Department of Numbers

St. Louis County Missouri Residential Rent and Rental Statistics

The median monthly gross residential rent in St. Louis County MO was $965 in 2019 according to the Census ACS survey.1 Average gross rent in St. Louis County was $1,016 in 2019. The median rent more accurately depicts rental rates in the middle of the distribution of rents and is thus preferred in the analysis below. 2020 St. Louis County median and average rent data will be released in September of 2021.

Data is also available below for St. Louis County rental vacancy rates, St. Louis County rent as a percent of median income and the fraction of renters in St. Louis County.

Show dollars as: Nominal Real

Real Gross Rent in St. Louis County Missouri (2019 dollars)2

2019 1 Year Change 3 Year Change
US Median Gross Rent $1,097 +1.86% +6.82%
Missouri Median Gross Rent $834 -1.30% +3.35%
St. Louis County MO Median Gross Rent $965 -1.83% -0.82%

St. Louis County MO Real Gross Rent Trends

Median gross rent for St. Louis County peaked in real terms in 2017 at $988 and is now $23 (2.33%) lower. Average gross rent for St. Louis County peaked in real terms in 2017 at $1,030 and is now $14 (1.36%) lower.

Real Gross Rent: St. Louis County MO Median, St. Louis County MO Average, Missouri Median, US Median

Lower quartile, median and upper quartile real gross rent

Real Gross Rent History for St. Louis County

Date US
Median
Missouri
Median
St. Louis County MO
Median
St. Louis County MO
Average
2019 $1,097 $834 $965 $1,016
2018 $1,077 $845 $983 $1,001
2017 $1,043 $825 $988 $1,030
2016 $1,027 $807 $973 $994
2015 $1,017 $809 $971 $1,013
2014 $986 $796 $922 $976
2013 $953 $773 $942 $974
2012 $940 $751 $885 $930
2011 $941 $765 $909 $926
2010 $955 $762 $872 $925
2009 $960 $761 $913 $935

more history ...

St. Louis County Rental Vacancy Rate

The rental vacancy rate is the fraction of homes for rent that are not occupied.3 In 2019 the rental vacancy rate for St. Louis County Missouri was 4.49% according to Census ACS data.

Rental Vacancy Rate in St. Louis County Missouri

2019 1 Year Change 3 Year Change
US 5.97% -0.18% +0.08%
Missouri 5.15% -1.42% -1.66%
St. Louis County MO 4.49% -0.51% -1.74%

Trends in St. Louis County MO Rental Vacancy Rate

The rental vacancy rate in St. Louis County peaked in 2013 at 9.93%. Since then it has fallen by 5.44% to 4.49%. Data records for this series originated in 2005.

Rental Vacancy Rate: St. Louis County MO, Missouri, US

Rental vacancy rate in Missouri

Historical Rental Vacancy Rate data for St. Louis County

Date US Missouri St. Louis County MO
2019 5.97% 5.15% 4.49%
2018 6.15% 6.57% 5.00%
2017 6.18% 6.40% 5.31%
2016 5.89% 6.81% 6.23%
2015 5.85% 6.43% 6.77%
2014 6.32% 7.16% 8.23%
2013 6.49% 6.86% 9.93%
2012 6.77% 6.74% 6.74%
2011 7.40% 8.22% 7.04%
2010 8.17% 8.25% 7.33%
2009 8.43% 8.24% 5.70%

more history ...

Rent as a Fraction of Income

Using median household income data for St. Louis County, we can calculate the fraction of income the median household would use to pay rent at the median monthly gross rent rate. For St. Louis County, median monthly gross rent as a fraction of median household income was 16.54% in 2019 according to the ACS.

St. Louis County Missouri Median Annual Rent as a Fraction of Median Household Income

2019 1 Year Change 3 Year Change
US 20.03% -0.47% -0.40%
Missouri 17.43% -0.85% -0.45%
St. Louis County MO 16.54% -0.82% -1.28%

Trends in St. Louis County MO Rent as a Fraction of Income

The fraction of median St. Louis County household income required to pay median monthly gross rent peaked in 2011 (relative to the 2005 series origin) at 18.43%. Since then it has fallen by 1.89% to 16.54%.

Fraction of Income towards Rent: St. Louis County MO, Missouri, US

Percent of median household income going towards median monthly gross rent in St. Louis County Missouri

Historical Data for Annual Rent as a Fraction of Income in St. Louis County Missouri

Date US Missouri St. Louis County MO
2019 20.03% 17.43% 16.54%
2018 20.50% 18.28% 17.36%
2017 20.13% 17.92% 17.75%
2016 20.43% 17.88% 17.82%
2015 20.63% 18.23% 17.85%
2014 20.89% 18.71% 17.46%
2013 20.78% 18.77% 18.11%
2012 20.65% 18.69% 17.73%
2011 20.70% 18.78% 18.43%
2010 20.50% 18.47% 16.98%
2009 20.12% 17.72% 16.90%

more history ...

Renter Fraction in St. Louis County Missouri

You can calculate the renter fraction in St. Louis County in at least two ways: by housing units or by population. I've gone with the housing units measure here. This measure looks at the number of renting households in St. Louis County as a fraction of total St. Louis County households. In 2019 30.72% of households were renters according to Census ACS data.

St. Louis County Fraction of Renters by Household Units

2019 1 Year Change 3 Year Change
US 35.89% -0.16% -0.99%
Missouri 32.88% -0.34% -1.04%
St. Louis County MO 30.72% -2.24% -1.68%

Trends in the St. Louis County MO Renter Fraction

The St. Louis County household renter fraction peaked in in 2018 at 32.96% and is now 2.24% below that level. The origin year for the series is 2005.

Fraction of Renting Households: St. Louis County MO, Missouri, US

Fraction of renters in St. Louis County

History of St. Louis County Renter Fraction

Date US Missouri St. Louis County MO
2019 35.89% 32.88% 30.72%
2018 36.05% 33.22% 32.96%
2017 36.13% 33.05% 32.14%
2016 36.88% 33.92% 32.40%
2015 36.97% 33.87% 30.93%
2014 36.90% 33.09% 30.11%
2013 36.50% 33.03% 29.39%
2012 36.09% 32.53% 29.64%
2011 35.42% 31.95% 29.88%
2010 34.65% 31.02% 28.25%
2009 34.13% 30.92% 28.42%

more history ...

1. Gross rent is defined as contract rent plus the estimated average monthly cost of utilities (electricity, gas, water, and sewer) and fuel (oil, coal, kerosene, wood, etc.). Because some rentals include utilities and others don't, gross rent is a way of normalizing the variability.

2. Real dollars are calculated using the CPI-U less shelter series.

3. The rental vacancy rate is computed by dividing the number of vacant units for rent by the sum of the renter-occupied units, vacant units that are for rent, and vacant units that have been rented but not yet occupied.