St. Louis, Missouri, sports consistent job market

In the southwestern region of Missouri lies St. Louis, a quintessential Midwest city in an often overlooked state when it comes to finding a job. Those who don't know the area personally are missing out - St. Louis is home to one of the most reliable job economies in the United States. Nearly every sector is growing, with no sign of slowing down.

Still a little unsure about moving to Missouri? Once you learn more about the area, you'll be looking for the nearest airport to buy a plane ticket.

Meet me in St. Louis
According to U.S. Census data, St. Louis is the second-most populous city in the state behind Kansas City. Around 315,000 people reside in the major port alongside the Mississippi River. The area experiences all four seasons throughout the year. Its average temperature high is around 65 degrees Fahrenheit, and its low is about 44 degrees, according to U.S. Climate Data.

There are a number of attractions for residents in this lively city. The Gateway Arch is a 630-foot arch which epitomizes America's expansion into the West. Sprawling Park and the St. Louis Zoo provides areas for people to get outside and enjoy the fresh air. For the sports fans, St. Louis plays host to Major League Baseball's St. Louis Cardinals and the National Hockey League's St. Louis Blues - both of which are perennial title contenders in their respective sports. There is also no shortage of options for those with academic inclinations, with almost 30 campuses in close proximity. In short, there's something for everyone – from parks and botanical gardens to theaters and opera houses, even to the Gateway Mall, this city caters to all manner of diverse interests.

"St. Louis is the perfect city for job seekers for a lot of reasons," says Debra Wannstedt, Division Director of Beacon Hill Technologies in St. Louis. "First of all, we are home to a wide variety of companies, from the Fortune 500, to some of the fastest-growing firms in America, to a litany of exciting startups. St. Louis businesses consistently rank among the most innovative in the nation, and numerous billion-dollar firms are headquartered in our city." Ms. Wannstedt goes on to explain that St. Louis is also convenient because it is a "20-minute city", with all major attractions and business hubs within a short distance of each other. Combined with excellent access to the cultural destinations, St. Louis provides professionals with a treasure trove of opportunities.

Mound City economy is on a steady climb
There aren't many areas in the U.S. that see steady job growth in nearly every major sector. St. Louis is one of them. Around 1.5 million people are employed in the area, which has a 5.2 percent unemployment rate as of February 2016, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

• Trade, transportation and utilities reigns supreme, accounting for 250,000 of the total workforce, as well as 1.2 percent job growth rate.
• Education and health services follows closely behind with 245,000 employees, though is experiencing a much higher rate of new jobs being added at 3.8 percent.
• Though only 88,000 work in the financial services sector, it's growing at a very quick rate of 3.3 percent.
• This is one of the few cities in America with a growing mining, logging and construction market, which is adding new jobs at a 1.2 percent clip.
• Nearly 145,000 find work in leisure and hospitality services, which is growing at 2.4 percent.

"According to the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis' Economic Research, the unemployment rate for college graduates with professional degrees is only 1.5%," remarks Benjamin Daves, Division Director of Beacon Hill Financial in St. Louis. "Registered Nurses, Software Developer and Accountants are the positions in most demand in the St. Louis metropolitan area, with the highest projected growth through 2022." However, the St. Louis' economy is so strong, it has a litany of opportunities for candidates across every industry. Those who haven't had this Midwestern city on their radar may want to change their job seeking approach in the future to account for it.