Is Saint Louis County, MO good for real estate investing?

Saint Louis County has an investment score of 63/100, rated as "Buy". The county ranks #398 nationally among 1000 counties analyzed.

What is the rent-to-price ratio in Saint Louis?

The rent-to-price ratio in Saint Louis County is 6.35% annually, which ranks in the 62th percentile nationally. Higher ratios indicate better cash flow potential.

What is the median home price in Saint Louis?

The median home price in Saint Louis County is $275,128. This ranks #682 in affordability among all US counties.

Can you cash flow on rental properties in Saint Louis?

Based on median values with 20% down at current rates, a typical rental in Saint Louis County would generate negative cash flow of $496/month. Individual property performance varies based on purchase price, rent, and operating expenses.

Saint Louis County

MissouriPopulation: 999,703St. Louis, MO Metro

/100

Buy

#398 of 1,000 counties

#65 in Missouri (113 counties)

Market Snapshot

$275,128

Median Home Price

20% above national median

$1,455/mo

Median Rent

7% above national median

6.35%

Rent-to-Price Ratio

Top 38% nationally

-$496

Est. Monthly Cash Flow

With 20% down at 6.9% rate

Price History

Trend based on YoY growth rate. Source: Zillow ZHVI/ZORI

Quick Investment Calculator

Down Payment20%

5%50%100%

Purchase

Purchase Price$275,128

Down Payment (20%)$55,026

Loan Amount$220,102

Interest Rate6.85%

Monthly Cash Flow

Gross Rent+$1,455

Monthly P&I-$1,442

Est. Expenses (35%)-$509

Net Cash Flow-$496/mo

4.1%

Cap Rate (all cash)

-9.4%

Cash-on-Cash Return

6.35%

Rent-to-Price Ratio

Negative leverage: At 6.85% rates, borrowing costs exceed the 4.1% cap rate. All-cash buyers may see better returns.

* Based on county median values. 35% expenses include taxes, insurance, maintenance, vacancy, and property management. Actual results vary by property.

Run Full Analysis Try House Hack Strategy

Score Breakdown

Overall Investment Score

63/100

Cash Flow(30%)

63/100

Based on 6.35% rent-to-price ratio. Higher ratios indicate stronger cash flow potential.

Appreciation(25%)

64/100

Based on 1.4% YoY price growth. Moderate growth (3-8%) scores highest.

Stability(25%)

50/100

Population data not available.

Affordability(20%)

77/100

Price-to-income ratio of 3.5x. Lower ratios indicate more affordable markets.

Scores are calculated using real Zillow home value and rent data, Census population data, and economic indicators. The weighted average produces the overall investment score. Markets with missing rent data use estimated values based on regional averages.

Investment Outlook

Strengths

+Affordable relative to local incomes
+Complete rent data available

Challenges

-Negative cash flow at typical financing (-$496/mo)
-Negative leverage (cap rate 4.1% < mortgage rate 6.9%)

Economic Indicators

Population

999,703

Median Income

$78,067

vs $51,665 national est.

Unemployment Rate

—

Data pending

Price-to-Income

3.5x

Moderately affordable

Compare to Nearby Counties

County					Verdict
LincolnMO	64	$298,342	$1,321	5.31%	Buy	View
CurrentSaint LouisMO	63	$275,128	$1,455	6.35%	Buy
PemiscotMO	63	$87,225	Est. pending	—	Buy	View
CooperMO	63	$231,488	Est. pending	—	Buy	View
LawrenceMO	62	$200,468	$1,200	7.18%	Buy	View
PolkMO	62	$268,416	Est. pending	—	Buy	View

The Bottom Line

BuySaint Louis offers solid investment potential with good cash flow or appreciation prospects.

Saint Louis County in Missouri scores 63/100, ranking #398 of 1,000 US counties (top 40%). The 6.35% rent-to-price ratio indicates moderate cash flow potential. Current market conditions make traditional buy-and-hold investing challenging. Consider house hacking, value-add strategies, or all-cash purchases.

Monthly Cash Flow

$-496/mo

Cap Rate

4.1%

Cash-on-Cash

-9.4%

Ready to Analyze a Deal in Saint Louis?

Use our investment calculators to run detailed numbers on specific properties.

Single Family1-4 unit rentals, BRRRR House HackOwner-occupied strategy Multifamily5+ unit properties

Explore Other Markets

Quick Investment Calculator

Down Payment20%

5%50%100%

Purchase

Purchase Price$275,128

Down Payment (20%)$55,026

Loan Amount$220,102

Interest Rate6.85%

Monthly Cash Flow

Gross Rent+$1,455

Monthly P&I-$1,442

Est. Expenses (35%)-$509

Net Cash Flow-$496/mo

4.1%

Cap Rate (all cash)

-9.4%

Cash-on-Cash Return

6.35%

Rent-to-Price Ratio

Negative leverage: At 6.85% rates, borrowing costs exceed the 4.1% cap rate. All-cash buyers may see better returns.

* Based on county median values. 35% expenses include taxes, insurance, maintenance, vacancy, and property management. Actual results vary by property.

Run Full Analysis Try House Hack Strategy

Score Breakdown

Overall Investment Score

63/100

Cash Flow(30%)

63/100

Based on 6.35% rent-to-price ratio. Higher ratios indicate stronger cash flow potential.

Appreciation(25%)

64/100

Based on 1.4% YoY price growth. Moderate growth (3-8%) scores highest.

Stability(25%)

50/100

Population data not available.

Affordability(20%)

77/100

Price-to-income ratio of 3.5x. Lower ratios indicate more affordable markets.

County

Verdict

LincolnMO

$298,342

$1,321

5.31%

Buy

View

CurrentSaint LouisMO

$275,128

$1,455

6.35%

Buy

PemiscotMO

$87,225

Est. pending

—

Buy

View

CooperMO

$231,488

Est. pending

—

Buy

View

LawrenceMO

$200,468

$1,200

7.18%

Buy

View

PolkMO

$268,416

Est. pending

—

Buy

View

The Bottom Line

BuySaint Louis offers solid investment potential with good cash flow or appreciation prospects.

Monthly Cash Flow

$-496/mo

Cap Rate

4.1%

Cash-on-Cash

-9.4%