Population 5,751 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Penrose
Household size in Penrose
| Period | Penrose | St. Louis area | Missouri | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.58 | 2.52 | 2.49 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.36 | 2.53 | 2.52 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.46 | 2.49 | 2.50 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.54 | 2.46 | 2.49 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.03 | −0.06 | −0.00 | −0.03 |
The average household in Penrose has 2.54 people, a bit under the U.S. average of 2.65. Locally, though, the typical household here is bigger than in the St. Louis area overall, where it has 2.46 people. Household size has edged down from 2.58 in 2006–10, mirroring the country.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Penrose
| Period | Penrose | St. Louis area | Missouri | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 36.5 | 38.5 | 38.4 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 44.6 | 39.5 | 39.2 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 40.2 | 40.7 | 40.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 41.7 | 40.8 | 40.1 | 40.1 |
| Change | +5.2 | +2.3 | +1.7 | +2.3 |
The median resident of Penrose is 41.7 years old, a bit older than the national median of 40.1. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 36.5, mirroring the country. Residents skew youngest in the east and oldest in the center.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Penrose
| Period | Penrose | St. Louis area | Missouri | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 26.7% | 11.7% | 11.3% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 19.5% | 11.5% | 11.4% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 30.9% | 11.0% | 10.9% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 28.4% | 11.1% | 11.0% | 11.6% |
| Change | +1.7 pts | −0.6 pts | −0.3 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are common in Penrose: 28.4% of all households, against 11.6% nationally. Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has risen 1.7 points, even as the national share fell. Only two of St. Louis' 39 neighborhoods have a higher share of single-parent households.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Penrose
Renters in Penrose
| Period | Penrose | St. Louis area | Missouri | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 45.1% | 28.3% | 30.0% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 40.6% | 30.1% | 32.1% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 53.5% | 31.1% | 33.2% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 56.6% | 29.6% | 31.9% | 34.8% |
| Change | +11.4 pts | +1.4 pts | +1.9 pts | +1.5 pts |
Most households in Penrose rent: 56.6% of occupied homes are rented, far above the national share of 34.8%. Expect more apartments, and more turnover, than in owner-heavy areas. Among homeowners, 48.2% have no mortgage at all, above the national share of 39.8%. The renter share has risen 11.4 points since 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Penrose
| Period | Penrose | St. Louis area | Missouri | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 16.1% | 9.6% | 11.6% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 23.4% | 10.1% | 12.0% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 29.8% | 10.1% | 12.2% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 27.8% | 8.8% | 10.5% | 9.6% |
| Change | +11.8 pts | −0.8 pts | −1.1 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is high in Penrose: 27.8% of homes are empty, far above the national rate of 9.6%. In resort and lake areas that usually means seasonal and vacation homes; elsewhere it can point to weak demand. Vacancy is up 11.8 points from 2006–10, even as the national rate fell.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Penrose
| Period | Penrose | St. Louis area | Missouri | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1942 | 1972 | 1974 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1942 | 1972 | 1975 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1938 | 1973 | 1976 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1939 | 1975 | 1978 | 1980 |
| Change | −3 | +3 | +4 | +6 |
The housing in Penrose is old by national standards: the median home dates to 1939, against 1980 for the U.S., so buyers will find more older houses, some of them due for updates. Compared with other St. Louis neighborhoods, Penrose has older homes than most.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Penrose
| Period | Penrose | St. Louis area | Missouri | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $742 | $825 | $740 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $725 | $920 | $816 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $850 | $1,010 | $899 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,161 | $1,239 | $1,122 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$418 | +$414 | +$383 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Penrose costs $1,161 a month with utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $418 a month since 2006–10, up 56%, a slower climb than the nation's. Rent takes 36.8% of the typical renter's income, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched. The priciest rents are in the east; the most affordable are in the northwest.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Penrose
Bachelor's degrees in Penrose
| Period | Penrose | St. Louis area | Missouri | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 14.3% | 30.3% | 26.0% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 15.4% | 32.1% | 27.3% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 15.4% | 34.9% | 29.6% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 17.2% | 38.5% | 32.6% | 35.6% |
| Change | +2.9 pts | +8.3 pts | +6.6 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are relatively uncommon in Penrose: 17.2% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's or higher, well below the national share of 35.6%. Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has risen 2.9 points, in line with the national trend. College graduates are most concentrated in the northwest and least in the southeast.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Penrose
| Period | Penrose | St. Louis area | Missouri | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 78.7% | 88.8% | 86.8% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 81.1% | 90.5% | 88.3% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 83.2% | 92.1% | 90.0% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 83.3% | 93.6% | 91.8% | 89.3% |
| Change | +4.5 pts | +4.8 pts | +5.1 pts | +4.3 pts |
About one in six adults in Penrose never finished high school, well above the national share: only 83.3% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% nationally. The share with a diploma is up 4.5 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally. Only three of St. Louis' 39 neighborhoods have a lower share of high school graduates.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Penrose
| Period | Penrose | St. Louis area | Missouri | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 19.2% | 7.7% | 7.4% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 29.5% | 8.8% | 8.4% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 16.3% | 4.9% | 4.6% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 11.7% | 4.3% | 4.1% | 5.4% |
| Change | −7.5 pts | −3.4 pts | −3.3 pts | −2.7 pts |
Finding work has been harder in Penrose: 11.7% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well above the national rate of 5.4%. Only three of St. Louis' 39 neighborhoods have higher unemployment. Since 2006–10, unemployment has fallen 7.5 points, in line with the national trend.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Penrose compared with nearby neighborhoods
| Neighborhood | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Penrose | 2.54 | 41.7 | 28.4% | 56.6% | 27.8% | 1939 | $1,161 | 17.2% | 83.3% | 11.7% |
| O'Fallon | 1.78 | 44.9 | 13.4% | 63.7% | 29.8% | 1938 | $771 | 8.9% | 85.6% | 17.4% |
| The Greater Ville | 2.14 | 44.1 | 13.9% | 62.7% | 35.5% | 1940 | $885 | 11.9% | 78.8% | 9.8% |
| Mark Twain | 1.98 | 47.6 | 12.9% | 38.7% | 32.3% | 1944 | $876 | 16.3% | 85.4% | 29.0% |
| Wells-Goodfellow | 2.63 | 35.1 | 37.2% | 69.9% | 31.2% | 1949 | $881 | 12.2% | 83.6% | 14.8% |
| Jeff-Vander-Lou | 2.01 | 48.3 | 15.4% | 79.2% | 29.5% | 1958 | $891 | 14.8% | 81.4% | 5.9% |
| North Pointe | 2.62 | 38.3 | 31.0% | 43.5% | 9.2% | 1946 | $1,206 | 13.4% | 92.4% | 6.1% |
| Grand Center | 1.75 | 30.7 | 20.3% | 90.7% | 17.4% | 1967 | $881 | 25.7% | 89.9% | 3.2% |
| Central West End | 1.58 | 34.4 | 2.8% | 73.1% | 12.8% | 1961 | $1,142 | 71.6% | 96.3% | 1.6% |
| Baden | 2.09 | 49.3 | 22.1% | 43.8% | 21.5% | 1949 | $931 | 12.0% | 86.0% | 8.0% |
| Debaliviere Place | 1.55 | 34.3 | 2.4% | 71.0% | 9.9% | 1940 | $1,169 | 71.5% | 92.8% | 3.4% |
All figures 2020–24.
Neighborhoods with similar populations: Virginia Park, Tampa, FL · Junior College Neighborhood Assc., Santa Rosa, CA · Mission Hills, Pittsburgh, PA · Monte Vista, San Antonio, TX · North Country Meadows, Oildale, CA · Oakwood, Waco, TX · Saint Francis Wood, San Francisco, CA · Tarrytown, Austin, TX · Uptown, New Orleans, LA · Utah Park, Aurora, CO
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Penrose. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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