Lake St. Louis receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Lake St. Louis
St. Louis
Opportunity
86 · Top 3%
vs57 · Top 48%
Growth
83 · Top 3%
vs33 · Bottom 21%
Climate
70 · Bottom 49%
vs72 · Top 40%
Physical resilience
50 · Bottom 43%
vs58 · Top 50%
Housing affordability
97 · Top 14%
vs87 · Top 39%
Schools
72 · Top 24%
vs26 · Bottom 17%
Access
89 · Bottom 39%
vs98 · Top 20%
Economic stability
76 · Top 16%
vs41 · Bottom 19%
Measured values
| Metric | Lake St. Louis | St. Louis | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 18,066 | 288,512 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $125,693 | $56,160 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $62,954 | $41,187 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,113/sq mi | 4,675/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $405,900 | $197,500 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,588 | $997 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 75.6% | 45.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.2% | 4.1% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.2% | 0.2% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 51.7% | 41.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 4.3% | 20.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 259 | 304 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 14.3 | 1.1 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 1077.3% | 53.5% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 90°F | 89°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 22°F | 24°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 39.8" | 40.8" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 22 mi | 10 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 26.7 min | 23.8 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 42.7 | 36.8 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 4 | 108 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 15.16 | 11.51 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 45.9% | 14.7% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 58.4% | 22.2% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 12.7% | 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
Lake St. Louis
Elevated or high exposure: hail, earthquake, inland flooding.
St. Louis
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Lake St. Louis
78
Your Score
77
Area Score
St. Louis
59
Your Score
57
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Lake St. Louis, MO · St. Louis, MO · How this is calculated: methodology