St. Louis and Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia receive effectively the same standardized Area Score. Which fits you better depends on which dimensions you weight — the differences below are where they actually diverge.
Signals
Measured values
| Metric | St. Louis | Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 2,810,850 | 2,768,407 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $80,196 | $83,304 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $45,864 | $46,738 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 357/sq mi | 495/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $244,800 | $356,400 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,113 | $1,473 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 70.4% | 65.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.8% | 3.6% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.1% | -0.0% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 38.2% | 39.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 10.5% | 10.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 6,385 | 19,537 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 2.3 | 7.1 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 1.4% | -21.9% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 90°F | 90°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 24°F | 32°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 41.7" | 43.6" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 1 mi | 9 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 26.6 min | 28.5 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 39.9 | 37.9 | 2024 ACS 5-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
St. Louis
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, hail.
Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia
No hazard reaches elevated exposure.
Your best match
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Full profiles: St. Louis, MO-IL Metro Area · Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC Metro Area · How this is calculated: methodology