The Show-Me State's small business environment just gained a little bit of recognition after a recent jobs index was released.

Paychex has ranked Missouri at #11 for small business growth. The Paychex | IHS Small Business Jobs Index serves as an indicator of the overall economy, providing a monthly, up-to-date measure of change in small business employment. Having an index of 100.64, Missouri  surpasses other states in the top 20 including Pennsylvania, North Carolina and Massachusetts.  

This sort of ranking proves that small businesses have room to thrive as the state's economy grows. People wanting to start their own business can look to Missouri with confidence. Another benefit of having more small businesses, like restaurants or boutiques, is having an attractive environment for the locals/tourists who want to eat, drink or shop.

The St. Louis metro area's small business environment was also highlighted in this job index. Ranked as one of the top 20 metro areas for small business growth, with an index of 98.81, St. Louis surpasses other metro areas like Houston at 97.58.

The data for the jobs index comes from a subset of the Paychex client base, approximately 350,000 businesses with less than 50 workers in the U.S.

To read the index in full, click here.

Help us spread the news through Facebook and Twitter! If you’re looking for a great place to visit, live, get an education, or start a business, you can find resources and information at mo.gov or ded.mo.gov.

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