Population:

18th largest U.S. State by population, with 5,987,580 people (2009 estimate).
21st largest state in the country by area, at 69,704 square miles.

Largest city: Kansas City

Median income:$46,867 (2008 estimate)

Climate:
Yearly rainfall: 33.9 inches per year
Yearly snowfall: 17.8 inches per year in Springfield; 22.8 inches per year in Columbia
Temperatures (High/Low) in capital city of Jefferson City:
January, 39/18; July, 89/66

Foreclosures:
Foreclosure activity for 2009 decreased in Missouri over the prior year. There was a total of 28,519 properties with filings. That works out to a rate of one filing for every 93 households, which compares to the United States average of 45, and is a little more than one percent of the state’s housing units.

Those figures represent an 8 percent decrease over 2008 and a 21 percent increase over 2007.

In 2008 there were about 108,700 existing homes (including condos, co-ops, and single-family homes but excluding new homes) sold in Missouri, compared to about 123,700 sold in 2007.

Economy:
Missouri is first and foremost a manufacturing economy. Transportation equipment, aeronautics, chemicals, publishing and beer are all top industries in the state. Missouri also has the second most farms of any state in the country. Among its top agriculture products are livestock, pork, poultry, dairy and soybeans. There is also significant mining wealth in the state, particularly form coal, lead and zinc. Despite being home to two of the most important cities in the country, Missouri derives relatively little of its economy from tourism.

Noteworthy:
St. Louis' Anheuser-Busch plant is the largest brewery in the United States.