True Cost of Renting in St Louis, MO
St Louis sits at the confluence of the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers, anchored by Anheuser-Busch (now AB InBev), a world-class healthcare complex (Barnes-Jewish, Washington University Medical School), and 1,371-acre Forest Park — larger than Central Park and entirely free. Rents are among the lowest of any major US metro, making St Louis extraordinary value for anyone employed locally or working remotely.
Neighborhoods & Average Rents
Central West End (CWE)
- Studio:
- $950/mo
- 1 Bed:
- $1,200/mo
- 2 Bed:
- $1,700/mo
St Louis's most prestigious urban neighborhood adjacent to Forest Park; tree-lined streets, upscale restaurants on Euclid Avenue, and proximity to Barnes-Jewish Hospital. MetroLink Green Line walkable. Ameren Missouri electric. Mix of historic apartment buildings and new luxury construction.
The Hill
- Studio:
- $750/mo
- 1 Bed:
- $950/mo
- 2 Bed:
- $1,400/mo
St Louis's Italian-American neighborhood west of Downtown; acclaimed restaurants (Charlie Gitto's, Zia's) on Macklind Avenue. Quiet residential streets with lower crime than comparable-priced areas. Church-neighborhood community culture. Close to Highway 44.
Lafayette Square
- Studio:
- $850/mo
- 1 Bed:
- $1,100/mo
- 2 Bed:
- $1,600/mo
St Louis's oldest park neighborhood; Victorian-era homes and apartment buildings surrounding Lafayette Park. Strong preservation character. Close to Downtown and the Highway 44 corridor. One of the city's safest and most walkable neighborhoods.
Downtown St Louis
- Studio:
- $850/mo
- 1 Bed:
- $1,100/mo
- 2 Bed:
- $1,600/mo
Gateway Arch and riverfront; Busch Stadium and Enterprise Center (Blues) nearby. MetroLink Blue Line hub. New loft conversions from former office stock. Building parking $50–75/mo. Lower rents than comparable downtowns nationally.
Clayton
- Studio:
- $1,000/mo
- 1 Bed:
- $1,300/mo
- 2 Bed:
- $1,900/mo
St Louis County seat and major employment hub; MetroLink Red Line connects Clayton to Downtown St Louis in 20 minutes. Significant corporate office concentration (Enterprise Holdings, Centene Corp HQ). Premium rents for MetroLink walkability and suburban safety perception.
Utility Providers
- Electric
- Ameren Missouri
- Water
- St Louis City Water Division / Missouri American Water
- Internet
- Spectrum, AT&T Fiber, CenturyLink/Quantum Fiber
Commute & Transportation
St Louis's MetroLink light rail runs from Lambert-St Louis International Airport through Downtown to Clayton and Shrewsbury — 38 stations total. I-64 (US-40) bisects the city east-west; I-44 runs southwest to Springfield; I-55 south to Cape Girardeau and Memphis; I-70 east to Springfield, IL and Chicago. Lambert-St Louis International Airport (STL) is 13 miles northwest — MetroLink serves it directly ($2.50). Major employers: Washington University (largest private employer in Missouri), Barnes-Jewish Hospital, Emerson Electric (HQ), Centene Corp (national health insurance HQ), Enterprise Holdings (rental car HQ), AB InBev (Anheuser-Busch), and Boeing Defense (40,000 employees in the St Louis region).
Rental Market Overview
St Louis is one of the best-kept secrets in American rental markets. A Central West End 1BR at $1,200 with Forest Park 3 blocks away would cost $2,800+ in Chicago, $3,500+ in Boston. Ameren Missouri electric rates are competitive ($0.11–0.14/kWh). The MetroLink provides genuine car-free living for Downtown and Clayton workers. St Louis's major challenge is population loss — the city proper has shrunk from 850,000 to 290,000 since 1950, which keeps rents low but also means careful neighborhood selection matters more than in growing metros. The Barnes-Jewish/Washington University Medical complex is a nationally significant healthcare employer that anchors demand in the CWE.
Data last updated: 2026-04
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