Jobs, pay and daily life in Jefferson City, 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.
Jefferson City is a city in Missouri with 42,488 residents. The median household earns $66,371 a year and the median rent is $802 a month, which is 14.5% of the median household income. It is part of the Jefferson City, MO metropolitan area, where BLS counts 80,220 jobs.
How Jefferson City compares. Among the 80 largest places in Missouri, Jefferson City is #16 by population, #8 for rent (#1 = cheapest), #10 for long commutes (#1 = fewest), #28 for college degrees (#1 = most). Its county, Cole County, is #12 of 115 counties for average pay ($55,952).
Jefferson City has 42,488 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 0.7% of the population of Missouri. It covers 36 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 1,178 people per square mile. The median age is 38.9, about the same as the state median (38.9 against 39.0).
The median gross rent is $802 a month (rent plus utilities), 22% below the state median ($802 against $1,033). Over a year that is 14.5% 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 $218,700, which is 3.3 times the median household income ($66,371); a ratio under 4 usually means ownership is within reach for many households. 59.2% of households own their home, 13% below the state average (59.2% against 68.1%).
The Jefferson City, MO metropolitan area has 80,220 jobs in the BLS wage survey, and the median pay across all occupations is $48,030 a year, 6% below the national median ($48,030 against $50,980). The biggest occupation groups are office and administrative support (10,650 jobs, median $42,240); business and financial operations (7,450 jobs, median $63,130); management (5,850 jobs, median $89,340). The area is most specialised in business and financial operations (1.4 times) and office and administrative support (1.2 times), where the share of workers is above the national share. The best-paying groups with at least 5,000 jobs are management ($89,340) and business and financial operations ($63,130). In 2026M09 the unemployment rate of Cole County was 2.7%. 61.3% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in Cole County; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.
Among workers, 74.2% drive alone, 0.7% use public transit, 1.9% walk, 10.4% work from home. 4.0% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, 65% below the state average (4.0% against 11.5%).
38.7% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 19% above the state share (38.7% against 32.4%). 4.0% of residents were born outside the United States, 11% below the state share (4.0% against 4.5%). The poverty rate is 12.0%, 5% below the state rate (12.0% against 12.6%).
The warmest month is Jul, averaging 79°F (26.3°C), and the coolest is Jan at 29°F (-1.4°C). About 1,091 mm (43 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; May is the wettest month (127 mm) and Feb the driest (57 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: Fulton (23 miles, rent 4% higher); Columbia (27 miles, rent 37% higher); Mexico (44 miles, rent 14% lower); Rolla (48 miles, similar rent). Rent differences are against Jefferson City; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.
Federal jobs in Missouri (988) →State guide: MissouriCountry guideCole 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 988 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 ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| General and Operations Managers | 2,280 | 1.26 | $76,170 | $39,520 | $169,400 | -28% |
| Registered Nurses | 1,910 | 1.10 | $85,010 | $63,760 | $136,880 | -13% |
| Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive | 1,880 | 2.14 | $40,980 | $35,170 | $55,870 | -14% |
| Cashiers | 1,650 | 1.04 | $29,420 | $28,600 | $36,250 | -11% |
| Office Clerks, General | 1,600 | 1.26 | $39,640 | $30,500 | $61,350 | -12% |
| Retail Salespersons | 1,540 | 0.76 | $30,400 | $28,600 | $44,700 | -14% |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 1,430 | 0.98 | $34,980 | $29,300 | $47,470 | -6% |
| Customer Service Representatives | 1,360 | 1.02 | $38,990 | $33,090 | $57,860 | -13% |
| Cooks, Fast Food | 1,320 | 3.98 | $28,600 | $28,600 | $31,670 | -7% |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 1,170 | 0.53 | $31,830 | $28,600 | $39,950 | -11% |
| Accountants and Auditors | 1,120 | 1.50 | $64,040 | $46,890 | $106,330 | -23% |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 1,040 | 0.68 | $36,400 | $29,200 | $49,180 | -10% |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 1,040 | 0.92 | $34,540 | $28,600 | $43,780 | -6% |
| Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators | 1,000 | 1.37 | $44,100 | $36,570 | $57,850 | -1% |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 980 | 0.92 | $48,860 | $39,400 | $76,630 | -17% |
| Maintenance and Repair Workers, General | 900 | 1.14 | $46,320 | $32,330 | $71,270 | -7% |
| Correctional Officers and Jailers | 900 | 4.57 | $42,620 | $42,620 | $63,940 | -28% |
| Managers, All Other | 830 | 2.58 | $93,100 | $61,960 | $154,020 | -34% |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 820 | 0.70 | $30,280 | $28,600 | $50,450 | -14% |
| Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education | 710 | 1.30 | $50,950 | $40,290 | $75,730 | -29% |
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Managers, All Other | 830 | 2.58 | $93,100 | $61,960 | $154,020 | -34% |
| Registered Nurses | 1,910 | 1.10 | $85,010 | $63,760 | $136,880 | -13% |
| Project Management Specialists | 500 | 0.92 | $79,980 | $48,630 | $126,520 | -22% |
| General and Operations Managers | 2,280 | 1.26 | $76,170 | $39,520 | $169,400 | -28% |
| Accountants and Auditors | 1,120 | 1.50 | $64,040 | $46,890 | $106,330 | -23% |
| Human Resources Specialists | 530 | 1.14 | $62,420 | $46,180 | $96,260 | -18% |
| Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers | 620 | 1.79 | $59,860 | $43,000 | $96,680 | -21% |
| Construction Laborers | 580 | 1.03 | $58,220 | $36,830 | $99,420 | +24% |
| First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers | 640 | 0.87 | $55,520 | $41,030 | $88,900 | -20% |
| Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education | 710 | 1.30 | $50,950 | $40,290 | $75,730 | -29% |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 980 | 0.92 | $48,860 | $39,400 | $76,630 | -17% |
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | 600 | 0.84 | $47,960 | $38,770 | $71,970 | -25% |
| Maintenance and Repair Workers, General | 900 | 1.14 | $46,320 | $32,330 | $71,270 | -7% |
| Compliance Officers | 640 | 2.97 | $46,040 | $44,870 | $73,320 | -43% |
| Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks | 590 | 0.84 | $45,180 | $35,610 | $60,500 | -11% |
| Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators | 1,000 | 1.37 | $44,100 | $36,570 | $57,850 | -1% |
| Correctional Officers and Jailers | 900 | 4.57 | $42,620 | $42,620 | $63,940 | -28% |
| Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive | 1,880 | 2.14 | $40,980 | $35,170 | $55,870 | -14% |
| Office Clerks, General | 1,600 | 1.26 | $39,640 | $30,500 | $61,350 | -12% |
| Customer Service Representatives | 1,360 | 1.02 | $38,990 | $33,090 | $57,860 | -13% |
These figures are for the whole Jefferson City, MO metropolitan area, not the city alone.
Median pay across all occupations: $48,030 (US $50,980); unemployment 2.7% (2026M09).
| Industry (residents) ⇅ | Share of employed residents ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Education and health care | 22.9% |
| Public administration | 16.0% |
| Retail trade | 11.9% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 9.9% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 7.5% |
| Manufacturing | 6.8% |
| Construction | 6.7% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 6.6% |
| Other services | 4.0% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 3.7% |
| Information | 1.8% |
| Wholesale trade | 1.6% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 0.3% |
Cities have no official GDP or payroll count of their own. These figures are for the county (the first of several) where Jefferson City lies and cover the whole county, not only the city. The city also extends into Callaway County.
| County ⇅ | Population ⇅ | GDP (2024) ⇅ | GDP per resident ⇅ | Jobs (QCEW 2024) ⇅ | Employer sites ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Job change vs 2023 ⇅ | Unemployment rate ⇅ | Labour force ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cole County | 77,032 | $7,420 million | $96,323 | 54,302 | 2,500 | $55,952 | +1.6% | 2.7% | 40,672 |
| Callaway County | 44,741 | $2,701 million | $60,365 | 14,917 | 936 | $56,776 | +2.2% | 2.7% | 22,166 |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Retail trade | 6,002 | 18.0% | $35,108 | 1.11 |
| Health care and social assistance | 5,237 | 15.7% | $62,614 | 0.67 |
| Accommodation and food services | 3,761 | 11.3% | $22,364 | 0.76 |
| Construction | 2,933 | 8.8% | $73,821 | 1.03 |
| Manufacturing | 2,714 | 8.1% | $64,774 | 0.61 |
| Administrative and waste services | 2,342 | 7.0% | $41,047 | 0.73 |
| Finance and insurance | 1,886 | 5.7% | $74,561 | 0.86 |
| Professional and technical services | 1,873 | 5.6% | $82,964 | 0.50 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 1,725 | 5.2% | $59,254 | 1.06 |
| Wholesale trade | 1,171 | 3.5% | $88,121 | 0.55 |
| Information | 862 | 2.6% | $61,888 | 0.85 |
| Management of companies | 757 | 2.3% | $97,018 | 0.83 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 716 | 2.1% | $62,343 | 0.31 |
| Arts, entertainment, recreation | 568 | 1.7% | $22,132 | 0.62 |
| Real estate and rental | 325 | 1.0% | $51,229 | 0.39 |
| Utilities | 265 | 0.8% | $108,508 | 1.28 |
| Educational services | 210 | 0.6% | $19,178 | 0.19 |
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 | 74.2% |
| Public transit | 0.7% |
| Walk | 1.9% |
| Work from home | 10.4% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 4.0% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $66,371 |
| Income per person | $37,220 |
| Median gross rent per month | $802 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 14.5% |
| Median home value | $218,700 |
| Homeowners | 59.2% |
| Poverty rate | 12.0% |
| Price level of the metro area (US = 100) | 88.0 |
| Metro median pay, all occupations | $48,030 |
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 | 38.9 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 92.8% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 38.7% |
| Born abroad | 4.0% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 61.3% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | -1.4 | 29 | 59 |
| Feb | 0.3 | 33 | 57 |
| Mar | 6.7 | 44 | 92 |
| Apr | 13.0 | 55 | 114 |
| May | 18.4 | 65 | 127 |
| Jun | 23.8 | 75 | 106 |
| Jul | 26.3 | 79 | 108 |
| Aug | 25.4 | 78 | 102 |
| Sep | 21.0 | 70 | 90 |
| Oct | 13.5 | 56 | 96 |
| Nov | 6.8 | 44 | 77 |
| Dec | 1.1 | 34 | 63 |
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 ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fulton | MO | 23 mi | 12,617 | $51,429 | $836 |
| Columbia | MO | 27 mi | 128,548 | $66,498 | $1,097 |
| Mexico | MO | 44 mi | 11,477 | $50,873 | $686 |
| Rolla | MO | 48 mi | 20,287 | $46,204 | $789 |
| Fort Leonard Wood | MO | 56 mi | 15,432 | $67,772 | $1,250 |
| Sedalia | MO | 58 mi | 22,003 | $50,990 | $877 |
| Moberly | MO | 60 mi | 13,526 | $44,145 | $774 |
| Washington | MO | 63 mi | 15,130 | $79,173 | $827 |
| Union | MO | 64 mi | 12,781 | $73,435 | $858 |
| Marshall | MO | 67 mi | 13,739 | $54,437 | $761 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
Pick two cities.
vs
42,488 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$802 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 14.5% of the median household income.
$66,371 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
2.7% (BLS county, Cole County (latest month 2026M09)).
Missouri. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.