St. Louis city, Missouri Demographics & Population 2026

Population Overview

St. Louis city is a major urban center located in Missouri, within St. Louis city. The total population is 293,109. It ranks as the 2nd most populous out of 1,062 cities and towns in Missouri.

Age Demographics

The median age in St. Louis city is 36.6 years. This is 6% lower than the state median of 38.9 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in St. Louis city is $55,279. This is 20% lower than the state median of $68,920. Compared to the national median of $78,538, household income here is 30% lower. The poverty rate stands at 19.8%. This is 57% higher than the state poverty rate of 12.6%. The unemployment rate is 5.1%. This is 23% higher than the state rate of 4.1%. The median home value is $185,100. Housing costs are 14% lower than the state median of $215,600. The home-value-to-income ratio is 3.3x. 45.4% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 33% lower than the state average of 67.9%.

Race & Ethnicity

St. Louis city is a highly diverse community where no single racial or ethnic group constitutes a majority of the population. Black or African American residents account for 42.9%. The Black or African American population is significantly higher than the state average (42.9% vs 11.0%). The Asian population is significantly higher than the state average (3.4% vs 2.1%).

Education

40.2% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This places St. Louis city in the top 10% of all cities in the state for educational attainment. This is 26% higher than the state rate of 31.9%. Nationally, 35.0% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 90.5%. Notably, 18.2% of adults hold a graduate or professional degree, indicating a highly educated workforce.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for St. Louis city, Missouri is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023). The ACS collects data from approximately 3.5 million households annually, providing reliable estimates for communities of all sizes. Comparisons are made against Missouri state averages and national averages calculated from the same dataset. Rankings reflect the city's position among all 1,062 Census-designated places in Missouri. For official data, visit data.census.gov.