Bridgeton receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Bridgeton
St. Louis
Opportunity
66 · Top 29%
vs57 · Top 48%
Growth
16 · Bottom 5%
vs33 · Bottom 21%
Climate
68 · Bottom 39%
vs72 · Top 40%
Physical resilience
67 · Top 41%
vs58 · Top 50%
Housing affordability
93 · Top 24%
vs87 · Top 39%
Access
97 · Top 29%
vs98 · Top 20%
Economic stability
56 · Bottom 43%
vs41 · Bottom 19%
Measured values
| Metric | Bridgeton | St. Louis | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 11,369 | 288,512 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $72,005 | $56,160 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $39,809 | $41,187 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 781/sq mi | 4,675/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $237,700 | $197,500 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,172 | $997 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 63.1% | 45.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.9% | 4.1% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.2% | 0.2% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 36.0% | 41.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 11.5% | 20.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 0 | 304 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.0 | 1.1 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -100.0% | 53.5% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 90°F | 89°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 24°F | 24°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 41.7" | 40.8" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 3 mi | 10 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 22.4 min | 23.8 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 40.9 | 36.8 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 1 | 108 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 11.91 | 11.51 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 42.2% | 92.1% | 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
Bridgeton
Elevated or high exposure: hail.
St. Louis
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding.
Full profiles: Bridgeton, MO · St. Louis, MO · How this is calculated: methodology