Property Tax in St. Louis city, Missouri
In St. Louis city, Missouri, the typical homeowner pays $1,935 a year in property taxes on a home worth a median of $185,100. The figures on this page are the Census Bureau's published medians (US Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates, 2023), shown exactly as released.
What the St. Louis city numbers mean
Read the two medians together: $1,935 is the middle tax bill among owner-occupied households in St. Louis city, and $185,100 is the middle home value. Neither figure describes a specific property — together they describe the typical homeowner's situation in the county.
The derived effective rate for St. Louis city is 1.04% (median tax ÷ median value). Treat it as an estimate for comparison only: it comes from survey medians of different households, not from the county's rate schedule.
The key figures for St. Louis city
| Measure | St. Louis city |
|---|---|
| Median real estate taxes paid per year | $1,935 |
| Median home value | $185,100 |
| Derived effective rate* | 1.04% |
| Equivalent monthly tax | $161 |
| Tax per $100,000 of value (derived) | $1,045 |
| Illustrative tax on a $400,000 home (derived rate) | $4,180 |
For context, the Missouri medians are $1,887 of tax on $215,600 of value, and the US medians are $2,969 on $303,400. *Derived figures are estimates from Census medians, not official rates.
St. Louis city at a glance
- Median tax rank in Missouri: #8 of 115 counties
- Median home value rank in Missouri: #34 of 115
- Population rank in Missouri: #5 of 115 (293,109 residents)
- Population density rank: #1 of 115 (4,749 people per square mile)
- Land area rank in Missouri: #115 of 115 (61 sq mi, 0.1% of the combined county land area)
- Median tax as a monthly figure: $161; per $1,000 of home value: $1.04
How St. Louis city compares
Set against its state, St. Louis city's median bill of $1,935 is about the same as the Missouri median ($1,887). Against the country as a whole it is about 35% lower than the US median ($2,969). That places the county #8 of 115 Missouri counties ranked by median taxes paid.
Remember what drives the ranking: bills follow home values as much as rates. St. Louis city's median home, at $185,100, ranks #34 by value in Missouri, while its derived rate of 1.04% compares with a derived US figure of 0.98%.
Some extra context for St. Louis city: the median bill works out to about $161 a month, and the derived rate equals roughly $1,045 of tax per $100,000 of home value. The county is home to 293,109 people — the #5 most populous county in Missouri, spread over 61 square miles, a density of about 4,749 people per square mile. Its median home value, $185,100, ranks #34 among the state's 115 counties with data.
Nationally, St. Louis city's median bill of $1,935 ranks #1127 of 3133 counties with published data — inside the top 36% of counties by tax paid. The county accounts for about 4.8% of Missouri's population, its median home value is about 14% below the state median, and at the derived rate the median home would hand over roughly 10.45% of its value in tax across a decade. Within the state, the distance from St. Louis city to the most expensive county, Platte County ($3,365), is $1,430 a year.
Counties nearest St. Louis city in the Missouri ranking
| County | Median tax paid | Median home value | Derived rate* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cass County, MO | $2,364 | $269,000 | 0.88% |
| Boone County, MO | $2,232 | $254,100 | 0.88% |
| Christian County, MO | $1,878 | $249,700 | 0.75% |
| Jefferson County, MO | $1,835 | $218,800 | 0.84% |
How the tax is worked out
The bill is built in stages. First the assessor puts a market value on the property. Exemptions — a homestead exemption above all — then reduce the taxable amount. Finally the combined local rate is applied. To see the scale: at the county's derived rate of 1.04%, each $100,000 of value corresponds to about $1,045 of tax a year, and a $400,000 home to roughly $4,180. Real bills use the official assessment and district rates, not this derived figure, so treat the example as a sense of scale only.
Checking your assessment in St. Louis city
Believe your assessment is too high? The practical order of attack is: obtain your record card and audit it line by line; collect comparable recent sales in St. Louis city; ask the assessor's office to correct anything plainly wrong; and, if the value still seems off, lodge a formal appeal ahead of the deadline printed on your assessment notice. Windows are short — often 30 to 90 days — and late appeals are usually rejected outright, however strong the case.
More Missouri counties
Frequently asked questions
What is the median property tax in St. Louis city, Missouri?
The median real estate tax paid in St. Louis city, Missouri is $1,935 per year, on a median home value of $185,100 (US Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates, 2023).
What is the effective property tax rate in St. Louis city, Missouri?
Dividing St. Louis city's median tax bill ($1,935) by its median home value ($185,100) gives a derived effective rate of 1.04%. This is an estimate computed from two Census survey medians — it is not the county's official tax rate.
How does St. Louis city compare with the rest of Missouri?
By median taxes paid, St. Louis city stands at #8 among the 115 Missouri counties the Census publishes figures for. Its $1,935 median bill is about the same as the state median ($1,887), and 7 counties in the state record a higher median.
How are property taxes calculated in St. Louis city, Missouri?
Three steps produce the bill: an assessment of market value by the local assessor, a reduction for exemptions you qualify for (a homestead exemption is the common one), and multiplication by the combined rates of the county, municipality, school district and any special districts covering the property. The median result in St. Louis city is $1,935 of tax on a $185,100 median home value.
Can I appeal my property tax assessment in St. Louis city, Missouri?
Yes — appeals are handled locally. Start with the St. Louis city assessor's property record card for your home, correct any factual errors, and back your case with comparable recent sales. Formal appeals go to the review board named on your assessment notice and must be filed by its deadline, typically within 30 to 90 days.