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Living in
Wildwood.
About
Life in Wildwood
If you're considering Wildwood, understand that you're looking at an affluent, established suburb with strong schools and plenty of outdoor access—but it comes with trade-offs that matter for daily life. The median home price of $495,800 and median household income of $161,060 signal this is solidly upper-middle to upper-class territory, and rents around $1,661 monthly reflect that cost structure. The community is family-heavy and stable, with three-quarters of households married couples and low poverty rates, but that also means it skews toward a particular demographic.
Wildwood at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
45.7 yrs
Poverty Rate
2.2%
Foreign-Born
9.0%
Broadband Internet
97.2%
of households
Population Growth
-1.3%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics9.0% foreign-born, most often from India
Who lives in Wildwood: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Wildwood, the largest foreign-born group is from India (26.0%), and 2.9% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
23.9%
of residents
65 and Older
20.7%
of residents
Households with Kids
34.3%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
15.3%
of households
Married Couples
73.5%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.73
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 61% above MO average
Rent, home values, and income in Wildwood
In Wildwood, rent runs 61% above the MO average, and home values are 115% above the MO average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
42.7%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
13.6%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
95.1
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$6,164
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
91.8%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1992
median year built
Vacant Homes
4.0%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $577,414 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.6 pts below MO average
Unemployment in Wildwood and typical pay across the metro area
Unemployment in Wildwood is 0.6 percentage points lower than the MO average.
Unemployment rate
City-level rate · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
City-level (BLS) · Annual averages
What Wildwood 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
Commute27.3 min avg
How Wildwood residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Wildwood, most residents drive alone to work (69%), and 53% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 18 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 64% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in the area policed by the Chesterfield Police Department, which covers Wildwood, runs 64% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
119.6
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
907.9
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Policed by Chesterfield Police Department (township-wide rate)
Natural DisastersThunderstorm Wind most common — 24 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively High
99.3 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
St. Louis County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In St. Louis County, which includes Wildwood, the most common type is thunderstorm wind, with 24 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 24 | Thunderstorm Wind | $7.8M |
| 2024 | 18 | Tornado | $2.0M |
| 2023 | 22 | Thunderstorm Wind | $30,000 |
| 2022 | 14 | Thunderstorm Wind | $50.6M |
| 2021 | 18 | Thunderstorm Wind | $124,000 |
| 2020 | 11 | Thunderstorm Wind | $50,000 |
| 2019 | 26 | Thunderstorm Wind | $100,000 |
| 2018 | 25 | Thunderstorm Wind | $50,000 |
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. Louis County, county-wide
Wildwood is about 4% of St. Louis County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Air Quality55 median AQI — Moderate
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in St. Louis city, MO (the nearest EPA-monitored county, about 23 miles from Wildwood) 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 (23 mi away)
Climate88°F summers, 25°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Wildwood has warm summers (avg high 88°F) and cold winters (avg low 25°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
68°/45°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
88°/66°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
69°/45°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
44°/25°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
39.8"
Annual Snowfall
13.5"
Hot Days/Year
44
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
105
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
116
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 41°F | 22°F | 2.38" |
| Feb | 47°F | 26°F | 1.98" |
| Mar | 57°F | 34°F | 3.48" |
| Apr | 68°F | 44°F | 4.58" |
| May | 77°F | 55°F | 4.56" |
| Jun | 86°F | 64°F | 4.31" |
| Jul | 90°F | 68°F | 3.30" |
| Aug | 88°F | 66°F | 3.44" |
| Sep | 81°F | 57°F | 3.02" |
| Oct | 70°F | 45°F | 3.10" |
| Nov | 56°F | 34°F | 3.28" |
| Dec | 45°F | 26°F | 2.32" |
Healthcare
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Wildwood
Uninsured
2.2%
of residents
No hospitals inside Wildwood's limits — nearest hospitals · within 15 miles
Progress West Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 9.4 mi away · Ofallon
Centerpointe Hospital
Psychiatric · 9.4 mi away · Saint Charles
St Lukes Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 10.2 mi away · Chesterfield
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.
Education14.6:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Wildwood
Wildwood's student/teacher ratio is 14.6:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 68.8% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
9
within city limits
Private Schools
3
within city limits
College Degree Rate
68.8%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
14.6:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near Wildwood (within 15 miles)
Maryville University of Saint Louis
9.9 mi awayPrivate nonprofit · 4-year · 5,658 students · in-state tuition $27,166 · 61% graduate · median earnings $67,386 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 1,488 students · in-state tuition $36,084 · 56% graduate · median earnings $49,360 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 229 students · in-state tuition $10,800 · 55% graduate · median earnings $59,488 (10 yrs after entry)
Arizona College of Nursing-St Louis
14.2 mi awayPrivate for-profit · 4-year · 131 students · in-state tuition $24,600 · median earnings $41,223 (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: Ulysses S Grant National Historic Site, 17 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Wildwood
Wildwood has 5 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Ulysses S Grant National Historic Site (17 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Ulysses S Grant National Historic Site
National Historic Site
17 mi awayGateway Arch National Park
National Park
26 mi awaySte. Geneviève National Historical Park
National Historical Park
54 mi awayNew Philadelphia National Historic Site
National Historic Site
79 mi awayLincoln Home National Historic Site
National Historic Site
100 mi awayCities Near Wildwood
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Wildwood?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Wildwood FAQ
Is Wildwood, Missouri affordable?⌄
Wildwood's median rent is $1,661/month, which is above the national average. The median household income is $161,060/year. Median home value is $495,800.
Is Wildwood, Missouri safe?⌄
Wildwood is policed by the Chesterfield Police Department, whose violent crime rate across its service area was 120 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is well below the national average — one of the safer cities in the country of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 908 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Wildwood, Missouri?⌄
Wildwood has an unemployment rate of 3.4%, which is solid, slightly below the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Wildwood, Missouri?⌄
The cost of living in Wildwood is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,661/month and median household income is $161,060/year. The median home value is $495,800. About 43% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Wildwood, Missouri?⌄
The average commute in Wildwood is 27 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