Union receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Union
St. Louis
Opportunity
70 · Top 22%
vs57 · Top 48%
Growth
62 · Top 30%
vs33 · Bottom 21%
Climate
70 · Bottom 49%
vs72 · Top 40%
Physical resilience
49 · Bottom 41%
vs58 · Top 50%
Housing affordability
100 · Top 8%
vs87 · Top 39%
Schools
57 · Top 42%
vs26 · Bottom 17%
Access
75 · Bottom 17%
vs98 · Top 20%
Economic stability
65 · Top 39%
vs41 · Bottom 19%
Measured values
| Metric | Union | St. Louis | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 12,781 | 288,512 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $73,435 | $56,160 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $33,416 | $41,187 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,406/sq mi | 4,675/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $205,200 | $197,500 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $858 | $997 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 60.6% | 45.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.5% | 4.1% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.1% | 0.2% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 23.7% | 41.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 8.1% | 20.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 115 | 304 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 9.0 | 1.1 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -40.1% | 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 | 40 mi | 10 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 26.3 min | 23.8 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 33.3 | 36.8 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 7 | 108 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 13.31 | 11.51 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 42.0% | 14.7% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 45.2% | 22.2% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 45.0% | 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
Union
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, hail, inland flooding.
St. Louis
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding.
Full profiles: Union, MO · St. Louis, MO · How this is calculated: methodology