Business Development

Regional Overview

A regional overview of St. Louis identifies the emerging area as one of the nation’s leading financial service centers. As a result, St. Louis ranks as the 3rd most concentrated market for investment advisors. Additionally, the single biggest driver of our regional economy is health care, attesting to St. Louis’ national and global role as a center for Health Science and Services. Moreover, given the area’s geography and infrastructure, it’s no surprise the St. Louis region has a tradition of leadership in transportation, distribution and logistics.

From a macro standpoint, the St. Louis regional economy largely mirrors the U.S., due to its industry sectors rising and falling in sync with national trends and continuing to evolve. Also, the startups in the technology and life science fields are getting launched and funded at a rate unimaginable just a few years ago.

Some facts and figures on the St. Louis region:

Metro Population:  2,812,000
Metro Size in U.S.: 20th largest area
Major Industries:  Bio-Science, Health Care, Education, Finance
Gross Metro Product:  $155 B (2016)
Median Household Income:  $55,066
Median Home Price:  $157,100
Unemployment:  4.4%
Job Growth:  1.4% (2016 Q4)
Cost of Living:  6.9% below national average
College Attainment:  31.1%
Graduate Degrees:  12.9%
Average Commute:  25.3 minutes
Bi-state Metro Counties: 15