Jobs, pay and daily life in St. Joseph, 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.
St. Joseph is a city in Missouri with 71,236 residents. The median household earns $57,956 a year and the median rent is $898 a month, which is 18.6% of the median household income. It is part of the St. Joseph, MO-KS metropolitan area, where BLS counts 54,390 jobs.
How St. Joseph compares. Among the 80 largest places in Missouri, St. Joseph is #9 by population, #65 for remote work (#1 = most), #21 for rent (#1 = cheapest), #60 for college degrees (#1 = most). Its county, Buchanan County, is #8 of 115 counties for average pay ($58,558).
St. Joseph has 71,236 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 1.2% of the population of Missouri. It covers 44 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 1,618 people per square mile. The median age is 38.1, about the same as the state median (38.1 against 39.0).
The median gross rent is $898 a month (rent plus utilities), 13% below the state median ($898 against $1,033). Over a year that is 18.6% 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 $154,200, which is 2.7 times the median household income ($57,956); a ratio under 4 usually means ownership is within reach for many households. 62.8% of households own their home, 8% below the state average (62.8% against 68.1%).
The St. Joseph, MO-KS metropolitan area has 54,390 jobs in the BLS wage survey, and the median pay across all occupations is $47,350 a year, 7% below the national median ($47,350 against $50,980). The biggest occupation groups are production (7,690 jobs, median $50,640); transportation and material moving (5,580 jobs, median $44,100); office and administrative support (5,350 jobs, median $43,270). The area is most specialised in production (2.6 times) and transportation and material moving (1.2 times), where the share of workers is well above the national share. The best-paying groups with at least 5,000 jobs are production ($50,640) and transportation and material moving ($44,100). In 2026M09 the unemployment rate of Buchanan County was 3.5%. 59.7% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in Buchanan County; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.
Among workers, 79.0% drive alone, 0.2% use public transit, 1.2% walk, 7.1% work from home. 8.4% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, 27% below the state average (8.4% against 11.5%).
23.0% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 29% below the state share (23.0% against 32.4%). 4.5% of residents were born outside the United States, about the same as the state share (4.5% against 4.5%). The poverty rate is 17.7%, 41% above the state rate (17.7% against 12.6%).
The warmest month is Jul, averaging 79°F (25.9°C), and the coolest is Jan at 26°F (-3.4°C). About 920 mm (36 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; May is the wettest month (134 mm) and Jan the driest (22 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: Atchison (22 miles, rent 18% lower); Leavenworth (31 miles, rent 37% higher); Lansing (36 miles, rent 57% higher); Gladstone (40 miles, rent 21% higher). Rent differences are against St. Joseph; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.
Federal jobs in Missouri (988) →State guide: MissouriCountry guideBuchanan 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 ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 1,760 | 1.17 | $31,250 | $28,740 | $45,470 | -13% |
| General and Operations Managers | 1,510 | 1.23 | $74,570 | $39,090 | $173,240 | -29% |
| Registered Nurses | 1,490 | 1.26 | $77,240 | $60,330 | $95,570 | -21% |
| Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators | 1,360 | 2.76 | $54,400 | $30,020 | $71,390 | +22% |
| Cashiers | 1,330 | 1.23 | $29,920 | $28,600 | $35,520 | -9% |
| Retail Salespersons | 1,310 | 0.96 | $31,770 | $28,600 | $44,620 | -10% |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 1,300 | 1.26 | $44,100 | $31,320 | $57,320 | +10% |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 1,280 | 1.29 | $36,640 | $30,090 | $47,260 | -2% |
| Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders | 1,120 | 8.46 | $50,930 | $39,330 | $58,640 | +18% |
| Cooks, Fast Food | 1,020 | 4.57 | $29,620 | $28,600 | $33,990 | -4% |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 850 | 1.18 | $56,330 | $38,490 | $76,870 | -4% |
| Maintenance and Repair Workers, General | 830 | 1.55 | $57,420 | $36,130 | $72,620 | +16% |
| Office Clerks, General | 820 | 0.95 | $40,400 | $29,700 | $62,890 | -10% |
| Customer Service Representatives | 780 | 0.86 | $42,840 | $31,330 | $70,240 | -4% |
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | 770 | 1.59 | $49,140 | $39,010 | $74,350 | -23% |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 640 | 0.48 | $29,430 | $28,600 | $35,360 | -6% |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 630 | 0.81 | $36,090 | $28,970 | $47,690 | -2% |
| Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive | 630 | 1.05 | $42,210 | $32,130 | $59,050 | -11% |
| Nursing Assistants | 620 | 1.23 | $35,900 | $30,090 | $43,550 | -15% |
| Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers | 610 | 4.21 | $66,060 | $47,040 | $66,060 | +23% |
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers | 580 | 2.48 | $77,370 | $55,560 | $103,230 | +4% |
| Registered Nurses | 1,490 | 1.26 | $77,240 | $60,330 | $95,570 | -21% |
| General and Operations Managers | 1,510 | 1.23 | $74,570 | $39,090 | $173,240 | -29% |
| Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers | 610 | 4.21 | $66,060 | $47,040 | $66,060 | +23% |
| Maintenance and Repair Workers, General | 830 | 1.55 | $57,420 | $36,130 | $72,620 | +16% |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 850 | 1.18 | $56,330 | $38,490 | $76,870 | -4% |
| Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators | 1,360 | 2.76 | $54,400 | $30,020 | $71,390 | +22% |
| Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders | 1,120 | 8.46 | $50,930 | $39,330 | $58,640 | +18% |
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | 770 | 1.59 | $49,140 | $39,010 | $74,350 | -23% |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 1,300 | 1.26 | $44,100 | $31,320 | $57,320 | +10% |
| Customer Service Representatives | 780 | 0.86 | $42,840 | $31,330 | $70,240 | -4% |
| Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive | 630 | 1.05 | $42,210 | $32,130 | $59,050 | -11% |
| Office Clerks, General | 820 | 0.95 | $40,400 | $29,700 | $62,890 | -10% |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 1,280 | 1.29 | $36,640 | $30,090 | $47,260 | -2% |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 630 | 0.81 | $36,090 | $28,970 | $47,690 | -2% |
| Nursing Assistants | 620 | 1.23 | $35,900 | $30,090 | $43,550 | -15% |
| Retail Salespersons | 1,310 | 0.96 | $31,770 | $28,600 | $44,620 | -10% |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 1,760 | 1.17 | $31,250 | $28,740 | $45,470 | -13% |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 600 | 0.76 | $30,490 | $28,600 | $58,750 | -13% |
| Cashiers | 1,330 | 1.23 | $29,920 | $28,600 | $35,520 | -9% |
These figures are for the whole St. Joseph, MO-KS metropolitan area, not the city alone.
Median pay across all occupations: $47,350 (US $50,980); unemployment 3.4% (2026M09).
| Industry (residents) ⇅ | Share of employed residents ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Education and health care | 24.4% |
| Manufacturing | 21.3% |
| Retail trade | 12.5% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 10.0% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 5.8% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 5.2% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 5.0% |
| Construction | 4.9% |
| Other services | 4.4% |
| Public administration | 3.5% |
| Wholesale trade | 1.5% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 0.8% |
| Information | 0.7% |
Cities have no official GDP or payroll count of their own. These figures are for the county where St. Joseph 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 ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buchanan County | 83,568 | $6,731 million | $80,543 | 45,842 | 2,623 | $58,558 | +0.8% | 3.5% | 38,573 |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 11,858 | 29.6% | $72,900 | 3.15 |
| Health care and social assistance | 7,723 | 19.3% | $65,056 | 1.18 |
| Retail trade | 5,280 | 13.2% | $33,437 | 1.15 |
| Accommodation and food services | 3,658 | 9.1% | $22,474 | 0.88 |
| Construction | 2,157 | 5.4% | $90,775 | 0.90 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 1,746 | 4.4% | $56,433 | 0.90 |
| Wholesale trade | 1,593 | 4.0% | $73,044 | 0.88 |
| Administrative and waste services | 1,451 | 3.6% | $38,838 | 0.54 |
| Professional and technical services | 999 | 2.5% | $76,874 | 0.31 |
| Finance and insurance | 968 | 2.4% | $87,072 | 0.52 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 860 | 2.1% | $48,312 | 0.62 |
| Arts, entertainment, recreation | 472 | 1.2% | $22,750 | 0.61 |
| Real estate and rental | 348 | 0.9% | $43,902 | 0.49 |
| Information | 316 | 0.8% | $53,979 | 0.37 |
| Management of companies | 287 | 0.7% | $81,449 | 0.37 |
| Utilities | 215 | 0.5% | $114,985 | 1.23 |
| Educational services | 165 | 0.4% | $28,109 | 0.17 |
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 | 79.0% |
| Public transit | 0.2% |
| Walk | 1.2% |
| Work from home | 7.1% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 8.4% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $57,956 |
| Income per person | $32,547 |
| Median gross rent per month | $898 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 18.6% |
| Median home value | $154,200 |
| Homeowners | 62.8% |
| Poverty rate | 17.7% |
| Price level of the metro area (US = 100) | 86.4 |
| Metro median pay, all occupations | $47,350 |
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 | 38.1 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 89.5% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 23.0% |
| Born abroad | 4.5% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 59.7% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | -3.4 | 26 | 22 |
| Feb | -1.7 | 29 | 31 |
| Mar | 5.4 | 42 | 55 |
| Apr | 11.9 | 53 | 93 |
| May | 17.7 | 64 | 134 |
| Jun | 23.4 | 74 | 132 |
| Jul | 25.9 | 79 | 100 |
| Aug | 24.6 | 76 | 119 |
| Sep | 19.9 | 68 | 79 |
| Oct | 12.1 | 54 | 79 |
| Nov | 5.1 | 41 | 38 |
| Dec | -1.2 | 30 | 38 |
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 ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Atchison | KS | 22 mi | 10,785 | $54,474 | $737 |
| Leavenworth | KS | 31 mi | 37,195 | $72,987 | $1,229 |
| Lansing | KS | 36 mi | 11,246 | $102,786 | $1,406 |
| Gladstone | MO | 40 mi | 27,207 | $79,271 | $1,088 |
| Liberty | MO | 42 mi | 30,689 | $88,542 | $1,160 |
| Basehor | KS | 44 mi | 7,491 | $116,769 | $1,257 |
| Kansas City | KS | 44 mi | 155,135 | $62,401 | $1,123 |
| Kansas City | MO | 46 mi | 510,612 | $69,166 | $1,238 |
| Falls City | NE | 46 mi | 4,077 | $51,706 | $714 |
| Tonganoxie | KS | 47 mi | 5,891 | $80,109 | $1,224 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
Pick two cities.
vs
71,236 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$898 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 18.6% of the median household income.
$57,956 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
3.5% (BLS county, Buchanan County (latest month 2026M09)).
Missouri. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.