Living in St. Louis, MO
Big city in Missouri
St. Louis is a big city in Missouri, home to about 293,000 people, with 1.9 million living within 31 mi. Day to day, you can walk or take transit almost everywhere. Life moves at a fast pace, and homes are mostly apartments.
Is St. Louis a good place to live? Pros and cons
👍 Pros
- Strong healthcare: 15 top-rated (4–5★) hospitals within 31 mi
- Affordable housing: a typical 3-bedroom home is about $255k and rents for $1,570 a month
- Easy flying: STL is 11 mi away
- Lots of culture: museums, zoos and attractions nearby
👎 Cons
- Fewer outdoor escapes: no big hills or water close by
- Higher crime: violent crime is 5.1× the US rate (FBI 2019)
- Fewer family amenities than most places
- Cloudier than most places
Whether it's a good place for you depends on what you value. Take the quiz to see how St. Louis ranks against your own priorities.
Key facts
Living in St. Louis: common questions
What is the cost of living in St. Louis?
A typical 3-bedroom home is worth about $255k, and a 3-bedroom rents for about $1,570 a month including utilities. Overall living costs are below the US average (index 95, where the US is 100).
What are taxes like in St. Louis?
Missouri collects about $1,262 in state income tax per resident, and homeowners here pay about 1.05% of their home's value in property tax each year.
Is St. Louis safe?
Violent crime is well above the national rate (5.1× in FBI 2019 data).
What is the weather like in St. Louis?
St. Louis has cool winters: winter days average around 44°F and summer days around 88°F, with roughly 14″ of snow a year.
Does St. Louis get natural disasters?
Natural disaster risk is high, mainly from heat waves, flooding and earthquakes: 10 federally declared disasters have hit the county since 2000, and FEMA expects about 5.34 deaths or injuries per 100,000 residents a year.
What is the nearest major airport to St. Louis?
The nearest major airport is STL, about 11 mi away.
How St. Louis scores
Each bar compares St. Louis with the other 1143 places in Best Life Fit Me. A dot shows where it sits between two ends, such as major metro and small town; neither end is better. Coloured bars run from poor (red) to excellent (green).
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Nearby
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Is St. Louis right for you?
Answer 27 quick questions and see how it ranks against your priorities.