In many respects Joplin, Missouri, is a community on the rise. Its fast-expanding manufacturing and healthcare sectors are fueling growth for the city and its broader metro, home to some 200,000 residents. These gains have contributed to Joplin’s importance as an economic hub of southwest Missouri.
Assistant Vice President and Regional Executive Jeremy Hill, who serves as the Kansas City Fed’s regional economist for Kansas and western Missouri, recently visited Joplin to engage with local business and community leaders and share his outlook on the regional economy.
Community visits such as this one are not new to Hill. In fact, it’s an important part of his role at the Kansas City Fed.
“Being able to spend time interacting directly with the communities we serve truly helps to inform my thinking about economic conditions,” he explained during his presentation at the Southwest Missouri Economic Forum, at Crowder College in Joplin. “Take inflation, for example. Data can show if inflation is rising or falling. But it’s also important to know how key industries in a community are being affected by the current conditions, and that’s where these community visits really add value.”
During his presentation, Hill provided a look at trends in the regional and national economy. He noted that:
- Joplin has grown faster than many other metros in Missouri, due in large part to manufacturing and transportation.
- Productivity in the region has increased, thanks to less turnover in labor.
- Nationwide, artificial intelligence (AI) is only part of the productivity story; firms are adding AI, but much of the productivity boost is from increased labor efficiency.
“It’s one thing to read an article about something like interest rates or the labor market, but it’s another thing to get to see the trends and have them explained by someone knowledgeable like Jeremy,” said Brendan Dungan, vice president of the Joplin Area Chamber of Commerce.
In addition to participating in the economic forum, Hill hosted two roundtables at the Joplin Public Library. Area business and community leaders in healthcare and manufacturing were invited to attend and share candidly how they are experiencing the economy.
“I think there is a lot of value in giving small businesses opportunities to speak to the Federal Reserve about how the economy is affecting them. Often the numbers that are reported don’t tell the whole story,” said Amy Kauffman, executive director of the MOKAN Partnership, an economic development nonprofit focused on southwest Missouri, northeast Oklahoma and southeast Kansas.
During his community outreach, Hill makes it a priority to learn about the people and culture that shape the area. In Joplin, these stops included the Schroeder Family Exploreum to see how investments in community hubs are affecting citizens and their families. This newly opened STEM-based children’s museum has revitalized a vacant building that was the former home of the Joplin Public Library and created a gathering space that includes hands-on science exhibits for all ages and a community meeting room.
He then toured the new Roy Blunt Health Science Innovation Center for a firsthand look at how it’s preparing students for careers in the booming healthcare field. The facility uses advanced technology to create an immersive learning environment meant to build practical skills. Its simulated hospital spaces — including an operating room and a labor-and-delivery suite — use realistic mannequins to let students practice scenarios before entering the workforce. A 3D printing lab also produces custom anatomical models to enhance clinical training.
Hill also stopped at the Joplin Historical Neighborhoods Museum, which features two homes built in the 1890s and offers unique insights into the town’s economic history.
Hill’s Joplin outreach demonstrates the Kansas City Fed’s commitment to engaging directly with communities, ensuring that the Bank’s understanding of the Tenth District remains grounded in real-world experience and local perspectives. These community connections help shape a stronger, more informed regional economy.
The views expressed are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the positions of the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City or the Federal Reserve System.