Scores by category

Each category averages its indicators' percentile scores among US metro and micro areas.

Safety13#801/924
Economy84#147/925
Housing64#330/925
Health63#347/925
Healthcare89#107/923
Environment3#893/917
Education91#82/925
Infrastructure85#144/925
Community75#234/925
Leisure & amenities68#297/925

Strengths · Weaknesses

Indicators where St. Louis, MO-IL metro area ranks highest and lowest among US metro and micro areas (score = percentile, 100 = best).

Strengths

Some college · high74.3%
93/100Missouri 67.0%United States 67.8%2019-2023University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteAggregated from counties
Income adjusted for local prices · high$82,372
91/100Missouri $71,484United States $73,2042024U.S. Bureau of Economic AnalysisAggregated from counties
Pharmacies · high2.4 /10k
91/100Missouri 2.1 /10kUnited States 1.8 /10k2025U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsAggregated from counties
Average weekly wage · high$1,376
90/100Missouri $1,278United States $1,5142025U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Public transit commuters · high1.3%
88/100Missouri 0.8%United States 3.2%2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B08301
Distance to an airport · low19 mi
87/100Missouri 40 miUnited States 33 mi2025Federal Aviation Administration · Bureau of Transportation Statistics · U.S. Census BureauAggregated from counties

Weaknesses

Median Air Quality Index · high56
4/1002025U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Days with unhealthy air · high4.1%
6/1002025U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
High ozone days · high3 days
8/100Missouri 2 daysUnited States 7 days2022Centers for Disease Control and Prevention · U.S. Environmental Protection AgencyAggregated from counties
Homicide rate · high10.0 /100k
8/100Missouri 7.7 /100kUnited States 4.8 /100kMay 2025–Apr 2026Centers for Disease Control and PreventionAggregated from countiesCovers part of the area: some reporting agencies or member counties have no figure
Property crime rate · high1,768 /100k
19/100Missouri 1,644 /100kUnited States 1,535 /100k2024Federal Bureau of InvestigationAggregated from countiesCovers part of the area: some reporting agencies or member counties have no figure
Injury deaths · high115 /100k
21/100Missouri 106 /100kUnited States 87 /100k2019-2023University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteAggregated from counties

Trends

The largest changes over about five years, next to the country's over the same periods.

Drought exposureWorsening
2% (2021) → 32% (Oct 2025–Sep 2026)
+30 pts5 yearsUS 40% → 43%
High ozone daysWorsening
2 days (2017) → 3 days (2022)
+51%5 yearsUS 9 days → 7 days
Drug overdose deathsImproving
43.2 /100k (2021) → 21.9 /100k (Mar 2025–Feb 2026)
−49%5 yearsUS 30.8 /100k → 18.4 /100k
Broadband subscriptionsImproving
83.4% (2015-2019) → 91.8% (2020-2024)
+8.4 pts5 yearsCensus table B28002US 82.7% → 91.0%
Income adjusted for local pricesImproving
$59,677 (2019) → $82,372 (2024)
+38%5 yearsUS $55,567 → $73,204
Homicide rateImproving
15.5 /100k (2021) → 10.0 /100k (May 2025–Apr 2026)
−35%5 yearsUS 7.8 /100k → 4.8 /100k

What changed in five years

How each measure moved between two periods about five years apart, read against whether more or less is better, the published margin of error and the same change in other places.

Over about five years, St. Louis, MO-IL metro area improved on 18 of 30 measures with a comparison and declined on 4. 3 moved within the margin of error and 5 barely changed.

Earlier period
Latest period
Lower standingHigher standing

Position is the place's standing among metro and micro areas: further right is better, whichever way the measure counts. Periods differ by measure (most compare 2015-2019 with 2020-2024); each row names its own in its tooltip and in the table.

Improved18

Pharmacies+9.1%2.2 /10k → 2.4 /10k
Real income+38%$59,677 → $82,372
Commute−1.0 min25.9 min → 24.9 min
Firearm deaths−21%25.4 /100k → 20.0 /100k
Overdose deaths−49%42.8 /100k → 21.9 /100k

Declined4

Transit use−1 points2.3% → 1.3%
Suicides+15%15.6 /100k → 17.8 /100k
Traffic deaths+14%11.6 /100k → 13.2 /100k
Price / income+0.3×2.7× → 3.1×

All 30 measures

Change of every measure of St. Louis, MO-IL metro area between two periods about five years apart
Measure	Before	After	Change	Reading	Favourable vs peers
Arts, entertainment and recreation	3.9 /10k2020	4.3 /10k2025	+11%	Improved	55%
Average commute time	25.9 min2015-2019	24.9 min2020-2024	−1.0 min	Improved	88%
Average weekly wage	$1,1352020	$1,3762025	+21%	Improved	32%
Bachelor's degree or higher	34.4%2015-2019	38.2%2020-2024	+3.7 points	Improved	73%
Broadband subscriptions	83.4%2015-2019	91.8%2020-2024	+8.4 points	Improved	44%
Child poverty rate	16.0%2015-2019	13.5%2020-2024	−2.4 points	Improved	51%
Distance to an airport	19 mi2020	19 mi2025	+0 mi	Little change	8%
Drug overdose deaths	42.8 /100k2020	21.9 /100kMar 2025–Feb 2026	−49%	Improved	81%
Effective property tax rate	1.30%2015-2019	1.16%2020-2024	−0.1 points	Little change	53%
Firearm deaths	25.4 /100k2020	20.0 /100kMay 2025–Apr 2026	−21%	Improved	84%
Grocery stores	1.5 /10k2020	1.5 /10k2025	−4.9%	Little change	34%
Gyms and fitness centers	1.3 /10k2020	1.4 /10k2025	+9.8%	Improved	58%
High school diploma or higher	91.9%2015-2019	93.6%2020-2024	+1.6 points	Improved	50%
Home price to income ratio	2.7×2015-2019	3.1×2020-2024	+0.3×	Declined	62%
Homicide rate	17.4 /100k2020	10.0 /100kMay 2025–Apr 2026	−42%	Improved	70%
Income adjusted for local prices	$59,6772019	$82,3722024	+38%	Improved	84%
Income inequality (Gini index)	0.4662015-2019	0.4652020-2024	−0.001	Within the margin of error	59%
Median household income	$63,7052015-2019	$80,1962020-2024	+26%	Improved	45%
New business applications	13.2 /1k2020	15.9 /1k2025	+21%	Improved	17%
Pharmacies	2.2 /10k2020	2.4 /10k2025	+9.1%	Improved	87%
Poverty rate	11.3%2015-2019	10.5%2020-2024	−0.8 points	Improved	46%
Public libraries	0.5 /10k2019	0.5 /10k2024	−3%	Little change	38%
Public transit commuters	2.3%2015-2019	1.3%2020-2024	−1 points	Declined	16%
Rent as share of income	28.6%2015-2019	28.2%2020-2024	−0.4 points	Within the margin of error	67%
Rent-burdened households	46.9%2015-2019	45.8%2020-2024	−1 points	Within the margin of error	67%
Restaurants and bars	9.1 /10k2020	9.1 /10k2025	+0.6%	Little change	48%
Suicide rate	15.6 /100k2020	17.8 /100kMay 2025–Apr 2026	+15%	Declined	32%
Traffic deaths	11.6 /100k2015-2019	13.2 /100k2020-2024	+14%	Declined	38%
Unemployment rate	6.8%2020	4.0%2025	−2.8 points	Improved	44%
Uninsured residents (under 65)	7.6%2015-2019	7.0%2020-2024	−0.6 points	Improved	61%

“Against peers” compares the change with the same change in the 786 metro and micro areas that have the same two periods. It describes how common a change is, not why it happened.

Sources: Regional Economic Accounts; Local Area Unemployment Statistics; Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; Mapping Injury, Overdose, and Violence; American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates; Business Formation Statistics; Public Libraries Survey; Fatality Analysis Reporting System; Distance to airports and intercity rail. Values are the latest and the one five years earlier of the same publisher dataset; datasets that changed publisher in between are never compared.

Survey estimates (American Community Survey) compare the two most recent 5-year windows that do not share years, so the margin of error of the difference holds. The 2015-2019 window predates the pandemic and 2020-2024 includes it.
A change counts only when it is larger than 1.645 times the square root of the two standard errors squared, summed (a 90% margin). Measures published without a margin must change by at least 5% to count.
“Against peers” compares the change with the same change in the 925 metro and micro areas that have the same two periods. It describes how common a change is, not why it happened.
Standing is a percentile among the same places: 0 is the lowest value on the measure (or the worst when lower is better), 100 the best.

Metro and micro areas like St. Louis, MO-IL metro area five years ago that improved

The places whose measures looked most like those of St. Louis, MO-IL metro area in the earlier period, ranked by how many measures improved beyond the margin of error, minus how many declined. A comparison of published data, not a forecast and not advice.

For comparison, St. Louis, MO-IL metro area itself moved +2.1 points in standing on average over the same 28 measures (standings of all places average about zero).

How the ranking works

Similarity is the root-mean-square difference of standings in the earlier period over the measures most places have. Places are ranked by measures that improved beyond the margin of error minus those that declined (a count that estimation noise in small places cannot inflate), then by the mean change of standing over the measures a place has in both periods. Only places with more improvements than declines and a rise in standing are listed. Standings are relative, so a place can improve in absolute terms and still lose standing.

Who lives here

Age, race and education of residents, from the American Community Survey. Shares are of all residents (age), residents of every origin (race) or adults 25 and over (education).

Age and sex

2,810,850 residents

Men
Women

80 and over
70–79
60–69

Income

How household income is spread, not just the middle: each bar is the share of households in that income range.

Household income

1,160,386 households (±3,136)

St. Louis, MO-IL metro area
United States share

Under $25k14%157,253
$25k–50k17%200,966
$50k–75k16%188,923

Homes

Who owns and who rents, what homes cost, and what the housing stock looks like.

Owners and renters

1,160,386 households (±3,136)

St. Louis, MO-IL metro area
United States share

Own70%816,909
Rent30%343,477

Biggest shift since 2015–2019: Own (+1.5 points).

Table view

Getting to work

How workers travel to their job and how long it takes them.

How people get to work

1,392,054 workers (±6,171)

St. Louis, MO-IL metro area
United States share

Drive alone74%1,023,683
Carpool6.8%94,785
Public transit1.3%18,508

Jobs and pay

What the largest occupations here pay, from the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey.

The 10 largest occupations in St. Louis, MO-IL employ 303,440 people. 3 pay a median above the US median and 7 below it.

Above the US median
Below the US median

The largest occupations in St. Louis, MO-IL by employment, with median annual pay and how it compares with the United States
Occupation	Jobs	Median pay	vs USCompared with the US	Concentration
General and Operations Managers46,410 jobs	46,410	$93,140US $105,770	−12%	1.54×
Home Health and Personal Care Aides44,200 jobs	44,200	$34,490US $35,800	−4%	1.19×
Registered Nurses35,200 jobs	35,200	$83,180US $97,550	−15%	1.21×
Cashiers31,130 jobs	31,130	$32,380US $32,880	−2%	1.17×
Retail Salespersons29,750 jobs	29,750	$33,820US $35,410	−4%	0.88×
Stockers and Order Fillers28,940 jobs	28,940	$37,840US $37,330	+1%	1.18×
Customer Service Representatives23,760 jobs	23,760	$45,800US $44,770	+2%	1.06×
Office Clerks, General22,540 jobs	22,540	$44,980US $45,010	0%	1.06×
Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand21,340 jobs	21,340	$41,780US $40,240	+4%	0.84×
Waiters and Waitresses20,170 jobs	20,170	$31,200US $35,230	−11%	1.03×

Look up any occupation

Search more than 800 occupations and see what they pay in St. Louis, MO-IL.

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2025-05 (all industries and ownerships) bls.gov/oes

Reference period: 2025-05. BLS publishes metro areas, states and the nation (not counties or cities), so a county or city page shows its metro area.
Pay is not adjusted for the cost of living, so a higher median does not mean more purchasing power.
BLS caps the highest wages it publishes: where a figure is shown as “or more”, the real value is at least that much.
Some occupations (teachers, performers) are published by the hour or school year and shown here as an annual figure.

Local businesses

Employer businesses and sole proprietors by industry, per resident and against the state and the nation. Counts of businesses next to counts of people, not a measure of demand.

St. Louis, MO-IL has 69,470 employer establishments, 248 for every 10,000 residents (1.00× the US rate of 248), with 1,263,674 paid employees at an average annual pay of $65,838. The Census Bureau also counts 223,577 nonemployer businesses, mostly sole proprietors.

Establishments: 69,470; 223,577 nonemployers
Per 10,000 residents: 248; US 248
Paid employees: 1,263,674
Average annual pay: $65,838; US $68,342

Employer establishments, employees, average pay and nonemployers of St. Louis, MO-IL by industry, with the density per resident against the nation

Ambulatory health care services	6,437	23	1.10×About typical	70,027	$72,872	10,074
Restaurants and other eating places	4,893	17.4	0.95×About typical	102,354	$22,554	883
Specialty trade contractors	4,066	14.5	0.94×About typical	51,570	$76,785	11,558
Lessors of real estate	2,754	9.8	0.80×Fewer than typical	15,296	$64,711	23,239
Limited-service restaurants	2,334	8.3	1.04×About typical	45,289	$20,216	408
Individual and family services	2,330	8.3	2.97×More than typical	22,686	$31,914	1,426
Full-service restaurants	2,019	7.2	0.94×About typical	49,930	$25,152	311
Services to buildings and dwellings	1,999	7.1	1.06×About typical	24,933	$35,485	11,698
Construction of buildings	1,920	6.8	0.91×About typical	15,971	$92,309	5,683
Offices of physicians	1,905	6.8	1.05×About typical	23,199	$117,722	1,825
Offices of other health practitioners	1,845	6.6	1.08×About typical	12,553	$50,309	4,684
Religious organizations	1,770	6.3	1.14×About typical	18,229	$29,279	—

Rank places for an industry

County Business Patterns (2023); Nonemployer Statistics (2024)

Per-resident figures divide by the population estimate of 2023: 2,804,698 residents here, 336,755,052 in the United States. County Business Patterns counts establishments in 2023; the Nonemployer Statistics count businesses in 2024.
“More than typical” is a density at least 1.25 times the nation's per resident, “fewer” at most 0.8 times, with at least 10 establishments. It compares counts of businesses with counts of people: it says nothing about demand, incomes, size, quality or profit, and visitors and commuters are not residents.
The Census Bureau adds noise to employment and payroll to protect confidentiality, and withholds some figures: an industry with few establishments can show employees or pay as unavailable.
Industries overlap: a narrower industry (full-service restaurants) is part of a broader one (restaurants), so the rows do not add up.
A metro area's figures are the exact sums of its counties.
Industries follow the North American Industry Classification System; the two surveys use different editions (NAICS 2017 and 2022), which this page matches industry by industry.

Federal contract spending

In FY2026, federal agencies obligated $8.3B on contracts performed in St. Louis, MO-IL metro area: $2,966 per resident (US $1,995).

Obligations: $8.3B; −18% vs FY2025
Per resident: $2,966; US $1,995
Sole-source: 70%; US 30%
Single offer: 3.5%; US 8.8%

A signal is a reason to look closer, not evidence of wrongdoing: most sole-source awards are lawful and justified.

Top buying agencies

Department of the Air Force$4.8B57%
Department of the Navy$1.2B15%
Defense Health Agency$689.6M8.3%
Defense Logistics Agency$530.2M6.4%
USTRANSCOM$337.7M4.0%
Department of Veterans Affairs$191.1M2.3%
Defense Information Systems Agency$157.8M1.9%
Department of the Army$106.3M1.3%

Top recipients

THE BOEING COMPANY$5.3B64%
THE BOEING COMPANY$865.8M10%
EVERNORTH FEDERAL SERVICES INC$686.5M8.2%
WORLD WIDE TECHNOLOGY LLC$298.5M3.6%
CACI, INC. - FEDERAL$62.8M0.8%

Spending by fiscal year

9.4BFY2017
14.1BFY2018
12.8BFY2019
13.2BFY2020
10.7BFY2021
8.1BFY2022
12.1BFY2023
12.5B

Top industries (NAICS)

Aerospace product and parts manufacturing · 3364$4.4B53%
Other fabricated metal product manufacturing · 3329$1.3B16%
Insurance carriers · 5241$686.5M8.2%
Computer systems design and related services · 5415$594.2M7.1%
Architectural, engineering, and related services · 5413$382.3M4.6%
Software publishers · 5112

Largest awards

RSAF F-15 FLEET MODERNIZATION PROGRAM$11.2B
THE BOEING COMPANY· St. Louis County, MO· Weapons, aircraft, ships & vehicles· Nov 2, 2016 – Apr 13, 2026· FA863412C2651
F-15, FMS, F-15QA AIR VEHICLE DEVELOPMENT$6.4B
THE BOEING COMPANY· St. Louis County, MO· Weapons, aircraft, ships & vehicles· Dec 22, 2017 – Jun 10, 2026· FA863418C2701
F/A-18E AIRCRAFT$5.5B
THE BOEING COMPANY· St. Louis County, MO· Weapons, aircraft, ships & vehicles· May 8, 2018 – Mar 19, 2026· N0001918C1046
F-15EX LOT 5 ADVANCED PROCUREMENT$3.9B

Source: Federal contract transactions (Federal Procurement Data System) (U.S. Department of the Treasury, USAspending.gov), data current to Oct 6, 2026, loaded Oct 6, 2026.

Federal grants & assistance

Grants, loans (counted at their subsidy cost), direct payments and insurance, by fiscal year of the action (USAspending.gov, FABS). Reported apart from contracts and never added to them.

In FY2026, federal agencies obligated $37.7B in grants, loans, direct payments and insurance for St. Louis, MO-IL metro area: $13,403 per resident (US $12,957).

Assistance · FY2026: $37.7B; −2.7% vs FY2025
Per resident: $13,403; US $12,957
Loan face value: $1.3B; lent or guaranteed
To individuals: 0.3%; counted, never named

Top programs

96.002 · Social Security Retirement Insurance$11.5B31%
93.770 · Medicare Prescription Drug Coverage$10.2B27%
93.774 · Medicare Supplementary Medical Insurance$5.5B14%
93.773 · Medicare Hospital Insurance$3.5B9.3%
64.109 · Veterans Compensation for Service-Connected Disability$1.6B4.2%
96.001 · Social Security Disability Insurance$1.4B3.8%
96.004 · Social Security Survivors Insurance$1B2.7%
96.006 · Supplemental Security Income$417.8M1.1%

Top recipients (organizations)

WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY, THE$747.2M2.0%
SAINT LOUIS, MO
MISSOURI DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION$358.8M1.0%
JEFFERSON CITY, MO
ILLINOIS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION$118.6M0.3%
SPRINGFIELD, IL
SAINT CLAIR COUNTY INTERGOVERNMENTAL GRANTS DEPARTMENT$86.5M0.2%
BELLEVILLE, IL
ST. LOUIS HOUSING AUTHORITY

Organizations only: awards to individuals and county aggregate records count in the totals but are never listed. Grants to state governments recorded at the agency's own address are counted statewide, not in the capital's county.

Top agencies

Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services$19.1B51%
Department of Health and Human Services
Social Security Administration$14.4B38%
Under Secretary for Benefits/Veterans Benefits Administration$1.8B4.8%
Department of Veterans Affairs
National Institutes of Health$726.4M1.9%
Department of Health and Human Services
Federal Highway Administration

Assistance by fiscal year

23.4BFY2021
27.3BFY2022
30.3BFY2023
34.9BFY2024
38.8BFY2025
37.7BFY2026

County aggregates

94%

Share of obligations reported only as county totals of many small awards (for example Social Security or Medicare payments), with no recipient named.

Source: Federal financial assistance transactions (Financial Assistance Broker Submission) (U.S. Department of the Treasury, USAspending.gov), data current to Oct 6, 2026, loaded Oct 6, 2026 · FY2021–FY2026.

Counties in St. Louis, MO-IL

Whole counties, as the U.S. Office of Management and Budget delineates the area. Federal spending below is the exact sum of these counties.

States

The share of the area's residents living in each state.

Principal cities

The cities the area is named for.

Largest cities and towns

By population, for places with most of their residents in the area.

Other metro and micro areas in Missouri

Areas based in Missouri, best score first.

Neighboring metro and micro areas

Places that share a border, best score first.

Similar metro and micro areas

Closest indicator profiles across the country (no model: score distances).

Data and sources

Latest published value of each indicator; periods differ by source. Values flagged by their publisher are marked.

Mapping Injury, Overdose, and ViolenceCenters for Disease Control and Prevention · release 2026-10-01
PLACES: Local Data for Better HealthCenters for Disease Control and Prevention · release 2025
Daily county PM2.5 and ozone (EPA downscaler model)Centers for Disease Control and Prevention · U.S. Environmental Protection Agency · release 2022
Care Compare: Hospital General Information and Timely and Effective CareCenters for Medicare & Medicaid Services · release 2026-07-22
Distance to airports and intercity railFederal Aviation Administration · Bureau of Transportation Statistics · U.S. Census Bureau · release 2025+amtrak-2026-04-23
Uniform Crime Reporting Program, Return A master filesFederal Bureau of Investigation · release 2025
Public Libraries SurveyInstitute of Museum and Library Services · release FY2024
U.S. Drought Monitor county statisticsNational Drought Mitigation Center (University of Nebraska–Lincoln), USDA and NOAA · release 2026-09-29
Fatality Analysis Reporting SystemNational Highway Traffic Safety Administration · release 2024
nClimGrid-Daily county averagesNOAA National Centers for Environmental Information · release 2025
Regional Economic AccountsU.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis · release 2024
Local Area Unemployment StatisticsU.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · release 2025
Quarterly Census of Employment and WagesU.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · release 2026 Q1
American Community Survey 5-Year EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2017-2024
Building Permits SurveyU.S. Census Bureau · release 2026-08
Business Formation StatisticsU.S. Census Bureau · release 2026-10-01
Population Estimates ProgramU.S. Census Bureau · release 2025
Small Area Health Insurance EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2024
Small Area Income and Poverty EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2024
Alternative Fuels Data Center station locatorU.S. Department of Energy · release 2026-10
Election Administration and Voting SurveyU.S. Election Assistance Commission · release 2024
Air Quality Index Annual Summary by CountyU.S. Environmental Protection Agency · release 2025
County Health Rankings & RoadmapsUniversity of Wisconsin Population Health Institute · release 2022-2025+2026-03-supplement
Zillow Home Value Index, Observed Rent Index and affordabilityZillow Research · release 2026-08

JSON · /api/v1/places/M41180

Scores by category

Strengths · Weaknesses

Strengths

Weaknesses

Trends

What changed in five years

Improved18

Declined4

Metro and micro areas like St. Louis, MO-IL metro area five years ago that improved

Who lives here

Age and sex

Income

Household income

Homes

Owners and renters

Getting to work

How people get to work

Jobs and pay

Look up any occupation

Local businesses

Federal contract spending

Top buying agencies

Top recipients

Spending by fiscal year

Top industries (NAICS)

Largest awards

Federal grants & assistance

Top programs

Top recipients (organizations)

Top agencies

Assistance by fiscal year

County aggregates

Counties in St. Louis, MO-IL

States

Principal cities

Largest cities and towns

Other metro and micro areas in Missouri

Neighboring metro and micro areas

Similar metro and micro areas

Data and sources

Improved18

Declined4

Age and sex

Household income

Owners and renters

How people get to work

Race and Hispanic origin

Education

Rent paid

Home values

Age of homes

Size of homes

Time to get to work

Look up any occupation

Top buying agencies

Top recipients

Spending by fiscal year

Top industries (NAICS)

Largest awards

What was bought

Top programs

Top recipients (organizations)

Top agencies

Assistance by fiscal year

County aggregates

By type