St. Louis County, Missouri: commercial real estate data.
St. Louis County, Missouri had an estimated 992,929 residents on July 1, 2024, down 1.2 percent since the 2020 census base of 1,004,501, across 508 square miles. County output reached $114.81 bn in 2024, 29,717 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 1,057 7(a) approvals worth $666.7 m since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
St. Louis County
How many people live in St. Louis County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-2024995,569
- Households413,849
- Average household size2.41
- Median household income$82,936
- Median age40.3
- Median gross rent$1,209 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$276,800
- Home value to household income3.3 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income17.5 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher47.4 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree20.4 percent
- Adults 25 and over693,174
- Population under 18218,904
- Share under 1822.0 percent
- Population 65 and over190,319
- Share 65 and over19.1 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 64586,346
- Civilian labor force521,387
- Unemployment rate4.3 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over67.1 percent
- Rank by population among Missouri counties1st of 115
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included50th of 3,222
St. Louis County is the 1st largest of 115 Missouri counties by population. A median home costs 3.3 times median household income, which is moderately unaffordable by national standards. Residents under 18 outnumber those 65 and over, at 22.0 percent against 19.1 percent, a household formation profile rather than a retirement one.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
St. Louis County
Is St. Louis County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 2024992,929
- Census 2020 base population1,004,501
- Population change since the 2020 census base-1.15 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 20242,054
- Births, 20249,409
- Deaths, 202410,029
- Natural change, 2024-620
- Net domestic migration, 2024-3,906
- Net international migration, 20246,550
- Total net migration, 20242,644
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 2024-23,279
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents2245th of 3,144
The county has lost 1.15 percent of its population since the 2020 census base. Deaths exceeded births in 2024 and the population still grew, so all of the growth came from people moving in. A market held up by migration is more sensitive to a change in relative cost than one growing from household formation.
US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
St. Louis County
Where are people moving to St. Louis County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving23,389
- People arriving, from those returns39,489
- Tax returns filed by households leaving26,432
- Net household movement-3,043
- Adjusted gross income arriving$2.21 bn
- Net adjusted gross income movement$-176.1 m
- Average income of an arriving household$94,672
- Average income of a leaving household$90,437
- Largest single originSt. Louis city (7,063 households)
- Largest single destinationSt. Louis city (5,353 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| St. Louis city | 7,063 | 12,448 | $765.8 m |
| St. Charles County | 2,570 | 4,077 | $177.1 m |
| Jefferson County | 1,758 | 2,942 | $101.5 m |
| St. Clair County | 629 | 1,022 | $32.3 m |
| Madison County | 533 | 840 | $37.8 m |
| Cook County | 363 | 582 | $44.3 m |
| Franklin County | 360 | 571 | $26.4 m |
| Boone County | 263 | 379 | $16.0 m |
Households arriving report $4,235 more average income than households leaving, so the migration is raising local spending power rather than just moving it around. The largest single source of arrivals is St. Louis city, which is the catchment a retail or multifamily study should look at first.
US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
St. Louis County
What is the St. Louis County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$114.81 bn
- County GDP, 2023$110.29 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 20244.1 percent
- GDP change over five years33.4 percent
- Rank by GDP among the Missouri areas BEA publishes1st of 115
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes52nd of 3,127
- GDP per resident$115,318
Output grew 4.1 percent in the latest year and 33.4 percent over five, which is the trend line a lender will read behind any single year figure.
US Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional, table CAGDP2, CAGDP2, through 2024.
St. Louis County
Employment by industry in St. Louis County
- Covered employment, annual average596,676
- Establishments reporting45,255
- Average annual pay$75,926
- Average weekly wage$1,460
- Health care and social assistance, employment98,227
- Health care and social assistance, average annual pay$64,316
- Retail trade, employment57,413
- Retail trade, average annual pay$43,471
- Manufacturing, employment48,908
- Manufacturing, average annual pay$95,460
- Accommodation and food services, employment48,090
- Accommodation and food services, average annual pay$28,269
- Administrative and support and waste management services, employment41,846
- Professional, scientific and technical services, employment39,204
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Health care and social assistance | 98,227 | 18,055 | $64,316 |
| Retail trade | 57,413 | 3,330 | $43,471 |
| Manufacturing | 48,908 | 1,012 | $95,460 |
| Accommodation and food services | 48,090 | 2,279 | $28,269 |
| Administrative and support and waste management services | 41,846 | 1,823 | $71,039 |
| Professional, scientific and technical services | 39,204 | 4,380 | $109,660 |
| Finance and insurance | 34,737 | 2,478 | $125,500 |
| Wholesale trade | 33,628 | 1,980 | $97,055 |
Health care and social assistance is the largest private sector at 98,227 jobs, 16.5 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
St. Louis County
How many businesses are in St. Louis County?
- Establishments, all industries29,717
- Employment at those establishments629,036
- Annual payroll$46.38 bn
- Establishments per 1,000 residents29.8
These are counts of establishments physically operating in the county, not listings, so they are the supply side a feasibility study measures demand against. County Business Patterns counts private establishments with paid employees in March 2023, while the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages above counts every unemployment-insured employer, public ones included, as a 2024 annual average, so the two establishment and employment counts differ.
US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
St. Louis County
Building permits in St. Louis County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 20241,193
- Declared construction value permitted$547.0 m
- Single family units authorized687
- Multifamily units authorized506
- Multifamily share of units42.4 percent
- Average declared value per unit$458,511
- Units authorized per 1,000 households2.9
Multifamily is 42.4 percent of units authorized, so the pipeline is being built for renters rather than buyers.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
St. Louis County
SBA loans in St. Louis County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded1,057
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$666.7 m
- Average 7(a) approval$630,709
- Median 7(a) approval$250,000
- 10th percentile approval$34,120
- 90th percentile approval$1,727,000
- Largest single approval$5,000,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)13,878
- Jobs per approval13.1
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active122
- Distinct industries receiving approvals288
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer10.6 percent
- Loans on real estate terms112
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter848
- Franchise loans151
- Franchise share of approvals14.3 percent
- Leading industry by approval countFull-Service Restaurants (37)
- Most active lenderU.S. Bank, National Association (153)
- 504 approvals recorded400
- 504 gross approval dollars$310.1 m
- Average 504 approval$775,225
- Median 504 approval$516,500
- Distinct CDCs active11
- 504 jobs per approval13.5
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved17.4
- Most active CDCSt. Charles County Economic Development Council (197)
- Combined SBA approval dollars, 7(a) FY2020 to FY2026 and 504 FY2010 to FY2026$976.7 m
The average approval of $630,709 sits well above the median of $250,000, pulled up by a few larger deals, so the median is the better guide to what a typical borrower here gets. Only 10.6 percent of approvals run on real estate terms, so SBA credit here is mostly working capital and equipment rather than property acquisition.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30. US Small Business Administration, 504 FOIA release, FY2010 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
St. Louis County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in St. Louis County
Do SBA loans in St. Louis County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded240
- Paid in full227
- Charged off13
- Charge-off rate on resolved loans5.4 percent
- Status: Paid in full227
- Status: Cancelled143
- Status: Exempt from disclosure626
- Status: Charged off13
- Status: Committed, not yet disbursed48
Of the 240 loans that have reached a final outcome, 5.4 percent were charged off. This is computed only over resolved loans, because a loan still running has not yet succeeded or failed and counting it either way would be wrong.
Compare against the national and state SBA charge-off rates, computed the same way over resolved loans only.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
St. Louis County
SBA lending by place in St. Louis County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending49
- Saint Louis, approvals543
- Chesterfield, approvals86
- Ballwin, approvals54
- Fenton, approvals53
- Maryland Heights, approvals44
- Florissant, approvals39
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Saint Louis | 543 | $344,264,000 |
| Chesterfield | 86 | $51,404,900 |
| Ballwin | 54 | $30,379,300 |
| Fenton | 53 | $38,584,500 |
| Maryland Heights | 44 | $34,282,200 |
| Florissant | 39 | $7,695,200 |
| Bridgeton | 32 | $24,679,700 |
| Hazelwood | 30 | $44,707,700 |
| 41 other borrower cities | 176 | $90,662,400 |
Saint Louis accounts for 543 approvals against 86 in Chesterfield. County level figures average over that gap, which is why a site decision is made at the submarket rather than the county.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
St. Louis County
How large is St. Louis County?
- Land area508 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Missouri counties77th of 115
- Width, east to west33.4 mi
- Height, north to south34.6 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary7
- Residents per square mile of land1,960
- Establishments per square mile58.50
US Census Bureau county boundary geometry, TIGER, adjacency computed from shared boundary vertices, TIGER county boundaries. US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year. US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
St. Louis County
Flood risk in St. Louis County
- Participation of the county's own NFIP community St. Louis County, unincorporated areasParticipating, community 290327
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book84
- Of those, participating in the NFIP80
- NFIP participation rate95.2 percent
- Best Community Rating System class in the county A lower CRS class is a larger flood insurance premium discount.Class 8
- Communities carrying a CRS class5
- Radon levels in St. Louis County, EPA zone predicted average indoor radon screening level from 2 to 4 pCi/LZone 2
The county's own community in the status book, unincorporated St. Louis County (community 290327), participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and carries no Community Rating System class, so no CRS premium discount applies there. The EPA places St. Louis County in radon zone 2, a predicted average indoor radon screening level from 2 to 4 pCi/L. The zone is a screening prediction for the county and does not substitute for a test at an address. The best Community Rating System class among the county's communities is 8, which carries a flood insurance premium discount for policies written in that community. 95.2 percent of the county's listed communities participate in the National Flood Insurance Program, per Federal Emergency Management Agency, NFIP Community Status Book (OpenFEMA), as of 2026-09-26.
Federal Emergency Management Agency, NFIP Community Status Book (OpenFEMA), as of 2026-09-26. US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Coverage
What this page does not hold.
Traffic counts, zoning and the flood zone at an address are not on this page; they resolve at the address in the platform. How this page was built →
Feasibility studies
When a St. Louis County site needs a document a lender will accept.
The same data layer behind this page is the one the studies are written from. A study for a St. Louis County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-2024995,569
- Households413,849
- Average household size2.41
- Median household income$82,936
- Median age40.3
Common questions
St. Louis County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in St. Louis County, Missouri?
The Census Bureau estimates 992,929 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 995,569, in 413,849 households, ranking 1st of 115 Missouri counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is St. Louis County's population growing?
The population has fallen 1.15 percent since the 2020 census base of 1,004,501, to 992,929 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 9,409 births against 10,029 deaths, with net migration of 2,644. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in St. Louis County?
$82,936. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $276,800, which is 3.3 times income, and median gross rent is $1,209 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in St. Louis County?
29,717 establishments, employing 629,036 people with an annual payroll of $46.38 bn. These are establishments physically operating in the county, not listings. Source: US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
What is employment by industry in St. Louis County?
Health care and social assistance is the largest private sector at 98,227 jobs, 16.5 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 596,676 jobs at an average annual pay of $75,926, or $1,460 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in St. Louis County?
1,057 7(a) approvals totaling $666.7 m since FY2020, across 122 lenders, with a median approval of $250,000, plus 400 504 approvals worth $310.1 m since FY2010. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
Do SBA loans in St. Louis County get paid back?
Of the 240 loans that have reached a final outcome, 227 were paid in full and 13 charged off, a charge-off rate of 5.4 percent. Loans still running are excluded, because they have not yet succeeded or failed.
How many building permits were issued in St. Louis County?
1,193 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $547.0 m. Multifamily was 42.4 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for St. Louis County?
Zone 2, a predicted average indoor radon screening level from 2 to 4 pCi/L. Source: US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Where do people moving to St. Louis County come from?
The largest single origin is St. Louis city, with 7,063 households. Arriving households report an average income of $94,672 against $90,437 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for St. Louis County on this page?
No. Annual average daily traffic resolves in the platform rather than in this dataset, so no AADT figure is printed here. It is a gap we know about rather than a figure we estimated.
Is zoning published for St. Louis County?
No. Nothing on this page presents parcel level zoning, and where a statutory framework applies it is marked as the statewide frame, to be confirmed locally.
St. Louis County
Cities and places in St. Louis.
99 Census places lie wholly or partly in St. Louis County. All 99 carry enough published place level data for a page of their own and are linked.
| Place | Type | Population | SBA 7(a) approvals, projects in this county | Lies in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Florissant | city | 51,773 | 39 | Wholly in this county |
| Chesterfield | city | 49,574 | 86 | Wholly in this county |
| Oakville | CDP | 35,333 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Wildwood | city | 35,133 | 18 | Wholly in this county |
| University City | city | 34,685 | 3 | Wholly in this county |
| Ballwin | city | 31,279 | 54 | Wholly in this county |
| Mehlville | CDP | 29,805 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Kirkwood | city | 29,363 | 6 | Wholly in this county |
| Maryland Heights | city | 27,880 | 44 | Wholly in this county |
| Hazelwood | city | 25,114 | 30 | Wholly in this county |
| Webster Groves | city | 23,712 | 3 | Wholly in this county |
| Old Jamestown | CDP | 20,651 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Affton | CDP | 19,052 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Creve Coeur | city | 18,643 | 6 | Wholly in this county |
| Concord | CDP | 18,368 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Ferguson | city | 18,213 | 2 | Wholly in this county |
| Manchester | city | 18,160 | 13 | Wholly in this county |
| Spanish Lake | CDP | 17,873 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Clayton | city | 17,380 | 4 | Wholly in this county |
| Lemay | CDP | 16,228 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Overland | city | 15,695 | 4 | Wholly in this county |
| Eureka | city | 13,081 | 16 | 95.6 percent here, 4.4 percent Jefferson County |
| Jennings | city | 12,918 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| St. Ann | city | 12,811 | 7 | Wholly in this county |
| Crestwood | city | 12,295 | 2 | Wholly in this county |
| Town and Country | city | 11,607 | 2 | Wholly in this county |
| Bridgeton | city | 11,369 | 32 | Wholly in this county |
| Bellefontaine Neighbors | city | 10,498 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Ellisville | city | 10,002 | 16 | Wholly in this county |
| Des Peres | city | 9,170 | 8 | Wholly in this county |
| Richmond Heights | city | 9,153 | 7 | Wholly in this county |
| Sunset Hills | city | 9,112 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Ladue | city | 8,940 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Olivette | city | 8,645 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Maplewood | city | 8,156 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Brentwood | city | 8,144 | 2 | Wholly in this county |
| Berkeley | city | 8,123 | 2 | Wholly in this county |
| Pacific | city | 7,475 | 1 | 19.3 percent here, 80.7 percent Franklin County |
| Sappington | CDP | 7,367 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Valley Park | city | 6,795 | 15 | Wholly in this county |
| Black Jack | city | 6,589 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| St. John | city | 6,527 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Shrewsbury | city | 6,316 | 2 | Wholly in this county |
| Glendale | city | 6,114 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Glasgow Village | CDP | 5,504 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Dellwood | city | 4,847 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Rock Hill | city | 4,693 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Breckenridge Hills | city | 4,402 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Normandy | city | 4,239 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Fenton | city | 4,088 | 53 | Wholly in this county |
| Woodson Terrace | city | 3,908 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Frontenac | city | 3,701 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Northwoods | city | 3,623 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Moline Acres | city | 2,843 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Riverview | village | 2,731 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Pine Lawn | city | 2,716 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Green Park | city | 2,690 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Clarkson Valley | city | 2,584 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Pagedale | city | 2,531 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Bel-Ridge | village | 2,432 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Warson Woods | city | 2,393 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Castle Point | CDP | 2,340 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Hanley Hills | village | 2,178 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Marlborough | village | 2,157 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Vinita Park | city | 2,042 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Winchester | city | 1,939 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Wellston | city | 1,628 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Charlack | city | 1,596 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Oakland | city | 1,562 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Bel-Nor | village | 1,556 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Calverton Park | city | 1,546 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| St. George | CDP | 1,458 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Cool Valley | city | 1,411 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Lakeshire | city | 1,396 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Flordell Hills | city | 1,195 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Pasadena Hills | city | 1,190 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Velda City | city | 1,158 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Grantwood Village | town | 1,058 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Edmundson | city | 975 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Hillsdale | village | 873 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Velda Village Hills | city | 858 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Country Club Hills | city | 854 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Norwood Court | town | 797 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Greendale | city | 794 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Twin Oaks | village | 734 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Pasadena Park | village | 710 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Bella Villa | city | 691 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Sycamore Hills | village | 672 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Crystal Lake Park | city | 553 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Wilbur Park | village | 491 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Beverly Hills | city | 488 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Huntleigh | city | 366 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Westwood | village | 338 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Kinloch | city | 322 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Uplands Park | village | 322 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Bellerive Acres | city | 288 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Glen Echo Park | village | 101 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Country Life Acres | village | 73 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Champ | village | 6 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
A further 572 of the county's 1,057 SBA 7(a) approvals are to borrowers in cities that match no Census place in St. Louis County, the largest being Saint Louis (543), Earth City (12), Berkely (4). Those are postal cities, unincorporated areas and cities outside the county, so no place row claims them; they are counted in the county total above.