CitytisticsShortlist

Cost of living, pay and housing

38.60° N · 90.45° W · GEOID 2919270

Des Peres

St. Louis County, Missouri · part of the St. Louis, MO metro

MissouriDes Peres, MODes PeresDes Peres

The short answer

Des Peres is home to 9,170 people. Median household income is $224,327 a year and median rent is $1,750 a month, 9.4% of income (a ratio of two medians, not any one household's burden). Rent pressure is lighter than in most places. The median home is valued at $609,200, about 2.7x annual median household income.

What sets Des Peres apart is how far household money goes. Money left after rent is $206,700, against $137,700 in its closest peers. Also notable: Household income rose 8.3% a year while rent rose -1.3% between the 2019 and 2024 surveys, pay gained on rent more than in 97% of places its size. It is the lowest of 140 Missouri places we track.

97OF 100

CTXCitytistics Index

Exceptional

Des Peres scores better than 97% of the 6,612 places we rate, and ranks 6th of 140 in Missouri.

How the CTX is built

Category ratings · 0 to 100, typical place 50

Affordability 20%92
Economy 20%81
Safety 20%41
Amenities 15%44
Education 10%99
Commute 10%94
Growth 5%72
Median gross rent
$1,750
28% above the median place
Median household income
$224,327
179% above the median place
Median home value
$609,200
91% above the median place
Unemployment
4.3%
11% below the median place

Compared with the median of the 6,645 places we track. The bundle was checked 2026-11-14; each measure may refer to an older release.

What stands out about Des Peres

  • How it is changingRent took 14.9% of the median income in the 2019 survey and 9.4% in 2024. In the 25 places most like it the share fell 0.9 points on average, so affordability held up better here.
  • Value for moneyRent is light relative to pay, but the county has a FEMA natural hazard risk score of 99 out of 100. Budget for insurance before counting the savings.
01

Moving to Des Peres

St. Louis County loses about 4.4 residents per 1,000 a year to moves between counties.

Moved in38,403
Moved out41,969
Net−3,566

Where people come from and where they go, top counties

St. Louis city, MO11,7558,205+3,550
St. Charles County, MO4,0546,788−2,734
Jefferson County, MO2,8483,740−892
Cook County, IL500620−120

Within Missouri, other states or abroad

Arrivals
Leavers
Within MissouriOther statesAbroad

Income per tax return

Arrivals$72K
Leavers$80K

People on tax returns who moved between counties, from IRS migration data, 2022 to 2023. Figures are for all of St. Louis County; flows under 20 returns are not published.

Who moves here
5.0% of residents arrived from another county in the past year, 2.0% from another state. County figure.
Who arrives and who leaves
Households moving into St. Louis County report $71,600 a year in income on average; those leaving, $79,700, so leavers earn more than newcomers.
Income you would need
$70,000 a year to rent the median home at the 30% line. From your city
Rent or buy
Median rent is $1,750 a month; owners with a mortgage pay $3,126 a month including taxes and insurance, on a median home of $609,200.
Getting to work
16 minutes each way on average; 18.6% work from home.
If it is close but not quite
Western Springs, IL matches it on character. Compare the two
Income of households moving out8
$79,731
13% above the median place
Net movers per 1,000 people8
-4.4
below the median place (median -0.6)
Moved here in the past year1
5.0%
12% below the median place
All 5 moving measures
MeasureDes PeresAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Moved here in the past year1County figure5.0%12% below
Moved from another state1County figure2.0%1% above
Net movers per 1,000 people8County figure-4.4below (median -0.6)
Income of households moving in8County figure$71,5771% above
Income of households moving out8County figure$79,73113% above
02

What it costs to live here

The median rent takes 9.4% of the median household's income, a smaller share than in 99% of the 2,480 places under 10,000 people we track. It is the 2nd-lowest of 140 Missouri places we track.

Des Peres9.4%
Typical place20.4%

Share of the median household income that goes to the median rent. Above 30% is the usual stress line.

Income needed to rent
$70,000
a year, at the 30% line
Rent to income
9.4%
54% below the median place
Home price to income
2.7x
28% below the median place

Could you afford it?

The median rent would take
9%
comfortably under the 30% line
Left after rent, in US prices
$206,300
a year
Vs the typical household here
Same
as the median household

Uses the median rent in Des Peres, $1,750 a month, and local prices for everything else (98.4 against a US average of 100). It runs in your browser and stores nothing.

Moving from somewhere else? Work out the salary you would need in Des Peres.

Sponsored · exampleMoving to Des Peres? Compare quotes from licensed movers. No partner is signed yet. Sponsored offers are always labelled and never change the data.
Homeownership1
95.9%
44% above the median place
Owner costs with a mortgage1
$3,126
67% above the median place
Median home value1
$609,200
91% above the median place
All 16 cost and housing measures
MeasureDes PeresAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Median gross rent1$1,75028% above
Rent to income19.4%54% below
Property tax rate11.0%7% above
Home price to income12.7x28% below
Prices vs US average2Metro figure95.16% below
Fair market rent, 2 bedrooms3County figure$1,34916% below
HUD area median income4County figure$113,5006% above
Property tax paid (median)1$5,90081% above
Median home value1$609,20091% above
Home prices, 1-year change5County figure3.8%18% above
Home prices, 5-year change5County figure43.6%15% below
Homeownership195.9%44% above
Renters paying 30%+145.3%11% below
Owner costs with a mortgage1$3,12667% above
Vacant homes1County figure7.3%3% above
Median year built119760% below
03

Work and pay

Commutes by transit is 0.0%, below the median place (median 0.8%).

Commutes by transit1
0.0%
below the median place (median 0.8%)
Median household income1
$224,327
179% above the median place
Income per person1
$107,252
168% above the median place
All 10 work and pay measures
MeasureDes PeresAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Median household income1$224,327179% above
Income per person1$107,252168% above
Unemployment1County figure4.3%11% below
Average annual pay6County figure$78,74119% above
Pay growth, 1 year6County figure3.7%0% above
Jobs6County figure589,803291% above
Poverty rate1County figure9.8%9% below
Mean commute116 min35% below
Works from home118.6%49% above
Commutes by transit10.0%below (median 0.8%)
04

Who lives here

Bachelor's or higher is 79.2%, 147% above the median place.

Bachelor's or higher1
79.2%
147% above the median place
High school or higher1
98.5%
7% above the median place
Homes with broadband1
97.9%
6% above the median place

More about who lives here, against the typical place

Born abroad3.0% −66%
Household size2.8 +12%
Median age42.8 +10%
All 9 people measures
MeasureDes PeresAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Population19,1704420th largest
Population change since 20207-0.4%below (median 1.1%)
Median age142.810% above
Bachelor's or higher179.2%147% above
High school or higher198.5%7% above
Household size12.812% above
Born abroad13.0%66% below
No health insurance1County figure5.7%11% below
Homes with broadband197.9%6% above
05

Life in Des Peres

The nearest National Park Service site is Ulysses S. Grant National Historic Site, about 6 miles away.

666 sites are on the National Register of Historic Places, 17 of them National Historic Landmarks. Its history on Wikipedia

Out the door, against the typical place

Parks per 10k residents8.7 −14%
Playgrounds per 10k15.3 +62%
Grocery stores per 10k6.5 3.1×
Restaurants, cafes and bars per 10k13.1 +17%
Libraries per 10k0.0 −100%
Named paths and bike trails0 km −100%
Bus and rail stops per sq mi2.5 12.1×

Mapped by volunteers in OpenStreetMap inside the city limits (Census boundaries), so coverage is fuller in some places than others. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.

National Park Service sites nearby

  • Ulysses S. Grant National Historic Site 6 miles
  • Gateway Arch National Park 14 miles
  • Ste. Geneviève National Historical Park 48 miles

Businesses per 10,000 residents (county figures)

Restaurants and bars21.1 +1%
Shops32.3 +7%
Arts, recreation and fitness5.0 +22%
Doctors' offices and clinics32.4 +60%
Child care centers2.5 +9%

Counts businesses with paid staff, so small owner-run shops are not included.

Nearest National Park Service site11
6.1
80% below the median place
Public schools14
271
above the median place (median 9)
Public school students14
134,524
above the median place (median 4,897)
All 18 schools and local life measures
MeasureDes PeresAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Public schools14County figure271above (median 9)
Public school students14County figure134,524above (median 4,897)
Students per teacher14County figure12.221% below
Restaurants and bars per 10k9County figure21.11% above
Shops per 10k9County figure32.37% above
Arts, recreation and fitness per 10k9County figure5.022% above
Doctors' offices and clinics per 10k9County figure32.460% above
Child care centers per 10k9County figure2.59% above
Parks per 10k108.714% below
Playgrounds per 10k1015.362% above
Grocery stores per 10k106.5208% above
Restaurants, cafes and bars per 10k1013.117% above
Libraries per 10k100.0below (median 0.9)
Named paths and bike trails100.0below (median 2.0)
Transit stops per sq mi102.5above (median 0.2)
Nearest National Park Service site116.180% below
National Park Service sites within 60 miles11350% above
National Register listings12County figure666above (median 13)
06

Safety, weather and risk

Violent crime per 100k is 76, 60% below the median place.

Violent crime per 100k
76
60% below the median place
Property crime per 100k
5,018
314% above the median place
Months reported
12 of 12
by the city police department to the FBI

Counts only offenses reported by the city police department. Sheriff, state and campus police are not included, and some departments do not report to the FBI at all, so compare with care.

Heat wave risk16
99.9
11% above the median place
Good air days17
31.2%
54% below the median place
Median air quality index17
56
30% above the median place
All 11 weather and risk measures
MeasureDes PeresAmong 6,645 placesVs median
July average high15County figure88°F2% above
January average low15County figure23°F9% below
Average temperature15County figure56°F2% above
Annual precipitation15County figure42.3 in3% below
Natural hazard risk16County figure99.37% above
Hurricane risk16County figure45.136% below
Tornado risk16County figure98.120% above
Wildfire risk16County figure61.71% above
Heat wave risk16County figure99.911% above
Median air quality index17Metro figure5630% above
Good air days17Metro figure31.2%54% below
08

Des Peres in 2030: where the trends point

If recent trends hold, the median rent will take about 9% of the median income in 2030, about the same as 9% now.

Citytistics projections to 2030: each figure's own trend, blended with the typical trend across the places we rate, eased toward long-run US growth and carried forward from the latest release. The range is where 80% of places landed when we tested the same method on past releases. On projected 2030 affordability, Des Peres does better than 92% of places. Its projected home value growth beats 27%.

MeasureLatest2030 projectionLikely rangeAvg. per year
Median rent$1,750/mo (2024)$2,170/mo$1,780 to $2,650/mo+3.7%
Median household income$224,327 (2024)$288,000$243,500 to $341,000+4.3%
Median home value$609,200 (2024)$860,000$625,000 to $1,185,000+5.9%
Population9,102 (2025)9,1508,780 to 9,540+0.1%

The median home would be worth 3.0 years of the median income in 2030, against 2.7 now.

A projection of recent trends, not a prediction of the economy or advice to buy or sell. How we project.

09

Places like Des Peres

The closest matches on income, rent, home value, education and age, and the places nearby.

PlaceRentIncome
Western Springs, IL$2,006$230,255Compare
Trophy Club, TX$1,992$201,054Compare
Haddonfield, NJ$1,897$200,400Compare
Medfield, MA$2,014$218,946Compare
Medfield, MAHaddonfield, NJTrophy Club, TXWestern Springs, ILDes Peres, MODes PeresWestern SpringsTrophy ClubMedfieldDes PeresWestern SpringsTrophy ClubMedfield

Places built like Des Peres

Its statistical peers: the closest matches on size, age, education, homeownership, household size, housing age, origin and remote work, in the same part of the country. Cost and outcomes are left out of the match, so the table shows how Des Peres performs against places like it.

PlaceRent to incomeIncome growthPop. change
Des Peres, MO9.4%8.3%/yr-0.4%
Montgomery, OH12.8%2.9%/yr0.8%Compare
Town and Country, MO10.1%3.8%/yr-0.1%Compare
White Rock, NM10.4%2.9%/yrn/aCompare
Dry Run, OH13.8%8.0%/yrn/aCompare
Meadowbrook, AL11.5%5.3%/yrn/aCompare
Highland Park, TX9.3%3.4%/yr-1.1%Compare

Common questions

Is Des Peres a good place to live?

It depends on what you need, so here is what the numbers say. Its Citytistics Index is 97 out of 100, better than 97% of the places we rate and 6th of 140 in Missouri. Rent took 14.9% of the median income in the 2019 survey and 9.4% in 2024. In the 25 places most like it the share fell 0.9 points on average, so affordability held up better here. Rent is light relative to pay, but the county has a FEMA natural hazard risk score of 99 out of 100. Budget for insurance before counting the savings. See how it ranks with your own weights.

Is Des Peres expensive to live in?

The median rent takes 9.4% of the median household income, against 20.4% in the typical place we track. Housing is a lighter load here than usual. The median home is valued at $609,200.

What salary do you need to live in Des Peres?

To rent the median home without spending more than 30% of income on rent, a household needs about $70,000 a year. Work it out from your current city.

Is Des Peres safe?

There were 76 reported violent crimes per 100,000 residents, against 192 in the typical place.

What places are similar to Des Peres?

On income, rent, home value, education and age, the closest matches are Western Springs, IL, Trophy Club, TX, Haddonfield, NJ and Medfield, MA.

Sources and methods

The small numbers beside each measure point here. Every dataset is public; links go to the publisher.

  1. American Community Survey 5-year estimates · US Census Bureau · 2020 to 2024 estimatesTables B01002, B01003, B05002, B07003, B08013, B08301, B15003, B17001, B19013, B19301, B23025, B25002, B25003, B25010, B25035, B25064, B25070, B25077, B25088, B25103, B28002, S2701
  2. Regional Price Parities · US Bureau of Economic Analysis · Latest release, retrieved 2026-11-14
  3. Fair Market Rents · US Department of Housing and Urban Development · Fiscal year 2027
  4. Income Limits · US Department of Housing and Urban Development · Fiscal year 2026
  5. House Price Index · Federal Housing Finance Agency · Latest release, retrieved 2026-11-14
  6. Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages · US Bureau of Labor Statistics · 2025 annual averages
  7. Population Estimates · US Census Bureau · Vintage 2025
  8. SOI Tax Stats, county-to-county migration · Internal Revenue Service · Tax years 2022 to 2023Counts tax returns and the people on them; flows under 20 returns are suppressed.
  9. County Business Patterns · US Census Bureau · 2023 data
  10. OpenStreetMap · © OpenStreetMap contributors, available under the Open Database License (ODbL) · Map data as of 2026-11
  11. National Park Service sites · Wikidata (CC0), units operated by the National Park Service · Retrieved 2026-11
  12. National Register of Historic Places · National Park Service · Listings through 2026-05-22
  13. Crime Data Explorer · Federal Bureau of Investigation · 2025 data
  14. Common Core of Data · National Center for Education Statistics · 2024 release
  15. 1991-2020 climate normals · NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information · Series updated 2026-11-05Averages for 1991 to 2020 computed from NOAA's county climate series (nClimDiv).nClimDiv county series
  16. National Risk Index · Federal Emergency Management Agency · Latest release, retrieved 2026-11-14NRI data and maps
  17. Air Quality System, annual AQI by county · US Environmental Protection Agency · 2025 dataAirData download files

Derived by Citytistics from the tables above: rent to income (B25064, B19013); property tax rate (B25103, B25077); home price to income (B25077, B19013).

What stands out compares Des Peres with places of a similar size, using only figures measured for Des Peres itself; county and metro figures never count. Survey figures are estimates with margins of error. Formulas and definitions: methodology. API: /api/v1/places/des-peres-missouri

Citytistics. “Des Peres, Missouri.” Data as of 2026-11-14. https://www.citytistics.com/city/des-peres-missouri/

This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.