Population 995,569 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in St. Louis County
Household size in St. Louis County
| Period | St. Louis County | St. Louis area | Missouri | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.46 | 2.52 | 2.49 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.48 | 2.53 | 2.52 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.45 | 2.49 | 2.50 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.44 | 2.46 | 2.49 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.02 | −0.06 | −0.00 | −0.03 |
Households in St. Louis County run small, averaging 2.44 people against 2.65 nationally, which usually means more singles and couples and fewer children. That is in line with the rest of the St. Louis area. Households are largest in the southwest and smallest in the east.
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. Louis County
| Period | St. Louis County | St. Louis area | Missouri | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 40.3 | 38.5 | 38.4 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 41.1 | 39.5 | 39.2 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 41.7 | 40.7 | 40.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 41.3 | 40.8 | 40.1 | 40.1 |
| Change | +1.0 | +2.3 | +1.7 | +2.3 |
At 41.3, the median age in St. Louis County is close to the national median of 40.1, so its age mix looks much like the country's. The median age has climbed from 40.3 in 2006–10, in line with the national trend. The youngest areas are in the east, the oldest in the west.
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. Louis County
| Period | St. Louis County | St. Louis area | Missouri | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.4% | 11.7% | 11.3% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 11.3% | 11.5% | 11.4% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 11.0% | 11.0% | 10.9% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 11.4% | 11.1% | 11.0% | 11.6% |
| Change | −0.0 pts | −0.6 pts | −0.3 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head nearly one in eight households in St. Louis County (11.4%), close to the national share of 11.6%. St. Louis County has a higher share of single-parent households than most Missouri counties.
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. Louis County
Renters in St. Louis County
| Period | St. Louis County | St. Louis area | Missouri | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 27.5% | 28.3% | 30.0% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 29.2% | 30.1% | 32.1% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 31.4% | 31.1% | 33.2% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 30.8% | 29.6% | 31.9% | 34.8% |
| Change | +3.3 pts | +1.4 pts | +1.9 pts | +1.5 pts |
About three in ten households in St. Louis County rent their homes (30.8%), a little below the national share of 34.8%; the rest own. More than a third of owners (36.4%) have paid off their mortgages, below the national share of 39.8%. Rentals cluster in the east; owners are most common in the southwest. The renter share is up 3.3 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. Louis County
| Period | St. Louis County | St. Louis area | Missouri | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.2% | 9.6% | 11.6% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 8.7% | 10.1% | 12.0% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 8.5% | 10.1% | 12.2% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 8.0% | 8.8% | 10.5% | 9.6% |
| Change | −0.2 pts | −0.8 pts | −1.1 pts | −1.8 pts |
Fewer homes sit empty in St. Louis County than nationally: 8.0%, against 9.6% for the U.S. The St. Louis area as a whole looks much the same. St. Louis County has a lower vacancy rate than at least four in five Missouri counties.
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. Louis County
| Period | St. Louis County | St. Louis area | Missouri | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1967 | 1972 | 1974 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1968 | 1972 | 1975 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1968 | 1973 | 1976 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1969 | 1975 | 1978 | 1980 |
| Change | +2 | +3 | +4 | +6 |
The housing in St. Louis County is old by national standards: the median home dates to 1969, 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 southwest, while the east has the oldest housing. St. Louis County has older homes than the great majority of Missouri counties.
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. Louis County
| Period | St. Louis County | St. Louis area | Missouri | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $912 | $825 | $740 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,027 | $920 | $816 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,117 | $1,010 | $899 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,388 | $1,239 | $1,122 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$476 | +$414 | +$383 | +$606 |
The median renter in St. Louis County pays $1,388 a month for rent and utilities, below the national median of $1,571. Still, rents here are higher than in the wider St. Louis area ($1,239). Rent has climbed $476 a month since 2006–10, up 52%, a slower climb than the nation's. Rent takes 30.5% of the typical renter's income, just over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent.
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. Louis County
Bachelor's degrees in St. Louis County
| Period | St. Louis County | St. Louis area | Missouri | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 39.9% | 30.3% | 26.0% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 41.7% | 32.1% | 27.3% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 44.1% | 34.9% | 29.6% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 47.6% | 38.5% | 32.6% | 35.6% |
| Change | +7.7 pts | +8.3 pts | +6.6 pts | +7.2 pts |
College graduates are unusually common in St. Louis County: 47.6% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's degree or higher, against 35.6% nationally. Education tends to track local incomes and the kinds of jobs nearby. The share with a degree has risen 7.7 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally. Only one other Missouri county has a higher share of college graduates.
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. Louis County
| Period | St. Louis County | St. Louis area | Missouri | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 91.2% | 88.8% | 86.8% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 92.7% | 90.5% | 88.3% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 93.6% | 92.1% | 90.0% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 94.5% | 93.6% | 91.8% | 89.3% |
| Change | +3.3 pts | +4.8 pts | +5.1 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion is high in St. Louis County: 94.5% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. The share with a diploma has risen 3.3 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally. Of Missouri's 115 counties, only nine have a higher 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 St. Louis County
| Period | St. Louis County | St. Louis area | Missouri | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.0% | 7.7% | 7.4% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 8.0% | 8.8% | 8.4% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.6% | 4.9% | 4.6% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.4% | 4.3% | 4.1% | 5.4% |
| Change | −2.6 pts | −3.4 pts | −3.3 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in St. Louis County runs below the national rate: 4.4% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4% nationally. Unemployment has fallen 2.6 points since 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. Louis County compared with nearby counties
| County | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| St. Louis County | 2.44 | 41.3 | 11.4% | 30.8% | 8.0% | 1969 | $1,388 | 47.6% | 94.5% | 4.4% |
| St. Louis City | 2.02 | 38.2 | 13.3% | 54.7% | 16.3% | 1946 | $1,044 | 41.0% | 90.7% | 5.9% |
| St. Charles County | 2.59 | 40.8 | 8.5% | 19.5% | 4.5% | 1993 | $1,476 | 42.7% | 95.7% | 3.0% |
| St. Clair County | 2.57 | 40.2 | 13.5% | 31.6% | 11.5% | 1978 | $1,199 | 33.0% | 93.4% | 5.6% |
| Warren County | 2.70 | 42.1 | 9.0% | 19.8% | 12.9% | 1998 | $1,088 | 20.7% | 90.8% | 4.1% |
| Clinton County | 2.42 | 42.1 | 7.3% | 19.7% | 8.3% | 1978 | $931 | 26.7% | 92.9% | 3.6% |
| Marion County | 2.39 | 40.7 | 13.2% | 25.3% | 11.1% | 1973 | $841 | 16.8% | 90.3% | 6.0% |
| Callaway County | 2.53 | 41.8 | 12.5% | 24.5% | 11.4% | 1984 | $914 | 24.6% | 90.9% | 4.6% |
| Cole County | 2.41 | 40.3 | 10.4% | 32.1% | 7.9% | 1982 | $893 | 39.3% | 94.6% | 3.1% |
| Clay County | 2.41 | 41.7 | 13.2% | 20.7% | 14.2% | 1975 | $719 | 13.2% | 90.5% | 4.6% |
| Moniteau County | 2.48 | 39.3 | 9.7% | 20.8% | 8.4% | 1978 | $714 | 16.3% | 84.0% | 2.3% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Jefferson County, KY · Essex County, NJ · Essex County, MA · Alameda County, CA · Denton County, TX · Erie County, NY · Franklin County, OH · El Paso County, TX · Collin County, TX · Cuyahoga County, OH
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. Louis County. 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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