CallataGuidesBusiness phone system for law offices in Missouri
2,759 law offices operated in Missouri in 2023. Where they are, how big their teams are, and what phone service costs them.
- Establishments
- 2,759CBP 2023
- Employees
- 18,479mid-March 2023
- Per 100k residents
- 44.2U.S. 48.7
- State rank
- 18th of 51by count
Law offices in Missouri by the numbers
The Census Bureau counted 2,759 law offices in Missouri in its 2023 County Business Patterns (NAICS 541110). They employed 18,479 people in mid-March and reported $2.0 billion in annual payroll. That is the 18th highest count among the 51 states and DC with published figures. Law offices make up 1.8% of the 151,475 business establishments in the state.
Per 100,000 residents (2024 estimate) Missouri has 44.2 law offices, 9.2% below the national rate of 48.7. The average establishment has 6.7 employees against 6.6 nationally. Payroll per employee is $108,582, 13.5% below the U.S. figure of $125,580.
| Measure | Missouri | United States |
|---|---|---|
| Establishments | 2,759 | 165,491 |
| Mid-March employees | 18,479 | 1,093,331 |
| Annual payroll | $2,006,488,000 | $137,300,251,000 |
| Employees per establishment | 6.7 | 6.6 |
| Payroll per employee | $108,582 | $125,580 |
| Establishments per 100,000 residents | 44.2 | 48.7 |
Census County Business Patterns 2023 (mid-March employment; annual payroll). Employees and payroll flagged high-noise are shown but not used in the text. Residents: Census Vintage 2024 estimates.
Law offices by metro area in Missouri
Census published law office counts for 25 metro or micropolitan areas that include part of Missouri. The largest is St. Louis, MO-IL, with 1,393 establishments (a multi-state area; its count covers every state it spans). Single-state metro and micropolitan areas account for 21% of the statewide total; the rest are outside any published area or in areas Census suppressed.
| Area | Establishments | Employees | Per 100k residents |
|---|---|---|---|
| St. Louis, MO-IL | 1,393 | 10,509 | 49.5 |
| Kansas City, MO-KS | 1,211 | 8,409 | 53.7 |
| Springfield, MO | 216 | 1,218 | 43.5 |
| Columbia, MO | 104 | 464 | 47.4 |
| Joplin, MO-KS | 64 | 240 | 30.9 |
| Jefferson City, MO | 60 | 342 | 39.6 |
| St. Joseph, MO-KS | 46 | — | 38.6 |
| Cape Girardeau, MO-IL | 34 | 158 | 34.4 |
| Quincy, IL-MO | 26 | 81 | 35.2 |
| Farmington, MO | 21 | 76 | 31.1 |
| Branson, MO | 21 | 74 | 37.0 |
| Sikeston, MO | 18 | 56 | 36.2 |
| Sedalia, MO | 15 | — | 34.3 |
| Poplar Bluff, MO | 15 | — | 35.9 |
| West Plains, MO | 15 | 63 | 36.8 |
| Kirksville, MO | 15 | — | 50.5 |
| Hannibal, MO | 14 | 59 | 36.0 |
| Warrensburg, MO | 12 | — | 21.5 |
| Lebanon, MO | 12 | — | 32.7 |
| Kennett, MO | 10 | — | 37.0 |
| Rolla, MO | 9 | 38 | 19.7 |
| Fort Leonard Wood, MO | 7 | 28 | 13.0 |
| Marshall, MO | 7 | — | 30.0 |
| Mexico, MO | 6 | — | 24.7 |
| Moberly, MO | 5 | 13 | 20.8 |
Source: Census County Business Patterns 2023; population from Census Vintage 2024 estimates.
Team sizes at law offices in Missouri
71.6% of Missouri's law offices with employees had fewer than five people in March 2023, compared with 71.8% nationally. 87.7% had fewer than ten. That is the size of team where a missed call usually means nobody was free, not that nobody was on staff.
| Employment size | Establishments | Share | U.S. share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1–4 employees | 1,974 | 71.6% | 71.8% |
| 5–9 employees | 446 | 16.2% | 15.1% |
| 10–19 employees | 190 | 6.9% | 7.4% |
| 20–49 employees | 99 | 3.6% | 4.0% |
| 50 or more employees | 49 | 1.8% | 1.8% |
Employment-size classes count establishments by mid-March 2023 employment. Establishments with no March employees are excluded from the size classes, so shares are of establishments with employees. Source: Census County Business Patterns 2023.
Why the phone matters for law offices in Missouri
Prospective clients often call a law office at a stressful moment and contact more than one firm, so the first firm to respond has an advantage. Attorneys are frequently in court or meetings, which makes accurate message taking and routing to the right paralegal essential. That holds for law offices in Missouri as much as anywhere.
A few of the calls that come in to law offices in Missouri:
- An existing client calls for an update on their matter.
- The firm calls a prospective client back after an online inquiry.
- Someone calls after a car accident to ask whether the firm handles injury cases.
Calls after closing time
Potential clients often call in the evening, so capturing and transcribing those messages lets the firm call back first thing.
Callata voicemail is transcribed and triaged for urgency, and business-hours routing decides where calls go once you close.
Callata vs. per-seat pricing for law offices in Missouri
Law offices in Missouri average 6.7 employees, so the comparison uses a 7-person team. Per-seat business phone plans bill every one of those people. At month-to-month list prices checked September 28, 2026, 7 users on RingCentral RingEX Core cost $210.00 a month and 7 on Ooma Office Pro cost $174.65. On Callata the same 7 people cost $139.00 a month, less than either per-seat plan.
The annual difference against RingCentral's monthly list price comes to $852. Some vendors discount annual contracts; the table shows month-to-month prices.
| Provider (plan) | Pricing basis | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Callata (Callata Office) | $99 incl. 5 users, $20 per extra user | $139.00 | $1,668.00 |
| Quo (Starter) | $19.00 per user | $133.00 | $1,596.00 |
| Nextiva (Core) | $23.00 per user | $161.00 | $1,932.00 |
| Ooma (Office Pro) | $24.95 per user | $174.65 | $2,095.80 |
| Dialpad (Standard) | $27.00 per user | $189.00 | $2,268.00 |
| RingCentral (RingEX Core) | $30.00 per user | $210.00 | $2,520.00 |
Competitor prices are each vendor's published month-to-month list price per user for its lowest plan that includes business calling and texting, checked September 28, 2026: Quo Starter $19, Nextiva Core $23, Ooma Office Pro $24.95 (Essentials excludes texting; one-time $29.95 activation not included), Dialpad Standard $27, RingCentral RingEX Core $30 ($20 billed annually). Prices exclude taxes and fees and may change; annual contracts lower some competitors' prices.
Area codes in Missouri
Missouri has 9 geographic area codes in service according to NANPA. You can choose local numbers in the area codes your clients know, subject to carrier inventory, or port your current number for free.
| Area code | Exchanges | Time zone | In service since | Overlay with |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 573 | 786 | Central | 1996 | 235 |
| 816 | 785 | Central | 1947 | 975 |
| 314 | 783 | Central | 1947 | 557 |
| 417 | 711 | Central | 1950 | none |
| 660 | 516 | Central | 1997 | none |
| 636 | 435 | Central | 1999 | none |
| 557 | 83 | Central | 2022 | 314 |
| 235 | 41 | Central | 2024 | 573 |
| 975 | 28 | Central | 2023 | 816 |
Exchanges are NANPA-assigned central office codes (NPA-NXX) in the rate centers matched to the area's named places. Source: NANPA utilized code and NPA reports.
How Callata works for law offices in Missouri
Callata is a business phone system priced at $99 a month with 5 users included, then $20 per additional user. Callata Office includes up to 3 local business numbers, unlimited inbound calling, 1,500 pooled outbound US and Canada minutes per user each month, a browser softphone that can also ring your cell, voicemail with transcription, call recording with AI summaries, business-hours routing and E911 on every number.
If you already have a number in Missouri, porting it to Callata is free. Texting from a local number requires a one-time carrier registration (10DLC, $49), and the numbers available in any area code depend on carrier inventory when you choose them.
Optional AI agents (receptionist, sales, support or scheduler) can answer calls after hours or when nobody picks up, take messages, text, email and transfer to your team. They are billed from prepaid AI minutes at $0.25 per minute, identify themselves as AI, and may only place outbound calls to people who consented, between 8am and 9pm.
Firms should consider privilege and confidentiality before recording calls or using AI summaries, and follow their bar's guidance on client communications.
Frequently asked questions
How many law offices are in Missouri?
2,759 in 2023, according to Census County Business Patterns. They employed 18,479 people in mid-March.
Which Missouri metro area has the most law offices?
St. Louis, MO-IL, with 1,393 establishments in 2023.
What does a phone system cost a 7-person law office?
$210.00 a month on RingCentral RingEX Core or $174.65 on Ooma Office Pro at month-to-month list prices (checked September 28, 2026); $139.00 on Callata ($99 a month with 5 users included, then $20 per additional user).
Do I need to register to text customers from a Missouri number?
Yes. US carriers require business texting from local numbers to be registered (10DLC). On Callata the registration is a one-time $49 fee, and texting turns on once it is approved.