Is St. James, MO a Good Place to Live?
St. James is a small town of 3,942 in Missouri, with a median household income of $50,730 and a 6.4% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 90 (US average = 100), which is 10% below the national average.
Strengths: St. James stands out for an affordable cost of living, below-average home prices, lower-than-average crime, solid school ratings (B), short average commutes.
Trade-offs: Potential downsides include an elevated unemployment rate. Whether St. James is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All St. James city data on this page comes from official government sources — the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.
Cost of Living
Index: 90.1St. James's overall cost of living index is 90.1, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in St. James costs roughly 10% less than the average American city.
| Metric | St. James, MO | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $114,800 | $244,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $774 | $1,163 |
| Homeownership Rate | 50.6% | 65.9% |
| Median Household Income | $50,730 | $74,755 |
Crime & Safety
Safer than AverageSt. James's violent crime rate is 333.5 per 100,000 residents — 12% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
St. James is served primarily by ST. JAMES R-I. The student-to-teacher ratio is 12.8:1 (better than the national average of ~16:1).
| Metric | St. James, MO | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| School District | ST. JAMES R-I | — |
| Elementary Schools | 1 | — |
| Middle Schools | 1 | — |
| High Schools | 1 | — |
| Student/Teacher Ratio | 12.8:1 | 16:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 22.4% | 35.4% |
| High School Diploma or Higher | 88.1% | 91.1% |
Weather & Climate
St. James sees average highs of 40.9°F in January and 88.9°F in July, with 46.7 inches of annual precipitation and 17.3 inches of snow per year.
| Metric | St. James, MO |
|---|---|
| Average High — January | 40.9°F |
| Average High — July | 88.9°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 46.7" |
| Annual Snowfall | 17.3" |
Demographics
| Metric | St. James, MO | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 3,942 | — |
| Median Age | 37.2 | 38.9 |
| Unemployment Rate | 6.4% | 3.7% |
| Avg Commute Time | 22.0 min | 26 min |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 94.2% | 59.3% |
| Black or African American | 0.3% | 13.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 1.1% | 18.9% |
| Asian | 1.2% | 6.3% |
| Under 18 | 26.6% | 22.2% |
| 65 and over | 21.7% | 16.8% |
Nearby Cities
ZIP Codes in St. James
St. James, MO is covered by 1 ZIP code: