Jobs, pay and daily life in West Plains, 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.
West Plains is a city in Missouri with 12,441 residents. The median household earns $44,002 a year and the median rent is $810 a month, which is 22.1% of the median household income. We could not match it to a metropolitan area in the BLS wage tables, so metro pay data is not shown.
How West Plains compares. Among the 80 largest places in Missouri, West Plains is #75 by population, #78 for household income (#1 = highest), #77 for remote work (#1 = most), #73 for college degrees (#1 = most). Its county, Howell County, is #59 of 115 counties for average pay ($44,674).
West Plains has 12,441 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 0.2% of the population of Missouri. It covers 13 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 935 people per square mile. The median age is 36.3, 7% younger than the state median (36.3 against 39.0).
The median gross rent is $810 a month (rent plus utilities), 22% below the state median ($810 against $1,033). Over a year that is 22.1% 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 $169,900, which is 3.9 times the median household income ($44,002); a ratio under 4 usually means ownership is within reach for many households. 52.1% of households own their home, 23% below the state average (52.1% against 68.1%). A low ownership share points to a rental-heavy market with more apartments and shorter stays.
In 2026M09 the unemployment rate of Howell County was 4.1%. 58.3% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in Howell County; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.
Among workers, 79.1% drive alone, 0.0% use public transit, 1.0% walk, 3.6% work from home. 12.3% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, 7% above the state average (12.3% against 11.5%).
17.1% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 47% below the state share (17.1% against 32.4%). 0.3% of residents were born outside the United States, 93% below the state share (0.3% against 4.5%). The poverty rate is 28.1%, 123% above the state rate (28.1% against 12.6%).
The warmest month is Jul, averaging 80°F (26.4°C), and the coolest is Jan at 34°F (1.1°C). About 1,245 mm (49 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; May is the wettest month (140 mm) and Jan the driest (75 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: Mountain Home (40 miles, rent 7% higher); Pocahontas (60 miles, rent 5% lower); Batesville (68 miles, rent 9% higher); Fort Leonard Wood (72 miles, rent 54% higher). Rent differences are against West Plains; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.
Federal jobs in Missouri (988) →State guide: MissouriCountry guideHowell 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.
No metropolitan wage table is matched to this city. Employment shares of residents by industry (ACS):
| Industry ⇅ | Share of employed residents ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Education and health care | 33.0% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 11.3% |
| Retail trade | 8.9% |
| Other services | 8.0% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 7.5% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 7.4% |
| Manufacturing | 7.3% |
| Public administration | 4.7% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 3.9% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 2.3% |
| Construction | 2.2% |
| Information | 1.9% |
| Wholesale trade | 1.6% |
Cities have no official GDP or payroll count of their own. These figures are for the county where West Plains 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 ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Howell County | 40,383 | $1,761 million | $43,605 | 15,361 | 1,383 | $44,674 | -0.5% | 4.1% | 16,695 |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Health care and social assistance | 3,580 | 28.3% | $50,900 | 1.63 |
| Manufacturing | 2,167 | 17.2% | $49,235 | 1.72 |
| Retail trade | 1,992 | 15.8% | $32,906 | 1.30 |
| Accommodation and food services | 1,322 | 10.5% | $19,424 | 0.95 |
| Wholesale trade | 736 | 5.8% | $52,780 | 1.22 |
| Professional and technical services | 584 | 4.6% | $52,390 | 0.55 |
| Administrative and waste services | 393 | 3.1% | $31,065 | 0.43 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 377 | 3.0% | $38,876 | 0.82 |
| Management of companies | 375 | 3.0% | $58,412 | 1.45 |
| Finance and insurance | 372 | 2.9% | $61,297 | 0.60 |
| Construction | 322 | 2.5% | $41,610 | 0.40 |
| Real estate and rental | 130 | 1.0% | $37,111 | 0.55 |
| Educational services | 120 | 1.0% | $28,761 | 0.38 |
| Information | 114 | 0.9% | $39,908 | 0.40 |
| Arts, entertainment, recreation | 44 | 0.3% | $19,956 | 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 | 79.1% |
| Public transit | 0.0% |
| Walk | 1.0% |
| Work from home | 3.6% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 12.3% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $44,002 |
| Income per person | $24,722 |
| Median gross rent per month | $810 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 22.1% |
| Median home value | $169,900 |
| Homeowners | 52.1% |
| Poverty rate | 28.1% |
| Price level of the metro area (US = 100) | n/a |
| Metro median pay, all occupations | n/a |
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 | 36.3 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 86.2% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 17.1% |
| Born abroad | 0.3% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 58.3% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 1.1 | 34 | 75 |
| Feb | 2.9 | 37 | 89 |
| Mar | 8.6 | 47 | 122 |
| Apr | 14.2 | 58 | 136 |
| May | 19.2 | 67 | 140 |
| Jun | 24.1 | 75 | 89 |
| Jul | 26.4 | 80 | 100 |
| Aug | 26.0 | 79 | 100 |
| Sep | 21.8 | 71 | 88 |
| Oct | 14.8 | 59 | 107 |
| Nov | 8.2 | 47 | 103 |
| Dec | 2.8 | 37 | 96 |
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 ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mountain Home | AR | 40 mi | 13,108 | $41,274 | $865 |
| Pocahontas | AR | 60 mi | 7,538 | $44,216 | $768 |
| Batesville | AR | 68 mi | 11,445 | $51,856 | $882 |
| Fort Leonard Wood | MO | 72 mi | 15,432 | $67,772 | $1,250 |
| Ozark | MO | 77 mi | 22,417 | $74,182 | $1,097 |
| Harrison | AR | 77 mi | 13,350 | $44,056 | $753 |
| Lebanon | MO | 78 mi | 15,270 | $48,359 | $809 |
| Branson | MO | 79 mi | 12,817 | $51,978 | $961 |
| Poplar Bluff | MO | 81 mi | 16,254 | $41,941 | $760 |
| Nixa | MO | 82 mi | 24,836 | $83,385 | $1,083 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
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vs
12,441 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$810 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 22.1% of the median household income.
$44,002 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
4.1% (BLS county, Howell County (latest month 2026M09)).
Missouri. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.