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Buying a home in St. Louis County, Missouri

The typical owner-occupied home in St. Louis County is worth about $276,800, 20% above the Missouri median of $230,300 and 17% below the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $3,335 a year in property taxes, about 1.20% of their home's value, higher than the Missouri rate of 0.85%. The median household earns $82,936 a year, so the median home costs 3.3 times the median income (3.3 times for Missouri). 69% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 64% of those owners still have a mortgage.

St. Louis County at a glance

St. Louis County Missouri U.S.
Median home value $276,800 $230,300 $332,700
Median property tax paid per year $3,335 $1,948 $3,119
Property tax as a share of value 1.20% 0.85% 0.94%
Median household income $82,936 $70,702 $80,734
Homes lived in by their owners 69% 68% 65%
Owner homes with a mortgage 64% 60% 61%
Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage $1,753 $1,524 $1,963
Those costs as a share of the owners' income 19.1% 19.0% 21.0%
Median rent $1,209 $1,033 $1,413
Rent as a share of renters' income 29.3% 28.1% 30.6%
Median year homes were built 1969 1978 1980
Vacant homes 7.2% 11.2% 10.1%
Population 995,569 6,191,814 334,922,499

What a typical home costs per month in St. Louis County

At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median St. Louis County home of $276,800 with 20% down costs about $1,882 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $2,343, because the loan is bigger and FHA adds mortgage insurance.

Lenders usually want housing costs under about 28% of gross income, which means an income of roughly $80,647 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 27% of the median St. Louis County household income of $82,936; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $285,000.

The median rent here is $1,209 a month, so owning the median home costs about $673 a month more than renting, before you count the equity you build and any tax benefits.

20% down, 30-year conventional loan
Down payment$55,360
Loan amount$221,440
Principal and interest$1,490
Property taxes (1.20% a year)$277
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$115
PMI$0
Total per month$1,882

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3.5% down, 30-year FHA loan
Down payment$9,688
Loan amount$271,786
Principal and interest$1,828
Property taxes (1.20% a year)$277
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$115
FHA mortgage insurance$122
Total per month$2,343

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Questions about home buying in St. Louis County

What is the median home value in St. Louis County?

About $276,800 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.

How much are property taxes in St. Louis County?

Homeowners pay a median $3,335 a year, which is about 1.20% of the median home value. Your bill depends on your home's assessed value and local rates.

What income do you need to buy a home in St. Louis County?

For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $1,882 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $80,647 a year.

More about St. Louis County

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates; Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey, week of November 12, 2026. Estimates for small places have wide margins of error. About our data