This article, the eighteenth in a 50-state series, ranks the best places to live in Missouri based on three criteria: (1) median household income (adjusted for cost of living); (2) educational attainment (% of residents 25 years and over who have earned a bachelor’s degree or higher); and (3) property crime rates per 1,000 residents (burglary and automobile thefts). For purposes of these rankings, “places” are incorporated municipalities with populations greater than 2,000.
Among the twenty best places to live in Missouri, eighteen are suburbs of St. Louis and two are suburbs of Kansas City. By county, fourteen of the best places to live in Missouri are located in St. Louis County, four in St. Charles County, and two in Platte County.
After reading “Best Places to Live in Missouri (2011),” return to this link to read “Largest Cities in Missouri (2011).” A collection of similar articles for the remaining 49 states can be found at these links: Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin and Wyoming.
For the culmination of the 50-state series, read “Best Places to Live in America (2011).”
1. Best Places to Live in Missouri (2011) – Clarkson Valley, MO (St. Louis County)
Population: 2,570
Median household income (adjusted for cost of living): $215,542
Bachelor’s degree or higher (25 years and over): 73.5%
Property crime rate per 1,000 residents (burglary and auto thefts): 3.32*
Distance to Familiar Cities:
St. Louis, MO: 23 miles E
Columbia, MO: 108 miles WNW
Jefferson City, MO: 109 miles W
2. Best Places to Live in Missouri (2011) – Ladue, MO (St. Louis County)
Population: 8,204
Median household income (adjusted for cost of living): $150,332
Bachelor’s degree or higher (25 years and over): 80.4%
Property crime rate per 1,000 residents (burglary and auto thefts): 1.59
Distance to Familiar Cities:
St. Louis, MO: 10 miles E
Columbia, MO: 115 miles WNW
Jefferson City, MO: 120 miles W
3. Best Places to Live in Missouri (2011) – Frontenac, MO (St. Louis County)
Population: 3,534
Median household income (adjusted for cost of living): $155,538
Bachelor’s degree or higher (25 years and over): 69.7%
Property crime rate per 1,000 residents (burglary and auto thefts): 2.6
Distance to Familiar Cities:
St. Louis, MO: 12 miles E
Columbia, MO: 112 miles WNW
Jefferson City, MO: 114 miles W
4. Best Places to Live in Missouri (2011) – Town and Country, MO (St. Louis County)
Population: 10,731
Median household income (adjusted for cost of living): $145,503
Bachelor’s degree or higher (25 years and over): 70.6%
Property crime rate per 1,000 residents (burglary and auto thefts): 1.31
Distance to Familiar Cities:
St. Louis, MO: 16 miles ENE
Columbia, MO: 112 miles WNW
Jefferson City, MO: 113 miles W
5. Best Places to Live in Missouri (2011) – Des Peres, MO (St. Louis County)
Population: 8,582
Median household income (adjusted for cost of living): $127,228
Bachelor’s degree or higher (25 years and over): 71.6%
Property crime rate per 1,000 residents (burglary and auto thefts): 2.32
Distance to Familiar Cities:
St. Louis, MO: 13 miles ENE
Columbia, MO: 114 miles WNW
Jefferson City, MO: 115 miles W
6. Best Places to Live in Missouri (2011) – Glendale, MO (St. Louis County)
Population: 5,513
Median household income (adjusted for cost of living): $109,696
Bachelor’s degree or higher (25 years and over): 67.7%
Property crime rate per 1,000 residents (burglary and auto thefts): 0.73
Distance to Familiar Cities:
St. Louis, MO: 10 miles NE
Columbia, MO: 118 miles WNW
Jefferson City, MO: 118 miles W
7. Best Places to Live in Missouri (2011) – Wildwood, MO (St. Louis County)
Population: 34,360
Median household income (adjusted for cost of living): $129,666
Bachelor’s degree or higher (25 years and over): 62.0%
Property crime rate per 1,000 residents (burglary and auto thefts): 3.32*
Distance to Familiar Cities:
St. Louis, MO: 28 miles ENE
Columbia, MO: 109 miles WNW
Jefferson City, MO: 100 miles W
8. Best Places to Live in Missouri (2011) – Weatherby Lake, MO (Platte County)
Population: 2,045
Median household income (adjusted for cost of living): $121,799
Bachelor’s degree or higher (25 years and over): 62.1%
Property crime rate per 1,000 residents (burglary and auto thefts): 2.15
Distance to Familiar Cities:
Kansas City, MO: 16 miles SSE
Columbia, MO: 144 miles E
Jefferson City, MO: 166 miles ESE
Lawrence, KS: 42 miles SW
9. Best Places to Live in Missouri (2011) – Chesterfield, MO (St. Louis County)
Population: 46,332
Median household income (adjusted for cost of living): $104,975
Bachelor’s degree or higher (25 years and over): 62.8%
Property crime rate per 1,000 residents (burglary and auto thefts): 2.15
Distance to Familiar Cities:
St. Louis, MO: 21 miles E
Columbia, MO: 105 miles WNW
Jefferson City, MO: 106 miles W
10. Best Places to Live in Missouri (2011) – Creve Coeur, MO (St. Louis County)
Population: 16,905
Median household income (adjusted for cost of living): $99,072
Bachelor’s degree or higher (25 years and over): 66.0%
Property crime rate per 1,000 residents (burglary and auto thefts): 3.02
Distance to Familiar Cities:
St. Louis, MO: 13 miles ESE
Columbia, MO: 115 miles WNW
Jefferson City, MO: 117 miles W
11. Best Places to Live in Missouri (2011) – Parkville, MO (Platte County)
Population: 5,319
Median household income (adjusted for cost of living): $115,392
Bachelor’s degree or higher (25 years and over): 55.5%
Property crime rate per 1,000 residents (burglary and auto thefts): 3.32
Distance to Familiar Cities:
Kansas City, MO: 10 miles SE
Columbia, MO: 136 miles E
Jefferson City, MO: 158 miles ESE
Lawrence, KS: 42 miles SW
12. Best Places to Live in Missouri (2011) – Clayton, MO (St. Louis County)
Population: 16,039
Median household income (adjusted for cost of living): $86,536
Bachelor’s degree or higher (25 years and over): 70.9%
Property crime rate per 1,000 residents (burglary and auto thefts): 4.84
Distance to Familiar Cities:
St. Louis, MO: 6 miles E
Columbia, MO: 119 miles WNW
Jefferson City, MO: 121 miles W
13. Best Places to Live in Missouri (2011) – Cottleville, MO (St. Charles County)
Population: 2,855
Median household income (adjusted for cost of living): $103,907
Bachelor’s degree or higher (25 years and over): 44.5%
Property crime rate per 1,000 residents (burglary and auto thefts): 0.6
Distance to Familiar Cities:
St. Louis, MO: 31 miles ESE
Columbia, MO: 98 miles WNW
Jefferson City, MO: 100 miles WSW
14. Best Places to Live in Missouri (2011) – Dardenne Prairie, MO (St. Charles County)
Population: 7,657
Median household income (adjusted for cost of living): $108,379
Bachelor’s degree or higher (25 years and over): 44.9%
Property crime rate per 1,000 residents (burglary and auto thefts): 2.39*
Distance to Familiar Cities:
St. Louis, MO: 36 miles ESE
Columbia, MO: 93 miles WNW
Jefferson City, MO: 95 miles WSW
15. Best Places to Live in Missouri (2011) – Webster Groves, MO (St. Louis County)
Population: 22,538
Median household income (adjusted for cost of living): $79,919
Bachelor’s degree or higher (25 years and over): 61.2%
Property crime rate per 1,000 residents (burglary and auto thefts): 2.88
Distance to Familiar Cities:
St. Louis, MO: 10 miles NE
Columbia, MO: 118 miles WNW
Jefferson City, MO: 116 miles W
16. Best Places to Live in Missouri (2011) – Weldon Spring, MO (St. Charles County)
Population: 5,320
Median household income (adjusted for cost of living): $90,813
Bachelor’s degree or higher (25 years and over): 53.0%
Property crime rate per 1,000 residents (burglary and auto thefts): 2.39*
Distance to Familiar Cities:
St. Louis, MO: 29 miles ESE
Columbia, MO: 96 miles WNW
Jefferson City, MO: 97 miles W
17. Best Places to Live in Missouri (2011) – Brentwood, MO (St. Louis County)
Population: 7,237
Median household income (adjusted for cost of living): $71,919
Bachelor’s degree or higher (25 years and over): 63.0%
Property crime rate per 1,000 residents (burglary and auto thefts): 2.81
Distance to Familiar Cities:
St. Louis, MO: 8 miles ENE
Columbia, MO: 117 miles WNW
Jefferson City, MO: 118 miles W
18. Best Places to Live in Missouri (2011) – Ballwin, MO (St. Louis County)
Population: 30,129
Median household income (adjusted for cost of living): $88,022
Bachelor’s degree or higher (25 years and over): 52.2%
Property crime rate per 1,000 residents (burglary and auto thefts): 2.31
Distance to Familiar Cities:
St. Louis, MO: 22 miles ENE
Columbia, MO: 110 miles WNW
Jefferson City, MO: 112 miles W
19. Best Places to Live in Missouri (2011) – Manchester, MO (St. Louis County)
Population: 18,691
Median household income (adjusted for cost of living): $79,251
Bachelor’s degree or higher (25 years and over): 52.9%
Property crime rate per 1,000 residents (burglary and auto thefts): 3.03
Distance to Familiar Cities:
St. Louis, MO: 20 miles ENE
Columbia, MO: 111 miles WNW
Jefferson City, MO: 112 miles W
20. Best Places to Live in Missouri (2011) – Lake St. Louis, MO (St. Charles County)
Population: 13,821
Median household income (adjusted for cost of living): $91,870
Bachelor’s degree or higher (25 years and over): 44.0%
Property crime rate per 1,000 residents (burglary and auto thefts): 2.79
Distance to Familiar Cities:
St. Louis, MO: 22 miles E
Columbia, MO: 107 miles WNW
Jefferson City, MO: 109 miles W
*In some cases, municipalities either do not report their crime statistics to the FBI or they contract for services with a county law enforcement agency or the state police. For those towns, crime rates are extrapolated from state, county, or contiguous municipality data.
The sources used in support of this article include the latest 1, 3, and 5-year estimates from the U.S. Census and the most recent FBI Uniform Crime Report.
More Articles from J.C. Grant
“Average ACT Scores by State (2010)”
“Average SAT Scores by State (2010)”
“Largest U.S. Cities: Population Size and Demographics”
“Most_Dangerous_Cities_in_America – Murder Rates”
State Education Rankings: Graduation Rates for High School, College, and Grad/Professional School
“State Education Rankings: SAT Scores”
Source(s):
“All Cities in Missouri,” City-Data.com
“Select Tables,” U.S. Census Bureau
“2009 ACS 1-year Estimates,” U.S. Census Bureau
“2007-2009 ACS 3-year Estimates,” U.S. Census Bureau
“2006-2008 ACS 3-year Estimates,” U.S. Census Bureau
“2005-2009 ACS 5-Year Estimates,” U.S. Census Bureau
Uniform Crime Reports,” Federal Bureau of Investigation
