St. Louisans aren’t boastful, so don’t expect to hear them brag about their community. But they do feel a deep pride and affection for it for a simple reason: They know that Greater St. Louis is one of the best places to live and do business in the country. Take a look at some of the specific data that give the answers area residents already know: “Why St. Louis?”

Regional and County Profiles
Consisting of 16 counties that are collectively home to more than 2.8 million people, the St. Louis area sits squarely in the Central time zone and spans both sides of the Missouri and Mississippi rivers, with a footprint that extends into both Missouri and Illinois.

Population and Demographics
More than 2.8 million people live in Greater St. Louis, making it the nation’s 18th-largest metropolitan area. Companies doing business in the region have access to a growing and well-educated work force.

Work Force and Training
Low cost of living, wages that are higher than the national average, impressive educational resources and exciting local industries contribute to a vibrant and well-educated local work force.

Education
More than 25 universities and colleges produce over 27,000 graduates with bachelor’s, post-bachelor’s, or professional degrees each year.

Transportation and Infrastructure
An international airport, the nation’s second-largest inland U.S. port and third-largest rail center, four Interstates, and convenient public transit make getting anywhere in — or from — St. Louis easy.

Ratings and Rankings
One of Forbes’ “200 Best Metropolitan Areas" in America in 2007, Greater St. Louis is a community that shines in numerous areas, from business environment and cost of living to health care and quality of transportation.

Regional Locations and Expansions
Tapping our community’s ever-growing, well-educated and diverse work force, companies in several industries have established locations or grown operations already based here in recent years. Recent examples include the Abengoa Bioenergy, Covidien Ltd. and more.

Regional Map Room
This growing collection of maps provides geographic tools for economic development planning and site selection analysis.

Executive Summary
Click here to download a 22-page Executive Summary (2.45 MB) providing a comprehensive overview of region-wide demographic and statistical information. A black and white version (3.5 MB) is also available in the Documents Library, along with versions in Chinese, French, German, and Japanese.