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
Trenton-Princeton
St. Louis
Opportunity
64 · Top 32%
vs73 · Top 19%
Growth
39 · Bottom 32%
vs44 · Bottom 39%
Climate
70 · Top 38%
vs68 · Top 48%
Physical resilience
37 · Bottom 25%
vs57 · Top 48%
Housing affordability
88 · Bottom 33%
vs99 · Top 30%
Access
80 · Top 43%
vs98 · Top 7%
Economic stability
86 · Top 7%
vs78 · Top 17%
Measured values
| Metric | Trenton-Princeton | St. Louis | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 385,864 | 2,810,850 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $100,645 | $80,196 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $53,765 | $45,864 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,719/sq mi | 357/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $377,700 | $244,800 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,623 | $1,113 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 62.2% | 70.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.6% | 3.8% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.4% | 0.1% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 45.4% | 38.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 10.3% | 10.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 1,028 | 6,385 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 2.7 | 2.3 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -39.1% | 1.4% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 86°F | 90°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 24°F | 24°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 45.6" | 41.7" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 40 mi | 1 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 28.8 min | 26.6 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 39.5 | 39.9 | 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
Trenton-Princeton
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind, inland flooding, hurricane.
St. Louis
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, hail.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Trenton-Princeton
66
Your Score
61
Area Score
St. Louis
74
Your Score
70
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Trenton-Princeton, NJ Metro Area · St. Louis, MO-IL Metro Area · How this is calculated: methodology