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
St. Louis
San Antonio-New Braunfels
Opportunity
73 · Top 19%
vs55 · Top 50%
Growth
44 · Bottom 39%
vs63 · Top 29%
Climate
68 · Top 48%
vs68 · Top 46%
Physical resilience
57 · Top 48%
vs49 · Bottom 41%
Housing affordability
99 · Top 30%
vs85 · Bottom 26%
Access
98 · Top 7%
vs94 · Top 17%
Economic stability
78 · Top 17%
vs67 · Top 30%
Measured values
| Metric | St. Louis | San Antonio-New Braunfels | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 2,810,850 | 2,662,733 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $80,196 | $76,213 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $45,864 | $38,364 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 357/sq mi | 364/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $244,800 | $278,800 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,113 | $1,363 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 70.4% | 63.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.8% | 4.8% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.1% | -1.0% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 38.2% | 32.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 10.5% | 13.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 6,385 | 9,880 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 2.3 | 3.7 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 1.4% | -25.8% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 90°F | 96°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 24°F | 41°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 1 mi | 11 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 26.6 min | 28.6 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 39.9 | 35.9 | 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.
San Antonio-New Braunfels
Elevated or high exposure: hail.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
St. Louis
74
Your Score
70
Area Score
San Antonio-New Braunfels
69
Your Score
64
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: St. Louis, MO-IL Metro Area · San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX Metro Area · How this is calculated: methodology