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
Ferguson
O'Fallon
Opportunity
55 · Bottom 48%
vs85 · Top 3%
Growth
18 · Bottom 6%
vs69 · Top 18%
Climate
68 · Bottom 39%
vs70 · Bottom 49%
Physical resilience
67 · Top 41%
vs50 · Bottom 43%
Housing affordability
76 · Bottom 43%
vs100 · Top 8%
Schools
12 · Bottom 3%
vs83 · Top 9%
Access
98 · Top 19%
vs91 · Bottom 47%
Economic stability
36 · Bottom 13%
vs82 · Top 5%
Measured values
| Metric | Ferguson | O'Fallon | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 18,213 | 93,801 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $47,524 | $110,443 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $28,842 | $49,304 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,952/sq mi | 3,070/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $109,900 | $326,200 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,119 | $1,443 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 48.2% | 81.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.9% | 2.9% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.2% | 0.2% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 21.3% | 43.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 24.2% | 5.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 0 | 546 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.0 | 5.8 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 90°F | 90°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 24°F | 22°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 41.7" | 39.8" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 4 mi | 19 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 26.0 min | 27.1 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 34.5 | 38.4 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 7 | 23 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 15.14 | 13.33 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 4.1% | 53.3% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 14.6% | 60.5% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 81.4% | 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
Ferguson
Elevated or high exposure: hail.
O'Fallon
Elevated or high exposure: hail, earthquake, inland flooding.
Full profiles: Ferguson, MO · O'Fallon, MO · How this is calculated: methodology