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Living in
East St. Louis.
About
Life in East St. Louis
Living in East St. Louis for better-paying opportunities, a trip that averages just 22.5 minutes via MetroLink or the interstate bridges. The city itself is overwhelmingly Black, with a tight-knit community anchored by local schools, churches, and small businesses, though you'll notice the population has shrunk dramatically from its 1950 peak—what was once Illinois's fourth-largest city now has under 19,000 residents, and that decline shapes everything from neighborhood vitality to available services.
East St. Louis at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
44.3 yrs
Poverty Rate
32.8%
Foreign-Born
1.4%
Broadband Internet
76.7%
of households
Population Growth
-4.4%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics1.4% foreign-born, most often from India
Who lives in East St. Louis: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In East St. Louis, the largest foreign-born group is from India (33.6%), and 0.7% of residents speak Other Indo-European at home.
Under 18
17.7%
of residents
65 and Older
23.1%
of residents
Households with Kids
22.1%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
45.0%
of households
Married Couples
14.5%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.56
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent 34% below IL average
Rent, home values, and income in East St. Louis
In East St. Louis, rent runs 34% below the IL average, and home values are 80% below the IL average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
58.2%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
29.0%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
95.1
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$1,184
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
60.7%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1956
median year built
Vacant Homes
33.8%
of housing units
Jobs & Economyunemployment 2.6 pts above IL average
Unemployment in East St. Louis and typical pay across the metro area
Unemployment in East St. Louis is 2.6 percentage points higher than the IL average.
Unemployment rate
City-level rate · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
City-level (BLS) · Annual averages
What East St. Louis Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Median Salary by Occupation · metro area
St. Louis, MO-IL metro area
Commute23.3 min avg
How East St. Louis residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In East St. Louis, most residents drive alone to work (69%), and 68% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 14 mi
St. Louis Lambert International Airport (STL)
Medium hub7.5M passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 168% above national average
Crime rates for 2019
Older dataThe latest complete year reported to the FBI is 2019. It's compared with the national rate for 2019.
Violent crime in East St. Louis runs 168% above the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
1,019.9
per 100,000 residents
Above average (381 national, 2019)
Property Crime Rate
1,606
per 100,000 residents
Below average (2,109 national, 2019)
East St. Louis Police Department
Natural DisastersThunderstorm Wind most common — 20 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively High
94.9 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
St. Clair County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In St. Clair County, which includes East St. Louis, the most common type is thunderstorm wind, with 20 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 20 | Thunderstorm Wind | $770,000 |
| 2024 | 9 | Hail | $80,500 |
| 2023 | 25 | Thunderstorm Wind | $40,000 |
| 2022 | 13 | Thunderstorm Wind | $10.2M |
| 2021 | 8 | Thunderstorm Wind | $91,000 |
| 2020 | 7 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2019 | 21 | Thunderstorm Wind | $8.1M |
| 2018 | 13 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
1 earthquake of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
St. Clair County, county-wide
Air Quality55 median AQI — Moderate
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in St. Louis city, MO (the nearest EPA-monitored county, about 6 miles from East St. Louis) is typically moderate — acceptable for most people, but can affect those unusually sensitive to air pollution.
Median AQI
55
Good Days
125
per year
Moderate Days
232
per year
Unhealthy Days
2
per year
Nearest EPA monitor county: St. Louis city, MO (6 mi away)
Climate88°F summers, 27°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
East St. Louis has warm summers (avg high 88°F) and cold winters (avg low 27°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
67°/46°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
88°/67°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
68°/46°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
43°/27°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
40.8"
Annual Snowfall
13.8"
Hot Days/Year
46
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
98
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
117
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 40°F | 24°F | 2.46" |
| Feb | 46°F | 28°F | 1.96" |
| Mar | 56°F | 36°F | 3.27" |
| Apr | 68°F | 46°F | 4.48" |
| May | 77°F | 57°F | 4.84" |
| Jun | 86°F | 65°F | 4.36" |
| Jul | 89°F | 69°F | 3.70" |
| Aug | 88°F | 66°F | 3.68" |
| Sep | 81°F | 57°F | 3.36" |
| Oct | 69°F | 46°F | 3.07" |
| Nov | 55°F | 36°F | 3.34" |
| Dec | 44°F | 29°F | 2.32" |
Healthcare
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in East St. Louis
Uninsured
4.0%
of residents
No hospitals inside East St. Louis's limits — nearest hospitals · within 15 miles
Touchette Regional Hospital Inc.
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 3.3 mi away · Centreville
St Louis-john Cochran VA Medical Center
Acute Care - Veterans Administration · ER available · 5.7 mi away · St. Louis
Ssm Health Saint Louis University Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 5.8 mi away · Saint Louis
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education12.8:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in East St. Louis
East St. Louis's student/teacher ratio is 12.8:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 15.9% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
10
within city limits
Private Schools
2
within city limits
College Degree Rate
15.9%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
12.8:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near East St. Louis (within 15 miles)
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville
14.3 mi awayPublic · 4-year · 8,750 students · in-state tuition $13,299 · 61% graduate · median earnings $59,436 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 7,267 students · in-state tuition $57,960 · 76% graduate · median earnings $75,998 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 2,304 students · in-state tuition $32,690 · 55% graduate · median earnings $56,096 (10 yrs after entry)
Public · 4-year · 960 students · in-state tuition $7,008 · 29% graduate · median earnings $39,919 (10 yrs after entry)
Barnes-Jewish College Goldfarb School of Nursing
7.1 mi awayPrivate nonprofit · 4-year · 446 students · 93% graduate · median earnings $82,420 (10 yrs after entry)
University of Health Sciences and Pharmacy in St. Louis
7.2 mi awayPrivate nonprofit · 4-year · 337 students · in-state tuition $33,189 · 72% graduate · median earnings $130,161 (10 yrs after entry)
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreationclosest: Gateway Arch National Park, 3 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for East St. Louis
East St. Louis has 6 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Gateway Arch National Park (3 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Gateway Arch National Park
National Park
3 mi awayUlysses S Grant National Historic Site
National Historic Site
13 mi awaySte. Geneviève National Historical Park
National Historical Park
44 mi awayLincoln Home National Historic Site
National Historic Site
86 mi awaySpringfield 1908 Race Riot National Monument
National Monument
86 mi awayNew Philadelphia National Historic Site
National Historic Site
87 mi awayPublic Libraries in East St. Louis
East St. Louis Public Library
5300 State Street, East St Louis
Cities Near East St. Louis
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to East St. Louis?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
East St. Louis FAQ
Is East St. Louis, Illinois affordable?⌄
East St. Louis's median rent is $847/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $35,700/year. Median home value is $52,600.
Is East St. Louis, Illinois safe?⌄
East St. Louis's violent crime rate was 1020 per 100,000 residents in 2019, which is significantly above the national average of 381/100k that year. Property crime rate is 1606 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in East St. Louis, Illinois?⌄
East St. Louis has an unemployment rate of 7.2%, which is above the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in East St. Louis, Illinois?⌄
The cost of living in East St. Louis is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $847/month and median household income is $35,700/year. The median home value is $52,600. About 58% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in East St. Louis, Illinois?⌄
The average commute in East St. Louis is 23 minutes, which is about average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from