Excerpts from the report Introduction: The Ozark Gateway District was designated by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development as eligible to receive grants to prepare comprehensive development plans. The purpose of this report is to describe the recent economic situation and trends in the area. Thus, the report should prove helpful to local planners as a starting point in program planning and implementation by (1) summarizing the economic situation and (2) emphasizing various aspects of the economy which will need to be considered if the programs are to aid in achieving full growth potential of the area. The four counties of the Ozark Gateway District are Barton, Jasper, Newton, and McDonald. They are located in southwest Missouri, having common boundaries with parts of Kansas, Oklahoma, and Arkansas. The district covers about 2,400 square miles. The terrain varies from low mountains in McDonald County to rolling-to-level land in Barton County.
