What it's like to live in Creve Coeur
Creve Coeur is a small city in Missouri with household incomes running above the national average, commutes that run shorter than most cities, a highly educated workforce, and schools with smaller class sizes than the national average. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Creve Coeur deals with home prices well above the national average and cold winters.
The good
- Higher-than-average incomes
- Short commutes
- Highly educated workforce
- Low student-teacher ratio
The not so good
- High home prices
- Cold winters
How Creve Coeur compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Creve Coeur
Based on Creve Coeur's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$3,244
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $64,880 a year
- 43% of Creve Coeur renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$122,800
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $61,400
- Homes cost 4.8× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▲ 15% above US
$1,622/mo median rent
Rent is pretty middle of the road, at $1,622 a month median. Not a bargain, not a budget-buster. About typical for a city this size. Home prices are steep, with a median around $614,000. Renting first to get a feel for the city before buying is often the more practical route.
Median home value $614,000 · 43% of renters cost-burdened
Job market
4.1% county unemployment
Unemployment in St. Louis County is 4.1%, close to the national average of 4.3%. That's the county-wide rate; BLS doesn't measure a place this size on its own.
St. Louis County (county-wide)
Safety▼ 28% below US
238 violent crimes per 100k
Pretty safe, all things considered. Violent crime sits below the national average, nothing alarming, just ordinary city-life awareness.
Property crime 1408/100k · Creve Coeur Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▼ 29% below US
19 min average commute
Commutes are reasonable, averaging 18.5 minutes. Nothing heroic, and there's still time left over for a life after work. 7 in 10 workers drive to work; 24% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are warm, with highs around 87°F, and winters are cold, with lows around 25°F and snow a regular occurrence. Rainfall is regular throughout the year.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Healthcare
2 hospitals
There are 2 Medicare-certified hospitals inside city limits. They average 4.5 out of 5 on Medicare's star rating.
Medicare-certified hospitals
Education & workforce▲ 95% above US
70% bachelor's degree or higher
This is a highly educated city, with over half the adult population holding a college degree. That tends to shape the job market and the broader culture, and it's a solid indicator of a strong professional scene.
Schools
5 public schools inside the boundary
There are 5 public schools inside the boundary and 7 private schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 13:1, well below the national average of 16:1. Smaller class sizes are generally a positive sign for a district.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Ulysses S Grant National Historic Site (9 miles away). There are 6 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Creve Coeur's strongest points are household incomes running above the national average and commutes that run shorter than most cities; the main tradeoffs are home prices well above the national average and cold winters. A year of median rent ($1,622/mo) equals 15% of the median household income here, less than the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit anyone prioritizing low crime, remote workers (24% of workers here already work from home), and people who want short commutes.
Other places near Creve Coeur
All Missouri guides →Moving to Maryland Heights →
4 mi away · pop. 27,880
Rent $1,312/mo · Income $86,436
Compare with Creve Coeur →Moving to Overland →
5 mi away · pop. 15,695
Rent $1,112/mo · Income $61,773
Compare with Creve Coeur →Not sure Creve Coeur is the one?
Put it side by side with another city.