St. Louis Rents Are Going Down

"Rents in the St. Louis metro are easing as 2025 comes to a close, offering renters some relief after several years of uneven price growth going into the new year. The Realtor.com® November 2025 Rental Report shows that asking rents in St. Louis are now lower than they were a year ago, placing the metro within the broader national rental cooldown. While the trend is encouraging, affordability remains a concern for many households across the region."

"St. Louis posted a 1.3% year-over-year decline in median asking rent for 0- to 2-bedroom units in November, with the average rent coming in at $1,305. Lower rents are helping at the margins, but affordability challenges persist. Two minimum-wage earners in the St. Louis area would each need to work about 38 hours per week to afford the median rental while keeping housing costs at 30% of income."

"Across the 50 largest U.S. metros, the median asking rent fell to $1,693 in November, down 1% from a year earlier. That marked the 28th consecutive month of year-over-year rent declines nationwide. The slowdown has been consistent across unit sizes. Studio rents are down 0.4% year over year, while 1-bedroom and 2-bedroom units each declined about 1%. Economists note that studios often respond first to shifts in demand, so their near-flat performance may signal stabilizing renter interest, even as larger units continue to soften."

St. Louis median asking rents for 0- to 2-bedroom units declined 1.3% year-over-year in November to $1,305, giving renters modest negotiating power. Two minimum-wage earners would each need to work about 38 hours per week to keep housing costs at 30% of income. The metro’s decline aligns with a national cooling: the median asking rent across the 50 largest U.S. metros fell to $1,693 in November, down 1% year over year, marking 28 consecutive months of declines. Studio rents are down 0.4%, while one- and two-bedroom rents fell about 1%. Rents remain higher than pre-pandemic levels.

Read at SFGATE