The Economic Impacts Behind Main Street's Work in 2024
April 30, 2025 | Keith Winge and Ben White
Missouri Main Street Connection (MMSC) published its annual Year End Report at the end of March highlighting the impact generated by MMSC and Missouri’s Main Street programs in 2024. The report is more than remarkable numbers, it is a showcase of the past year’s inspiring stories as well as incredible efforts and achievements of local Main Street districts across the state. Let’s dive into a few examples of those numbers and efforts to inspire local rip off and duplicate (R&D) for creating an impact this year.
Public and Private Investment
2024 stood out as a notable year for economic growth in Missouri’s Main Street communities, marking the second-highest total public and private investment since 2010, with an impressive $121 million. What’s even more impressive is the ratio of private to public investment: private investments were more than seven times higher than public investments. To put this into perspective, since data collection began in 2006, the average ratio has been 3:6 times. There are many reasons for this number, from an increase in local incentives to renewed interest in downtown rehabilitation; which is also surprising since a huge influx of federal and state dollars has flowed to cities and counties over the past few years.
Jobs Creation
Job creation was another area of exceptional success for Missouri’s Main Streets. Missouri Main Street districts added 440 net new jobs in 2024, making it the second-highest year for job growth. Among reporting Main Street districts, Cape Girardeau shone brightly once again, contributing 71 net new jobs. This downtown powerhouse benefits from a synergy between its Main Street program and business incubators, which together fosters the growth and development of new businesses in the area. West Plains also made a significant local impact on jobs by supporting the creation of 50 net new jobs. Though a smaller community, West Plains shares a common trait for creating new jobs with Cape Girardeau: strong business support systems. In West Plains, the downtown business resources center, Ozark Small Business Incubator (OzSBI), provides vital education, planning, and success-focused assistance to local entrepreneurs.
Volunteer Hours
The spirit of volunteerism played a key role in driving progress throughout 2024. Volunteer hours reflect the dedication and commitment of community members to their Main Street programs and these contributions are nothing short of extraordinary. While we acknowledge that not all volunteer hours are recorded, the total reported hours for 2024 across 49 Main Street programs reached an all-time high of 94,073 hours, the most since tracking began in 2006!
Volunteer hours for a Main Street program include board member hours, committee hours, and event hours. These activities can include a clean-up day, committee planning for a major project, or the local high school helping to plant flowers in the spring.
The Independent Sector estimates the value of volunteer time in Missouri at $33.49 per hour, making this investment worth over $3.1 million. On average, programs logged 1,919 volunteer hours, with Downtown Washington, Inc. leading the way at an astounding 9,400 hours.
As we reflect on the numbers that represent stories from 2024, it’s evident that Missouri’s Main Street programs are thriving and making a lasting impact on their communities. From the impressive levels of public and private investment to job creation and volunteerism; these programs exemplify the power of collaboration, innovation, and community pride. Each data point represents a success story and underscores the importance of nurturing Main Street districts as hubs of economic activity and social connection. Together, we’re building vibrant and resilient communities that will continue to shine for generations to come.
If you haven’t looked through our annual Year End Report, please visit www.momainstreet.org/main-street-impact to access the latest Year End Report.
