Minoma, 6617 Hazel Avenue
Northwoods’s story
Northwoods in pictures
Census counts: 733 in 1940, a peak of 5,831 in 1980, 3,687 in 2020. The archive holds 1 old photo or paper and 6 maps from 1933 on.
Explore the history →NorthwoodsMO
A town of 3,579.
Population
3,579
2025 Census estimate · −3% since 2020
Typical home
$92K
+1.6% in a year
Household income
$45K
median
Median age
48.1
years
Jobs based here
462
A commuter town
TownGrade
C−
#194 of 247 in MO
Is Northwoods a good place to live?
Northwoods gives you more for your money than most places: homes are within reach, about $92K for a typical one, or 1.1 years of the St. Louis metro’s $80K median household income. It grades C− overall, 194th of 247 graded towns in Missouri. The low prices come with trade-offs. Its schools rank among the lowest in Missouri on tests and graduation and CDC estimates put its residents' health behind 98% of the country. On the plus side, it is more walkable than 94% of U.S. towns. 25% of residents live below the poverty line in Northwoods, above both Missouri’s towns (14%) and U.S. towns (9.6%). Among 226 Missouri towns, just 7 have a lower typical home value than Northwoods.
What makes Northwoods stand out
Where Northwoods beats most towns.
WalkabilityA
More walkable than 95% of U.S. towns
8.7% of workers walk, bike or ride transit
EPA National Walkability Index; Census ACS.
Typical home value
Northwoods$92K
Missouri$265K
Cost of livingB+
More affordable than 75% of U.S. towns
Zillow Home Value Index; area median household income, Census ACS.
A shrinking town
Northwoods has shrunk 15% since 2010
4,227 counted in 2010 and 3,687 in 2020; an estimated 3,579 in 2025.
The decline has continued: down 3% since 2020, after 12.8% in the decade before.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts · Census Bureau estimate, July 1, 2025
How Northwoods grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Missouri), ordered by how far Northwoods is from typical.
Its grades run from A for walkability (better than 95% of comparable towns) to D− for schools (better than 1%), so the C− overall blends very different results.
SchoolsBehind 99% of Missouri districts on tests and graduationD−Open →HealthSt. Louis Childrens Hospital 4.7 miles awayD−Open →WalkabilityEPA walkability 11.7 of 20; 15.1% of households have no carAOpen →Cost of livingB+Open →Hazard riskheat waves tops the listCOpen →Jobs & income$45K median household incomeB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors1% conserved landCOpen →HistoryCOpen →Civic life4.3 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsC−Open →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
Climate–Open →Housing market–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 48.1; 22% of adults have a four-year degree–Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
Nearby attractions
All 59 attractions →Cahokia and 54 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Northwoods. Close and well known come first.
Big draw12 mi State parkCahokia
Big draw7 mi Stadium & arenaThe Dome at America's Center
7 mi Stadium & arenaBusch Stadium
7 mi National ParkGateway Arch National Park2.2M visitors a year
7 mi Stadium & arenaEnterprise Center
12 mi LandmarkMonks MoundSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
Cahokia: Thank You (24 Millions ) views, CC BY 2.0 · The Dome at America's Center: Paul Sableman, CC BY 2.0 · Busch Stadium: Lee Ann Ratledge, CC BY 4.0 · Gateway Arch National Park: Daniel Schwen, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Enterprise Center: Haaron755, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Monks Mound: Skubasteve834, CC BY-SA 3.0
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Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Northwoods: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Northwoods, and how to reach them.
PowerUnion Electric13.3¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterMissouri American WaterNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet5 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNearest public drop-offDrop Off Recycling, 2 miOpenStreetMap
Register to voteOnlineIn Missouri you can register online until 27 days before Election Day, in person until 27 days before Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 27 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereSt. LouisSt. Louis County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Nov 2019
ZIP code6312163121 100%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Northwoods.
Northwoods has homes that are cheap against local pay, but it has poverty well above the Missouri rate and has a long record of flood insurance claims.
HousingCost of living grade B+
Northwoods earns a B+ for cost of living
At 1.1 years of the St. Louis metro’s $80K median household income, the typical home (about $92K) costs less against local pay than in 98% of Missouri towns; that ratio is one input to its B+ for cost of living.
79% of households own their home in Northwoods. The typical Northwoods home is worth about $92,000, up 1.6% in a year, 65% below the Missouri typical home.
$92KZillow home value
| Northwoods | Missouri towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 79% | 64% | 73% |
| Median rent | $1,167 a month | $970 a month | $1,185 a month |
Typical home value
Northwoods$92K
Missouri$265K
+1.6%
value change, 1 year
3
homes sold in May
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
HealthD−
More of Northwoods’ adults say their health is fair or poor than in the typical Missouri or U.S. town
34% of Northwoods adults say their health is fair or poor. Only 9 of the 247 Missouri towns we compare have a higher share of adults who feel lonely than Northwoods. 19% of Northwoods adults report frequent physical distress.
2%healthier than U.S. townsD−Health Grade
| Northwoods | Missouri towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES) | 34% | 22% | 19% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 24% | 12% | 12% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 44% | 30% | 25% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 56% | 37% | 35% |
32 measures vs. Missouri
8 better3 too close to call21 worse
| What stands out | Northwoods | MO |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer binge drinkers | 9.6% | 16.3% |
| Fewer adults who have had cancer | 6.7% | 8.6% |
| More adults facing a utility shut-off | 23% | 9% |
St. Louis Childrens Hospital
4.7 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
6th
percentile among MO towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Work & commuteJobs & income grade B−
With 0.3 jobs for every working resident, most of Northwoods’ workers commute out
Jobs based here fell from 597 in 2013 to 462. The average commute for its 1,343 working residents takes 32.7 minutes, against 23.5 across Missouri.
Most working residents leave Northwoods for work: only 2% work in town. Northwoods’ average trip to work is 33 minutes. Jobs based in Northwoods fell to 462 in 2023, 135 fewer than in 2013.
2%work in town
| Northwoods | Missouri towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 33 minutes | 22 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Working residents who work in town | 1.7% | 13% | 8% |
| Median household income | $45,000 | $62,000 | $80,000 |
Where working residents work
In Northwoods2%
St. Louis26%
Maryland Heights5%
Bridgeton3%
Hazelwood3%
7 mi
median commute distance
462
jobs based in Northwoods
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
A
Walkability grade: more walkable than 94% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Climate
In Northwoods, expect four seasons and hot summers
Northwoods has chilly winters and warm summers. July afternoons reach 88°, January nights drop to 23° and about 17 inches of snow falls in a winter.
17″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter26–43°
Spring46–67°
Summer67–87°
Fall48–68°
Nov 4
typical first frost
Apr 2
typical last frost
+1.0°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade C
Heat waves leads a high hazard risk in Northwoods
85 flood insurance claims have been filed here, and 11 properties have flooded more than once.
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 66% of U.S. communities. Since 1978, 85 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Northwoods.
66risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Heat wavesEarthquakesInland flooding
85
paid flood claims since 1978
5
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Safety
Crime reported in Northwoods
Northwoods's reported crime rate is below Missouri's. The violent crime rate in Northwoods is 4.4 per 1,000 residents.
| Northwoods | Missouri towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 4.4 per 1,000 residents | 2.2 | 1.6 |
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 7.8 per 1,000 residents | 12.5 | 9.9 |
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Northwoods4.4
Missouri4.3
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Northwoods7.8
Missouri16.9
U.S.15.5
17
violent crimes reported in 2025
30
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
OutdoorsC
Northwoods has set aside 0.7% of its land for conservation
0.0 miles of trail in 1 park or preserve.
0.7%conserved
0.7%
conserved · 3 of 445 acres
0.0 mi
of trails · 0 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Northwoods Park | — | 2 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Northwoods
19pages on Northwoods
The big questions
SchoolsD−Behind 99% of MO districtsSafety4.4 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2025)HealthD−Better than MO on 8 of 32 CDC measuresCost of livingB+$92K typical home · up 1.6% in a yearWork & commuteB−$45K median household income · 462 jobs hereNatural hazardsCFEMA risk higher than 66% of U.S. communities · heat waves
Out and about
The story
Day to day
After high school
Colleges nearby
24 within 15 miles of the center of Northwoods
University of Missouri-St LouisUniversity or college · Public · Saint Louis1.6 mi$14,112 in-state tuitionRanken Technical CollegeCommunity college · Private nonprofit · Saint Louis3.9 mi$18,008 tuitionWashington University in St LouisUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · St. Louis4.1 mi$65,790 tuition
About 3 of every 100 Northwoods residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Missouri.
A commuter town
98% of working residents leave Northwoods for work
Where Northwoods’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
462jobs based in Northwoods
2%of working residents work in town
7 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
About Northwoods
City in Missouri, United States
Northwoods is a city in St. Louis County, Missouri, United States. As of the 2020 census, Northwoods had a population of 3,687.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 0.7 sq mi
- Elevation
- 558 ft
- Area code
- 314
Northwoods’s neighbors
5 towns share a border with Northwoods.
JenningsPine LawnBeverly HillsNorwood CourtPasadena HillsNorthwoods
How the neighbors grade
| Town | MO rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Northwoods | #194 | C− | B+ | — | D− | D− |
| Jennings | #213 | D | A− | — | D | D− |
| Pine Lawn | #207 | D | A− | — | D− | D− |
| Beverly Hills | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Norwood Court | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Pasadena Hills | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Northwoods, Jennings and Pine Lawn report no FBI crime data of their own. Beverly Hills, Norwood Court and Pasadena Hills aren’t graded (fewer than 1,000 residents, or not enough data). Compare Northwoods with a neighbor →
Questions about Northwoods
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Northwoods, MO a good place to live?
Northwoods grades C− overall, better than 19% of U.S. towns and #194 of 247 in Missouri. It grades D− for health and D− for schools. Schools is its weak spot, with a D−.
Is Northwoods, MO expensive?
Not for the area. Louis, MO-IL metro area). Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades B+.