National Center for Healthy Housing

Saint Louis, MO

	Overall Rankings
	Metro Area (out of 45):
	Healthy Housing: 16th
	Prior Rank: 13th
	Central City (out of 44):
	Healthy Housing: 19th
	Prior Rank: 35th
	Click here for comparison to prior report.
	Data source: 2011 American Housing Survey

Location Summary

Positive Findings: Compared to the national average, the Saint Louis area had fewer homes with evidence of rats, water supply stoppages, flush toilet breakdowns, incomplete plumbing, room heaters without flues, and a lack of adequate kitchen facilities. Homes in the central city were less likely to have water supply stoppages, flush toilet breakdowns, incomplete plumbing, room heaters without a flue, exposed wiring, and a lack of kitchen facilities. Outside the central city, homes were more likely to have signs of rats, water supply stoppages, flush toilet breakdowns, room heaters without a flue, and a lack of kitchen facilities. Rental units were less likely broken plaster and peeling paint, signs of rats, water supply stoppages, flush toilet breakdowns, incomplete plumbing and kitchen facilities, and room heaters without a flue. Owner-occupied dwellings were less likely to have water supply stoppages, flush toilet breakdowns, and room heaters without a flue.

Areas for Improvement: Compared to the national average, Saint Louis-area dwellings in both the MSA and outside the central city specifically were more likely to have signs of mice, water leaks from the outside, rooms with no working electrical outlets, and window and foundation problems. Central city homes had more problems with open cracks or holes in walls, evidence of mice, water leaks from the outside, and window and foundation problems. Rental properties were more likely to have water leaks from the outside and foundation problems, while owner-occupied units had more incidences of mice, water leaks from the outside, window and foundation problems, and rooms without working outlets, compared to national averages.

Community Information: The Saint Louis MSA includes Saint Louis, Franklin, Jefferson, Lincoln, Saint Charles, and Warren counties, Missouri; Clinton, Jersey, Madison, Monroe, and Saint Clair counties, Illinois; and the City of Saint Louis, Missouri. In 2011, the MSA included 1,058,041 occupied dwelling units, 14.7% of which were located in the central city of Saint Louis. The housing stock of the MSA ranked among the oldest and least heavily rental of the cities surveyed. The percentage of pre-1940 homes ranked 14th-oldest (17.7%) for the MSA and 5th-oldest (53.3%) for the central city. The median house age in the Saint Louis MSA was 1969. The percentage of rental units ranked 7th-least heavily rental (28.9%) for the MSA and 15th-least heavily rental (47.0%) for the central city. Compared to other locations, Saint Louis had average rates of poverty. Its poverty rate ranked 17th (11.9%) for the entire MSA and 19th (18.7%) for homes in the central city.