Best Life Index › States › Missouri › Cities › St. Louis

Missouri city profile

What Is It Like to Live in St. Louis?

What it costs to live in St. Louis, and how it compares with other Missouri cities, in plain numbers.

Value score

16

56th best value in Missouri

How much you get for what you pay, versus other Missouri cities.

Overall livability

14

57th overall in Missouri

Cost, safety, schools, jobs and quality of life combined.

St. Louis is home to about 302,787 people. A typical home runs $153,200 and a household earns around $48,800, a price-to-income ratio of 3.1. Among Missouri's largest cities, it ranks 56th for value and 57th overall.

St. Louis at a glance

Median home price

$153,200

46th in MO of 58

Median rent

$873/mo

Median household income

$48,800

Home price to income

3.1x

Unemployment

6.0%

48th in MO of 58

School rating

3/10

47th in MO of 58

Air quality (AQI)

45

0th in MO of 58

Walk score

37/100

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‹ See all top Missouri cities ranked  ยท  Missouri state profile ›

Sources: Home prices and rent from Zillow; income, unemployment and commute from the U.S. Census; school ratings from state education data; crime from the FBI; air quality from the EPA. City rankings are within Missouri only. Updated 2026.