Incentives & Services
Why be "just a prospect" when you can be a Partner for success? Lamar and Barton County, Missouri is ready for you!
Lamar is home to an Enterprise Zone with initial 100% local property improvement abatement. Lamar also features what is generally among the top ten least expensive electric rates in Missouri. Why be just a prospect, when you can be a partner with Lamar, Missouri. The Barton County Chamber of Commerce prides itself on only working with a few prospects at a time, giving your next project the personal touch it deserves!
Why Lamar/Barton County, Missouri?
Reliable, Low-Cost Energy
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Location
Lamar, Missouri's ideal Central Time Zone and location is within 500 miles of:
- 43% of U.S. population and households
- 41% of total U.S. effective buying income (all personal income after taxes)
- 40% of total U.S. personal income
- 39% of total U.S. resale trade
- 44% of total U.S. wholesale trade
- 41% of total U.S. service industries
- 44% of total U.S. manufacturing establishments
- The Central Time Zone provides you with more time to communicate with both coasts during business hours.
Transportation
Lamar's location at the heart of the U.S. means your company has quick access to key markets:
- Two U.S. Highways (71 & 160)
- Four-Lane Federal Highway (U.S. Highway 71) is slated to become I-49 and will be the future corridor of choice linking Canada with the Gulf of Mexico.
- An expanding Municipal Airport adjacent to a 4-lane highway
- Burlington-Northern Sante Fe Railway
- Missouri-Northern Arkansas Railway
Are you an aviation enthusiast? Lamar's Municipal Airport, adjacent to a four-lane highway, is a general aviation airport with a 2900' runway is slated for an additional 4000' runway. If you prefer to be a passenger in aviation, commuter services are available nearby in Joplin (30 minutes away). Commercial air traffic to major cities is available at Springfield (90 minutes away) and Kansas City and Tulsa (120 minutes away).
Workforce
The Show-Me State offers an outstanding, well-educated workforce with an excellent work ethic thanks in part to Barton County's Character First status. Understanding that each company's needs are unique, companies expanding or locating to Barton County can expect a customized training program that will recruit, screen, test, and train prospective workers at little or no cost to the employer.
- Missouri workers are 10% more productive than the U.S. average
- Programs are tailored to individual training criteria
- More than 50 vocational/technical schools are available
- Skilled production personnel can receive additional training
- Programs help upgrade existing employees' skills
- An experienced labor force is available
- Technical, administrative and production personnel are available
Quality of Life
Lamar is an award-winning "All Missouri Certified City" active in Missouri Community Betterment. As one of the first and only remaining cities active in CB since its 1960s inception, Lamar wins awards and recognitions every year and is well-known for her pro-active approach to community development.
Lamar/Barton County is close enough to urban perks to stay connected, but just far enough away for small town safety, hospitality, and charm. Lamar's crime rate index is only 140.6 (crimes per one hundred thousand inhabitants) compared to the national average of 446.1. Other quality of life measures for Lamar (based on an index of (100 = best) include:
Lamar/Barton County is close enough to urban perks to stay connected, but just far enough away for small town safety, hospitality, and charm. Lamar's crime rate index is only 140.6 (crimes per one hundred thousand inhabitants) compared to the national average of 446.1. Other quality of life measures for Lamar (based on an index of (100 = best) include:
- The Air Quality of Lamar is 69 verses national average of 33 (based on 100 = best)
- The Water Quality of Lamar is 62 verses national average of 49 (based on 100 = best)
- Lamar is a one of the cleanest areas of the Country. the Pollution Index is 98, verses national average of 53 (based on 100 = best)
- Lamar's Student to Teacher ratio is 14.4, verses the national average of 17.7
- Better roads and smooth traffic results in an Average Commute Time for Lamar workers of 11.1 minutes, verses the national average of 19.1 minutes
Cost of Living
New home construction is 28.4% less expensive in Lamar/Barton County, compared to the national average. The property tax for Lamar/Barton County is only two-thirds of the national average. Here's more on Lamar's Cost of Living index, based on the average U.S. cost index of 100.0:
- Overall Cost of Living: 90.6
- Housing Costs: 89.6
- Food Costs: 89.8
- Transportation Costs: 83.0
- Utility Costs: 93.4
- Health Costs: 82.5
Incentives for New & Expanding Businesses
Enterprise Zone
The Enterprise Zone also features some of the nation's most lucrative financial incentives...a 100% property tax abatement for qualifying projects! State tax credits based on new job creation and commercial facility investment also help sweeten the deal.
- 100% Abatement of property taxes, on improvements to real property, for the first ten years
- ...75% for the next ten years
- ...50% for the following five years
- Improvements made to real property used for manufacturing, assembling, fabricating, processing, mining, warehousing, or distribution qualify for the local tax abatement.
- New Job Income Tax Credit: $400 per new job for up to 10 tax periods
- Training Income Tax Credit: 80 percent of costs over $400, up to a maximum of $400 per employee
- Resident Income Tax Credit: Up to $400 per year, based on number of days employee is resident; available for up to 10 tax periods
- Special Employee Income Tax Credit: Up to $400 per year, based on number of days special employee remains employed; available for up to ten tax periods
- Enterprise zone Income Exemption: 50 percent exemption; available for up to 10 tax periods
- Investment Income Tax Credit: 10 percent of first $10,000, 5 percent of next $90,000, and 2 percent of excess over $100,000; available for up to 10 tax periods
- Refund of unused income tax credits: (a) First year: 50 percent up to $50,000 refunded after third tax year. (b) Second year: 20 percent up to $25,000 refunded after fourth tax year. (c) New facilities established during an Enterprise Zone’s seven-year re-designation period may earn a refund of 25 percent up to $25,000 on unused credits earned in year one, which is payable after year three.
Electric Rates
As a municipal utility, Lamar enjoys what is generally among the top ten least expensive electric rates in the state of Missouri.
Financing
Lamar is equipped to empower business development with municipal-based financing for qualified projects. Several state incentives are available as well, based on the nature of the project and the anticipated creation of new jobs.
Pro-Business Climate
Missouri's corporate income tax has a 50% deductibility of federal income taxes. Property taxes in Lamar are a mere two-thirds of the national average.
Services to Make It Happen
- State and Local Permitting Assistance
- Executive Relocation Assistance
- Reduced Rate Financing
- Enterprise Zone for local tax abatement and state tax credits
- Business Startup Guide, Chamber information, and local community profile with key economic indicators