Theeconomy ofSt. Louis, Missouri itself is relatively small; most of the area'sGDP and office space is based in nearbySt. Louis County.[1][2]
The 2019 Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of St. Louis was $152.4 billion.[3] That makes St. Louis the 22nd-highest GDP in the United States.[4] According to the 2017 Economic Census, manufacturing in the St. Louis, MO-IL metro area conducted $53.3 billion in business, followed by the retail trade with $51.3 billion, the healthcare and social service industry with $22.5 billion, and professional, scientific, and technical services with $15.1 billion. The sector employing the largest number of workers in the area was the healthcare sector with 199,463 workers, followed by retail with 142,553 workers, food service with 130,628 workers, administrative and support jobs with 107,862 workers, and manufacturing with 107,501 workers.[5] In addition to traditional economic drivers such as manufacturing and healthcare, marketing and digital transformation have become increasingly vital sectors in St. Louis. As businesses continue to adapt to post-pandemic consumer behavior, digital marketing and AI-driven strategies have seen significant growth, with many companies shifting their budgets toward online advertising, data analytics, and automation. A 2025 report on the region’s marketing landscape notes that St. Louis businesses are increasingly integrating AI for customer engagement, leveraging social media for brand visibility, and prioritizing digital channels over traditional media to remain competitive in both local and national markets.[6] As of July 2013, the city of St. Louis had 143,147 workers in its labor force with 127,687 employed, 15,460 unemployed, and an unemployment rate of 10.8 percent.[7]
Unemployment in May 2014 fell 0.1% to 7.2%, nearly one percent above the national rate of 6.3% in that month.[8]
TheSwedish furniture retailerIKEA opened a 21-acre complex in theCentral West End, including a 380,000 square foot store that added approximately 300 jobs.[9] The company opened its new store on September 30, 2015.[10][11]
TheMississippi River andMissouri River in St. Louis play a large role in moving goods, especially bulk commodities such asgrain,coal,salt, and certain chemicals and petroleum products. In 2004, thePort of St. Louis was the third-largest inland port by tonnage in the country, and the 21st-largest of any sort.[12] St. Louis is also the nation's third-largest railroad hub, moving everything from fertilizer, gravel, crushed stone, prepared foodstuffs, fats, oils, nonmetallic mineral products, grain, alcohol, and tobacco products to motorized vehicles and parts.[13]
Among St. Louis city healthcare employers isBJC HealthCare, which operates bothBarnes-Jewish Hospital andSt. Louis Children's Hospital. BJC also cooperates withWashington University School of Medicine, a center of medical research that is adjacent to Barnes-Jewish Hospital. Other major employers in the city include theSaint Louis University School of Medicine andSaint Louis University Hospital, another medical research facility and hospital, andCardinal Glennon Children's Hospital.
As of 2020, the St. Louis area is home to eightFortune 500 companies:Centene,Emerson Electric,Reinsurance Group of America,Edward Jones Investments,Graybar Electric,Olin,Ameren, andPost Holdings.[14]
Other companies include:
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