Population 79,037 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in St. Joseph
Household size in St. Joseph
| Period | St. Joseph | Missouri | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.48 | 2.49 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.60 | 2.52 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.53 | 2.50 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.45 | 2.49 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.03 | −0.00 | −0.03 |
Households in St. Joseph run small, averaging 2.45 people against 2.65 nationally, which usually means more singles and couples and fewer children. Household size has edged down from 2.48 in 2006–10, as it has nationally. The biggest households, usually families with children, are concentrated in the northwest.
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 St. Joseph
| Period | St. Joseph | Missouri | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 37.7 | 38.4 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 36.9 | 39.2 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 39.0 | 40.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 40.6 | 40.1 | 40.1 |
| Change | +2.9 | +1.7 | +2.3 |
Half of the people in St. Joseph are younger than 40.6 and half are older, close to the national median of 40.1. The median age has climbed from 37.7 in 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
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 St. Joseph
| Period | St. Joseph | Missouri | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 13.3% | 11.3% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 12.8% | 11.4% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 12.9% | 10.9% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 13.2% | 11.0% | 11.6% |
| Change | −0.0 pts | −0.3 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head just over one in eight households in St. Joseph (13.2%), a bit above the national share of 11.6%. St. Joseph has a higher share of single-parent households than most Missouri cities.
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 St. Joseph
Renters in St. Joseph
| Period | St. Joseph | Missouri | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 32.7% | 30.0% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 37.3% | 32.1% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 38.5% | 33.2% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 34.8% | 31.9% | 34.8% |
| Change | +2.1 pts | +1.9 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renting in St. Joseph is just as common as it is nationally: 34.8% of households rent. Among homeowners, 44.4% have no mortgage at all, above the national share of 39.8%. Rentals cluster in the center; owners are most common in the south. The renter share is up 2.1 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country.
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 St. Joseph
| Period | St. Joseph | Missouri | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.8% | 11.6% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 12.8% | 12.0% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 12.9% | 12.2% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 12.7% | 10.5% | 9.6% |
| Change | +0.9 pts | −1.1 pts | −1.8 pts |
More homes sit empty in St. Joseph than nationally: 12.7%, against 9.6%. The count includes vacation homes and homes between owners or tenants, not just abandoned ones. Vacancy is up 0.9 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 St. Joseph
| Period | St. Joseph | Missouri | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1960 | 1974 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1961 | 1975 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1961 | 1976 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1963 | 1978 | 1980 |
| Change | +2 | +4 | +6 |
The housing in St. Joseph is old by national standards: the median home dates to 1963, against 1980 for the U.S., so buyers will find more older houses, some of them due for updates. Newer construction is concentrated in the northeast, while the center has the oldest housing. St. Joseph has older homes than at least four in five Missouri cities.
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 St. Joseph
| Period | St. Joseph | Missouri | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $668 | $740 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $747 | $816 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $823 | $899 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $933 | $1,122 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$265 | +$383 | +$606 |
A typical rental in St. Joseph costs $933 a month with utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $265 a month from 2006–10, a 40% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. The typical renter here spends 29.3% of household income on rent, just under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, and a smaller share than renters pay nationally.
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 St. Joseph
Bachelor's degrees in St. Joseph
| Period | St. Joseph | Missouri | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 19.7% | 26.0% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 20.6% | 27.3% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 21.8% | 29.6% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 24.6% | 32.6% | 35.6% |
| Change | +4.8 pts | +6.6 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are relatively uncommon in St. Joseph: 24.6% 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 4.8 points, as it has nationally. College graduates are most concentrated in the northeast and least in the southwest.
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 St. Joseph
| Period | St. Joseph | Missouri | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 85.9% | 86.8% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 87.0% | 88.3% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 88.1% | 90.0% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 90.0% | 91.8% | 89.3% |
| Change | +4.0 pts | +5.1 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in St. Joseph is close to the national rate: 90.0% of adults have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3%. The rate is lower than in Missouri as a whole (91.8%). The share with a diploma is up 4.0 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
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 St. Joseph
| Period | St. Joseph | Missouri | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.6% | 7.4% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 9.2% | 8.4% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.6% | 4.6% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.2% | 4.1% | 5.4% |
| Change | −3.4 pts | −3.3 pts | −2.7 pts |
Jobs have been a little easier to find in St. Joseph than nationally: unemployment was 4.2%, against 5.4%. Unemployment is down 3.4 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's job market.
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).
St. Joseph compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| St. Joseph | 2.45 | 40.6 | 13.2% | 34.8% | 12.7% | 1963 | $933 | 24.6% | 90.0% | 4.2% |
| Elwood | 2.81 | 33.8 | 15.1% | 32.1% | 12.8% | 1982 | $799 | 7.4% | 88.9% | 3.4% |
| Country Club | 2.67 | 40.8 | 11.3% | 30.7% | 3.8% | 1980 | $1,095 | 28.5% | 96.6% | 2.7% |
| San Antonio | 2.41 | 41.9 | 7.8% | 39.0% | 2.3% | 1987 | $1,035 | 33.4% | 94.6% | 4.6% |
| Wathena | 2.52 | 44.8 | 8.5% | 17.0% | 16.3% | 1967 | $751 | 24.3% | 95.5% | 1.7% |
| Cosby | 2.83 | 38.4 | 3.1% | 17.4% | 3.6% | 1973 | $1,628 | 46.8% | 98.7% | 9.1% |
| Easton | 2.42 | 42.1 | 7.6% | 37.8% | 2.9% | 1987 | $1,042 | 33.9% | 94.7% | 4.4% |
| Agency | 2.69 | 39.7 | 2.9% | 3.9% | 11.3% | 1984 | $1,038 | 37.0% | 97.6% | 0.9% |
| Frazier | 2.72 | 39.3 | 2.4% | 6.2% | 12.4% | 1986 | $1,051 | 39.8% | 98.5% | 0.4% |
| Palermo | 2.30 | 43.5 | 9.4% | 9.5% | 20.4% | 1953 | $848 | 40.8% | 95.3% | 0.0% |
| Hurlingen | 2.59 | 40.5 | 5.7% | 27.5% | 5.8% | 1981 | $1,133 | 35.7% | 96.2% | 6.5% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Kissimmee, FL · Kingsport, TN · Kent, WA · Laredo, TX · Lake Worth, FL · Lake Charles, LA · Lake Elsinore, CA · Largo, FL · Lakewood, CO · Knoxville, TN
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 St. Joseph. 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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