O'Fallon receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Arnold
O'Fallon
Opportunity
73 · Top 18%
vs85 · Top 3%
Growth
29 · Bottom 16%
vs69 · Top 18%
Climate
72 · Top 40%
vs70 · Bottom 49%
Physical resilience
38 · Bottom 30%
vs50 · Bottom 43%
Housing affordability
100 · Top 8%
vs100 · Top 8%
Schools
55 · Top 45%
vs83 · Top 9%
Access
89 · Bottom 40%
vs91 · Bottom 47%
Economic stability
64 · Top 43%
vs82 · Top 5%
Measured values
| Metric | Arnold | O'Fallon | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 20,956 | 93,801 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $78,370 | $110,443 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $37,598 | $49,304 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,818/sq mi | 3,070/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $220,000 | $326,200 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,112 | $1,443 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 79.8% | 81.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.4% | 2.9% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.2% | 0.2% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 25.4% | 43.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 8.2% | 5.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 6 | 546 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.3 | 5.8 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -72.7% | 7.3% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 89°F | 90°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 24°F | 22°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 40.8" | 39.8" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 22 mi | 19 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 29.9 min | 27.1 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 39.7 | 38.4 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 10 | 23 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 12.63 | 13.33 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 37.1% | 53.3% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 48.8% | 60.5% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 36.8% | 18.9% | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Arnold
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, inland flooding.
O'Fallon
Elevated or high exposure: hail, earthquake, inland flooding.
Full profiles: Arnold, MO · O'Fallon, MO · How this is calculated: methodology