St. Charles receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Ferguson
St. Charles
Opportunity
55 · Bottom 48%
vs76 · Top 12%
Growth
18 · Bottom 6%
vs60 · Top 32%
Climate
68 · Bottom 39%
vs68 · Bottom 39%
Physical resilience
67 · Top 41%
vs50 · Bottom 43%
Housing affordability
76 · Bottom 43%
vs95 · Top 21%
Schools
12 · Bottom 3%
vs77 · Top 18%
Access
98 · Top 19%
vs97 · Top 29%
Economic stability
36 · Bottom 13%
vs65 · Top 39%
Measured values
| Metric | Ferguson | St. Charles | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 18,213 | 71,508 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $47,524 | $85,937 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $28,842 | $49,608 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,952/sq mi | 2,836/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $109,900 | $298,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,119 | $1,251 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 48.2% | 68.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.9% | 3.6% | 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% | 7.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 0 | 283 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.0 | 4.0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 90°F | 90°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 24°F | 24°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 41.7" | 41.7" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 4 mi | 8 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 26.0 min | 23.2 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 34.5 | 38.6 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 7 | 23 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 15.14 | 12.43 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 4.1% | 48.7% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 14.6% | 57.0% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 81.4% | 28.3% | 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.
St. Charles
Elevated or high exposure: hail, earthquake, inland flooding.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Ferguson
54
Your Score
52
Area Score
St. Charles
73
Your Score
72
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Ferguson, MO · St. Charles, MO · How this is calculated: methodology