Rent vs. Buy in St. Louis County, MO

Should you rent or buy in St. Louis County? Here are the numbers.

Median Home Price

$249,400

Median Rent

$1,119/mo

Price-to-Rent Ratio

18.6x

Homeownership Rate

68.5%

Monthly Cost Comparison

Buying (20% down, 6.5% rate)

Mortgage (P&I)$1,261
Property Tax$258
Insurance$83

Total Monthly$1,602

Renting

Monthly Rent$1,119
Renter's Insurance$25

Total Monthly$1,144

In St. Louis County, buying costs approximately $483/mo more than renting. This doesn't account for equity buildup, tax deductions, or home appreciation.

About St. Louis County, Missouri

St. Louis County in Missouri has a median household income of $78,067 and an effective property tax rate of 1.2%. With a price-to-rent ratio of 18.6x, the rent-vs-buy decision is nuanced and depends on your timeline.

These are starting estimates based on county-level medians. Your actual costs depend on the specific property, your credit score, down payment, and dozens of other variables. Our Monte Carlo simulation models 10,000 scenarios to give you probability-weighted answers, not single-point estimates.

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Other Counties in Missouri

County-level data from U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS) 2022 5-Year Estimates. Additional sources: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Federal Housing Finance Agency. Estimates are based on county-level medians and may not reflect specific neighborhoods or property types. This is not financial advice — consult a licensed professional before making housing decisions.