St. Louis, MO
Census place 2965000 · pop 288,512
Home of the Gateway Arch, the tallest man-made monument in the U.S. at 630 feet.
Source ↗Sales & income are statewide.
The breakdown — worst first
U.S. median 152/100k · worse than most cities
1372 violent crimes per 100k · Violent crimes (murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault) per 100,000 residents.
U.S. median 964/100k · worse than most cities
5795 property crimes per 100k · Burglary, theft, motor-vehicle theft and arson per 100,000 residents.
U.S. median +2.4% · worse than most cities
-6.4% population change (5yr) · 5-year population change — are people moving in, or fleeing?
U.S. median 67.2% · worse than most cities
45.3% own their home · Share of occupied homes that are owner-occupied.
U.S. median 0.43 · worse than most cities
Gini 0.50 (0 = equal, 1 = unequal) · Gini index of household income (0 = equal, 1 = unequal).
U.S. median 42 AQI · worse than most cities
54 median AQI · Median air quality index — lower is cleaner air. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 12.1% · worse than most cities
20.6% live in poverty · Share of residents living below the federal poverty line.
U.S. median 90.0% · worse than most cities
86.8% of homes have broadband · Share of households with a broadband internet subscription.
U.S. median 14.6% · worse than most cities
16.8% of adults · Share of adults who currently smoke.
U.S. median $67,857 · worse than most cities
$56,160 median household income · Median household income — a proxy for local economic health.
U.S. median 1 days · worse than most cities
10 unhealthy-air days per year · Days per year with unhealthy air (AQI above 100). Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 17.4% · worse than most cities
18.8% of adults · Adults reporting frequent poor mental health (14+ days a month).
U.S. median 77/100 · worse than most cities
95/100 FEMA risk (higher = riskier) · FEMA National Risk Index — wildfire, flood, earthquake, heat and more. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 3.6% · worse than most cities
4.1% unemployment · Share of the labor force out of work. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 36.5% · worse than most cities
36.8% of adults · Share of adults with obesity (BMI ≥ 30).
U.S. median 26.5% · worse than most cities
27.1% of adults · Adults with no leisure-time physical activity.
U.S. median 0.99% · worse than most cities
1.03% of home value paid in property tax · Median real-estate taxes paid as a share of home value.
U.S. median 9.3% · better than most cities
9.4% of adults · Adults 18–64 without health insurance.
U.S. median 24 min · better than most cities
22 min average one-way commute · Average one-way commute to work, in minutes.
U.S. median 24.3% · better than most cities
41.1% have a bachelor's degree or higher · Share of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.
U.S. median $214,900 · better than most cities
$197,500 median home value · Median home value — how expensive it is to buy in. Higher = less affordable.
Not measured for St. Louis: Rent. Not every public source covers every city — EPA air monitors and Zillow rent only reach some places, and national crime data is still being added.
Frequently asked
- Is St. Louis, MO a good place to live?
- By the numbers, St. Louis scores 31/100 — a F (Bad) on Shcity, which ranks U.S. cities on public data across 21 metrics like crime, cost, jobs and health. Its strongest area is housing cost and its weakest is violent crime rate. Missouri overall ranks #26 of 50 states. Whether it's "good" depends on what you value — re-weight the factors to score it your way.
- How safe is St. Louis, MO?
- St. Louis reports 1372 violent crimes per 100k and 5795 property crimes per 100k — worse than most U.S. cities on violent crime.
- Is St. Louis, MO expensive to live in?
- St. Louis has a median home value of $197,500 — more affordable than most U.S. cities.
- What's the biggest downside of living in St. Louis, MO?
- Its weakest measured area is violent crime rate (1372/100k) — 1/100, worse than most U.S. cities.
- What is St. Louis, MO best at?
- Its strongest measured area is housing cost ($197,500) — 72/100, better than most U.S. cities. Fun fact: Home of the Gateway Arch, the tallest man-made monument in the U.S. at 630 feet.
Sources: U.S. Census (ACS), CDC PLACES, FBI Crime Data Explorer, BLS, EPA AirData, FEMA National Risk Index, and Zillow.