Saint Louis County, MO Rent Prices by Neighborhood

Where Rents Stand Right Now

The median rent in Saint Louis County sits at $1,477 per month as of mid-2025, according to Zillow's ZORI. That number tells a directional story: rents are rising, and the structural forces behind that rise are not temporary.

The county's multifamily construction pipeline is on track to hit its lowest point since 2014 in 2025. Fewer new units entering the market means existing landlords face less competition, and renters face fewer choices. Pair that with the county consistently ranking in the top 15 U.S. metro areas for rent increases, and the trend line is clear. Mid-county submarkets like Maplewood, Webster Groves, Kirkwood, and Richmond Heights are absorbing roughly one-third of all multifamily completions, with occupancy stabilizing around 94%.

On the demand side, the county hosts over 584,000 jobs, anchored by BJC HealthCare (30,000-plus employees across 14 hospitals), Washington University (more than 13,000 employees), and Centene, headquartered in Clayton. Healthcare and university workers are stable, year-round renters. They don't disappear in a recession, and they're not concentrated in one ZIP code.

The counterweight is Boeing. About 692 Missouri employees received layoff notices starting January 2025, with cuts concentrated in Berkeley and Hazelwood in north county. As of July 2025, union workers rejected a new contract, and a strike remains possible. That employment pressure is real for north county landlords who rely on blue-collar renter households.

Rent by Submarket

Saint Louis County is not one market. It is at least three distinct rental environments layered on top of each other.

West and Central County: Clayton, Ladue, Kirkwood

Clayton carries the county's highest property tax bills, reaching up to $18,955 per year on a single parcel, and home values to match. Renters here are paying above the county median. Centene's corporate presence and the concentration of professional services firms in Clayton support demand from higher-income renters. For landlords, yields are compressed. For renters, the cost is high but stability is real.

Kirkwood's effective property tax rate runs about 1.19%, the lower end of the county's 1.19%–1.83% range. Mid-county walkable suburbs like Kirkwood, Webster Groves, and Maplewood attract young professional renters, and with occupancy around 94%, vacancy risk here is low.

Mid County: Maplewood, Webster Groves, Richmond Heights

These submarkets are doing the most multifamily work in the county right now. They're walkable, served by existing MetroLink stations (Brentwood, Clayton, Maplewood stops on the existing 46-mile, 38-station system), and drawing renters who want urban-adjacent living without Clayton's price premium. For renters, these are the sweet spots in the county. For landlords, they offer a balance of rent growth potential and manageable vacancy.

North County: Berkeley, Jennings, Hazelwood

The yield numbers here are the highest in the county, and so is the risk. Property tax bills in Berkeley average just $835 per year, versus $18,955 in Clayton. That gap changes net operating income calculations in a direct, measurable way. But the Boeing concentration in Berkeley and Hazelwood means any further layoffs or a strike would directly affect the renter pool. Investors underwriting north county deals need Boeing-specific scenario modeling, not county-level averages.

South County: Valley Park, Fenton, Eureka

Flood exposure is the defining variable here. The Meramec River reached a forecast of 32.5 feet in November 2024, well above the 25-foot major flood stage. FEMA and Missouri's emergency management agency are actively updating Flood Insurance Rate Maps for the region, with preliminary maps already released for communities including Wildwood. Renters and landlords alike need to check whether a specific address sits inside a revised flood zone before signing a lease or underwriting a deal.

Affordability: What $1,477 Actually Costs

The research brief does not include a county median household income figure, so a precise income-to-rent ratio cannot be calculated here. What the data does show: at $1,477 per month ($17,724 per year), a renter household needs an annual gross income of about $59,080 to keep rent at or below 30% of income. The county's average weekly wage was $1,445 in Q3 2025, implying an annualized figure of about $75,140 for employed workers. At that wage level, the county median rent consumes roughly 24% of gross income, which clears the 30% affordability threshold.

That average masks real spread. A Boeing assembly worker in Hazelwood facing a layoff is not the same household as a Washington University administrator in Clayton. North county renters at lower income levels are more exposed. West county renters are more insulated. Affordability is a submarket question in Saint Louis County, not a single-number answer.

The 12-24 Month Outlook

Three forces will shape rents through 2026-2027.

Supply stays tight. The pipeline is at an 11-year low. Even if mid-county completions stabilize around current levels, net new supply will not outpace demand. That supports rent growth above the 2.24% home price appreciation rate the market is currently posting.

Boeing is the downside scenario. A strike or a second round of layoffs would pull income out of north county households and likely push vacancies up in Berkeley, Hazelwood, and nearby submarkets. Landlords with heavy north county exposure should price that risk into their underwriting now, not after it happens.

Transit expansion is delayed. The Bi-State Development Board voted in September 2025 to shelve the planned $1.2 billion Green Line light rail extension and instead commission a $10 million, 15-month Bus Rapid Transit study. The transit-proximity premium that would have accrued to underdeveloped north corridor properties is now pushed out by multiple years. Properties banking on station-area appreciation in that corridor should be repriced accordingly.

If You're a Renter

1. Target mid-county for the best value-to-access tradeoff. Maplewood, Webster Groves, and Richmond Heights offer MetroLink access, walkable retail, and rents below Clayton levels. With 94% occupancy, units don't sit long, so move fast when you find one.

2. Check flood zone status before you sign in south county. Valley Park, Fenton, and Eureka have recurring Meramec River flood exposure. Ask the landlord whether the property requires flood insurance and whether that cost passes through to you in any form. Updated FEMA maps may change a property's status.

3. Use the market's shifting inventory to negotiate. Active listings rose 14.1% year-over-year in March 2026, and days on market stretched from 16 to 23 days in late 2025. That shift hasn't moved rent levels sharply yet, but it gives renters more options and modest room to negotiate lease terms, move-in costs, or improvements.

Run your numbers through our Rent vs Buy calculator if you're weighing renting versus buying. At a 16.6x price-to-rent ratio, Saint Louis County is on the buy-favorable side of the national spectrum, and the math may surprise you.

If You're a Landlord

1. Underwrite each municipality's property tax rate, not the county average. The range runs from 1.19% in Kirkwood to 1.83% in Saint Ann. On a $250,000 property, that difference equals roughly $1,600 per year in additional tax expense, which can flip a cash-flowing deal into a marginal one.

2. Explore ADU additions on qualifying lots. Saint Louis County permits ADUs in residentially zoned areas on lots at least 50 feet wide and 5,000 square feet. No business license is required to rent an ADU. Adding a second unit to a qualifying single-family acquisition can raise gross yield without requiring a new acquisition.

3. Price north county exposure explicitly. If you own or are buying in Berkeley or Hazelwood, model a scenario where Boeing executes another 10% workforce reduction or a strike reduces renter income for 3-6 months. At $835 in annual property tax and high gross yields, north county can still pencil under that scenario, but the margin is thinner than the headline yield implies. Mid-county at 94% occupancy is a more stable base.