St. Louis city, Missouri

County Distress Index: Elevated · 61.2 | 281,754 people · 23rd most distressed in Missouri
American Default Research

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St. Louis city, MO registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 61.2 — 739th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Housing Cost Burden, where a large share of households spend more than 30% of income on housing. Within Missouri, it ranks 23rd of 115 counties. It scores higher than all 3 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. St. Louis city's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 80.3 — worse than roughly 80% of U.S. counties.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 80.3
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 69
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 80
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 67
Homeownership Rate 99
Rent-to-Income Ratio 87
Income & Poverty 75.2
Poverty Rate 86
Income vs. State Median 55
Child Poverty Rate 85
Debt & Delinquency 73.0
Debt in Collections 92
Medical Debt 65
Student Loan Delinquency 12
Auto Loan Delinquency 95
Credit Card Delinquency 76
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 98
Community Vulnerability 58.5
Uninsured Rate 60
Disability Rate 57
Employment & Wages 18.9
Unemployment Rate 49
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 4
Business Formation Rate 3

Scores are percentile-based: 50 = national median, higher = more distressed. The median line is shown on each bar.

Neighbors and Peers

How St. Louis city compares to its 3 neighboring counties and population peers.

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. St. Louis city
St. Louis city, MO 61.2 Elevated —
St. Clair County, IL 54.6 Elevated -6.6
Madison County, IL 44.2 Normal -17.0
St. Louis County, MO 33.0 Healthy -28.3

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. St. Louis city
Genesee County, MI 61.2 Elevated 0.0
Camden County, NJ 61.1 Elevated -0.1
Horry County, SC 61.4 Elevated +0.2
Luzerne County, PA 60.9 Elevated -0.3
Richland County, SC 61.5 Elevated +0.3

Download Data

Export all distress indicators for St. Louis city as a CSV file.

Find Help in St. Louis city

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near St. Louis city.

BETTER FAMILY LIFE, INC.
Saint Louis
314-367-3440 Website
Foreclosure PreventionFinancial CounselingFinancial CounselingPre-Purchase
JUSTINE PETERSEN HOUSING AND REINVESTMENT CORPORATION
Saint Louis
314-533-2411 Website
Foreclosure PreventionFinancial CounselingHome Improvement/RehabPre-Purchase
NSC (NACA COUNSELING SUBSIDIARY) - ST. LOUIS, MO
SAINT LOUIS
314-645-8333 Website
Foreclosure PreventionFinancial CounselingFair HousingPost-Purchase
URBAN LEAGUE OF METROPOLITAN SAINT LOUIS INC - PETER H. BUNCE WATER TOWER CENTER
Saint Louis
314-615-3644 Website
Foreclosure PreventionFair HousingHomeless/DisplacementPost-Purchase
URBAN LEAGUE OF METROPOLITAN SAINT LOUIS, INC.
Saint Louis
314-615-3600 Website
Foreclosure PreventionFair HousingHome Improvement/RehabHomeless/Displacement

See all counselors in Missouri →

Find an Attorney

Missouri Bar — Lawyer Referral Service offers a lawyer referral service for bankruptcy, foreclosure defense, and consumer rights.

Missouri Bar — Lawyer Referral Service 573-635-4128

Free Legal Aid

Legal aid organizations serving St. Louis city residents at no cost.

Legal Services of Eastern Missouri 314-534-4200 (St. Louis); 1-800-444-0514 (statewide hotline)
Legal Aid of Western Missouri 816-474-6750 (Kansas City); 1-800-748-2057 (statewide hotline)
Central Missouri Legal Services 573-442-0116
The Legal Aid and Defender Association (LAD) 816-474-6750
Legal Services of Southern Missouri (417) 881-1397
Mid-Missouri Legal Services Corporation (573) 442-0116

American Default Research does not endorse, rate, or rank any provider. Verify attorney credentials with your state bar.

Need legal help? Find a foreclosure defense attorney in Missouri →

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Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for St. Louis city, Missouri?

    St. Louis city has a County Distress Index score of 61.2 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 739th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 23rd in Missouri out of 115 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in St. Louis city?

    The primary driver of distress in St. Louis city is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 80.3 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does St. Louis city compare to neighboring counties?

    St. Louis city (61.2) can be compared to its 3 neighboring counties: St. Clair County, IL (54.6); Madison County, IL (44.2); St. Louis County, MO (33.0).

  • How is the County Distress Index calculated?

    The County Distress Index uses percentile-rank averaging across five domains: Debt & Delinquency, Income & Poverty, Housing Cost Burden, Employment & Wages, and Community Vulnerability. Each county's indicators are ranked against all 3,144 U.S. counties. A score of 50 means the county is at the national median; higher scores indicate greater distress.

  • What is the population of St. Louis city?

    St. Louis city, Missouri has a population of approximately 281,754 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a large county.