other services | 6.3% |
| Construction | 4.6% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 4.4% |
| Public administration | 3.0% |
| Wholesale trade | 2.4% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 1.7% |
| Information | 0.4% |
Cities have no official GDP or payroll count of their own. These figures are for the county where Jackson lies and cover the whole county, not only the city.
| County ⇅ | Population ⇅ | GDP (2024) ⇅ | GDP per resident ⇅ | Jobs (QCEW 2024) ⇅ | Employer sites ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Job change vs 2023 ⇅ | Unemployment rate ⇅ | Labour force ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cape Girardeau County | 82,735 | $5,359 million | $64,776 | 41,463 | 2,822 | $51,752 | -0.3% | 2.9% | 43,141 |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Health care and social assistance | 10,297 | 28.9% | $58,712 | 1.73 |
| Retail trade | 5,784 | 16.3% | $35,271 | 1.40 |
| Accommodation and food services | 4,324 | 12.1% | $21,564 | 1.15 |
| Manufacturing | 3,793 | 10.7% | $72,512 | 1.11 |
| Construction | 1,831 | 5.1% | $64,381 | 0.84 |
| Wholesale trade | 1,640 | 4.6% | $55,539 | 1.00 |
| Administrative and waste services | 1,309 | 3.7% | $45,879 | 0.54 |
| Professional and technical services | 1,303 | 3.7% | $65,996 | 0.45 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 1,008 | 2.8% | $39,868 | 0.81 |
| Finance and insurance | 996 | 2.8% | $77,306 | 0.59 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 908 | 2.6% | $69,723 | 0.52 |
| Arts, entertainment, recreation | 661 | 1.9% | $32,149 | 0.95 |
| Information | 569 | 1.6% | $69,517 | 0.73 |
| Management of companies | 392 | 1.1% | $111,662 | 0.56 |
| Real estate and rental | 386 | 1.1% | $50,059 | 0.60 |
| Educational services | 228 | 0.6% | $31,426 | 0.27 |
| Utilities | 164 | 0.5% | $82,857 | 1.04 |
QCEW counts jobs covered by unemployment insurance; sectors with too few employers are withheld by BLS. Latest-month unemployment is preliminary.
| How residents get to work ⇅ | Share ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Drive alone | 78.8% |
| Public transit | 0.1% |
| Walk | 0.6% |
| Work from home | 12.4% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 5.6% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $77,105 |
| Income per person | $38,230 |
| Median gross rent per month | $900 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 14.0% |
| Median home value | $240,000 |
| Homeowners | 71.1% |
| Poverty rate | 8.6% |
| Price level of the metro area (US = 100) | 86.1 |
| Metro median pay, all occupations | $44,470 |
Estimate for a wage earner: 2026 federal brackets and standard deduction (IRS), Social Security 6.2% up to $184,500, Medicare 1.45% (+0.9% above $200,000 single / $250,000 married), and a state rate you set; graduated states show 0 until you enter your own estimate. It ignores credits, pre-tax deductions, local taxes and benefits. Sources: IRS: tax year 2026 inflation adjustments · SSA wage base per Federal Register notice 2025-19763.
State tax: Graduated, top rate 4.70%.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median age | 37.1 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 94.3% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 35.8% |
| Born abroad | 1.7% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 67.9% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 0.2 | 32 | 78 |
| Feb | 1.9 | 35 | 87 |
| Mar | 7.9 | 46 | 117 |
| Apr | 14.0 | 57 | 133 |
| May | 19.1 | 66 | 130 |
| Jun | 23.9 | 75 | 96 |
| Jul | 25.7 | 78 | 107 |
| Aug | 25.4 | 78 | 84 |
| Sep | 21.6 | 71 | 78 |
| Oct | 14.5 | 58 | 102 |
| Nov | 7.6 | 46 | 101 |
| Dec | 2.4 | 36 | 101 |
Satellite-reanalysis climatology on a grid of roughly 50 km, so it smooths local effects (hills, coast, city heat). It is not a weather-station record.
| City ⇅ | State ⇅ | Distance (straight line) ⇅ | Population ⇅ | Median household income ⇅ | Median rent ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cape Girardeau | MO | 7 mi | 40,344 | $55,658 | $876 |
| Sikeston | MO | 34 mi | 16,320 | $58,915 | $891 |
| Farmington | MO | 51 mi | 18,282 | $53,729 | $855 |
| Poplar Bluff | MO | 60 mi | 16,254 | $41,941 | $760 |
| Festus | MO | 71 mi | 13,201 | $73,532 | $922 |
| Union City | TN | 74 mi | 10,982 | $50,870 | $739 |
| Belleville | IL | 81 mi | 41,370 | $63,535 | $1,019 |
| Arnold | MO | 82 mi | 20,956 | $78,370 | $1,112 |
| Oakville | MO | 82 mi | 35,333 | $106,362 | $1,091 |
| Martin | TN | 85 mi | 10,915 | $43,381 | $859 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
Pick two cities.
vs
15,659 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$900 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 14.0% of the median household income.
$77,105 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
2.9% (BLS county, Cape Girardeau County (latest month 2026M09)).
Missouri. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.