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
Kirkwood
O'Fallon
Opportunity
82 · Top 5%
vs85 · Top 3%
Growth
46 · Bottom 43%
vs69 · Top 18%
Climate
68 · Bottom 39%
vs70 · Bottom 49%
Physical resilience
67 · Top 41%
vs50 · Bottom 43%
Housing affordability
92 · Top 27%
vs100 · Top 8%
Schools
85 · Top 7%
vs83 · Top 9%
Access
97 · Top 23%
vs91 · Bottom 47%
Economic stability
67 · Top 36%
vs82 · Top 5%
Measured values
| Metric | Kirkwood | O'Fallon | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 29,363 | 93,801 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $121,270 | $110,443 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $66,272 | $49,304 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 3,198/sq mi | 3,070/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $451,400 | $326,200 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,348 | $1,443 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 77.2% | 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 | 67.9% | 43.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 5.3% | 5.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 48 | 546 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.6 | 5.8 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -9.4% | 7.3% | 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 | 12 mi | 19 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 22.0 min | 27.1 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 41.8 | 38.4 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 9 | 23 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 14.94 | 13.33 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 54.4% | 53.3% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 69.4% | 60.5% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 8.2% | 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
Kirkwood
Elevated or high exposure: hail.
O'Fallon
Elevated or high exposure: hail, earthquake, inland flooding.
Full profiles: Kirkwood, MO · O'Fallon, MO · How this is calculated: methodology