Streetcar Station - Wellston Loop, 2010
Wellston’s story
138 years in pictures
The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 2010.
- 1888Wellston is settled
WellstonMO
A town of 1,580, settled in 1888.
Population
1,580
2025 Census estimate · +2.8% since 2020
Typical home
$59K
+5.4% in a year
Household income
$45K
median
Median age
48.1
years
Jobs based here
809
A job hub
Is Wellston a good place to live?
The best of Wellston’s subject grades is an A+ for walkability; the weakest is a D− for health. 35% of residents live below the poverty line in Wellston, against 14% in Missouri’s towns and 9.6% across U.S. towns. No town in Missouri scores higher than Wellston on walkability. Wellston's schools rank among the lowest in Missouri on tests and graduation. Only 15 of Missouri’s 390 towns score lower on civic life. Wellston has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
What makes Wellston stand out
Where Wellston beats most towns, and one thing worth knowing.
WalkabilityA+
More walkable than 99% of U.S. towns
17.7% of workers walk, bike or ride transit
EPA National Walkability Index; Census ACS.
Typical home value
Wellston$59K
Missouri$265K
Cost of livingB+
0.7 years of income buys a home
More affordable than 71% of U.S. towns
Zillow Home Value Index; area median household income, Census ACS.
32 measures vs. Missouri
4 better3 too close to call25 worse
| Widest gap | Wellston | MO |
|---|---|---|
| More adults facing a utility shut-off | 32.1% | 9% |
Worth knowing · HealthD−
Less healthy than 99% of U.S. towns
Trails MO on 25 of 32 CDC measures, beats it on 4
Less healthyHealthier
CDC PLACES 2025 estimates.
A shrinking town
Wellston has shrunk 32% since 2010
2,313 counted in 2010 and 1,537 in 2020; an estimated 1,580 in 2025.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts · Census Bureau estimate, July 1, 2025
How Wellston grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Missouri), ordered by how far Wellston is from typical.
HealthNear the bottom of U.S. towns on CDC estimates; SSM Health St. Mary's Hospital - St. Louis 3 miles awayD−Open →WalkabilityEPA walkability 15.8 of 20; 20.5% of households have no carA+Open →SchoolsBehind 99% of Missouri districts on tests and graduationD−Open →Jobs & income$45K median household incomeCOpen →Cost of livingB+Open →Hazard riskFEMA risk higher than 34% of U.S. communities; earthquakes tops the listB+Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors0 miles of trails; 1% conserved landC+Open →History1 notable person born hereB−Open →Civic life3 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsDOpen →
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; 12% 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 Wellston. Close and well known come first.
Big draw13 mi State parkCahokia
Big draw6 mi Stadium & arenaThe Dome at America's Center
7 mi Stadium & arenaBusch Stadium
7 mi National ParkGateway Arch National Park2.2M visitors a year
6 mi Stadium & arenaEnterprise Center
13 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 Wellston: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Wellston, and how to reach them.
PowerUnion Electric13.3¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterMissouri American WaterNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet5 providers98% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNearest public drop-offDrop Off Recycling, 1 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 codes63133, 6313063133 99% · 63130 1%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 Wellston.
HousingCost of living grade B+
The typical home in Wellston is valued at about $59K
The typical Wellston home is worth about $59,000, up 5.4% in a year, 78% below the Missouri typical home. 49% of Wellston households own their home, below both the Missouri town median (64%) and the median of U.S. towns (73%).
$59KZillow home value
| Wellston | Missouri towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 49% | 64% | 73% |
| Median rent | $1,005 a month | $971 a month | $1,185 a month |
Typical home value
Wellston$59K
Missouri$265K
+5.4%
value change, 1 year
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
SchoolsD−
Wellston’s public schools rank near the bottom of Missouri
One of its 2 schools is below, with why it’s listed. The largest public high school is Normandy High, with 688 students.
1%of MO districts it outscoresD−School Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Normandy HighLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 688 | D |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within MO on state tests and graduation
HealthD−
Wellston stands out in Missouri and nationally, with more of its adults who say their health is fair or poor
38% of adults say their health is fair or poor in Wellston. Only 1 of the 248 Missouri towns we compare have a higher share of adults who feel lonely than Wellston. 23% of adults report frequent mental distress in Wellston.
1%healthier than U.S. townsD−Health Grade
| Wellston | Missouri towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES) | 38% | 22% | 19% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 27% | 17% | 14% |
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 49% | 38% | 35% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 22% | 12% | 12% |
32 measures vs. Missouri
4 better3 too close to call25 worse
| What stands out | Wellston | MO |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults who have had cancer | 4.7% | 8.6% |
| Fewer binge drinkers | 10.8% | 16.3% |
| More adults facing a utility shut-off | 32.1% | 9% |
SSM Health St. Mary's Hospital - St. Louis
3 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Work & commuteJobs & income grade C
With 1.5 jobs for every working resident, Wellston draws in 791 commuters
Most working residents leave Wellston for work: only 3% work in town. Jobs based in Wellston fell to 809 in 2023, 308 fewer than in 2013. The average trip to work in Wellston is 20 minutes.
3%work in town
| Wellston | Missouri towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working residents who work in town | 3.3% | 13% | 8% |
| Average trip to work | 20 minutes | 22 minutes | 25 minutes |
Where working residents work
In Wellston3%
St. Louis27%
Maryland Heights6%
Bridgeton4%
Brentwood3%
6 mi
median commute distance
809
jobs based in Wellston
A job hub
jobs vs. working residents
A+
Walkability grade: among the most walkable U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Climate
Four seasons and hot summers in Wellston
Wellston 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°
Spring46–66°
Summer67–87°
Fall48–68°
Nov 4
typical first frost
Apr 2
typical last frost
+0.9°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade B+
Earthquakes leads a low hazard risk in Wellston
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 66% of U.S. communities. Since 1979, 30 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Wellston.
34risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
EarthquakesHeat wavesInland flooding
30
paid flood claims since 1979
2
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
0.7%conserved
| Wellston | Missouri towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.1 miles per square mile | 0.3 | 0.4 |
| Conserved land | 0.7% | 2.1% | 4.3% |
0.7%
conserved · 4 of 591 acres
0.1 mi
of trails · 0.1 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Trojan Park | — | 2 |
| 2. Isabella Park | — | 1 |
| 3. Powell Park | — | 1 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Wellston
19pages on Wellston
The big questions
Out and about
The story
Day to day
After high school
Colleges nearby
24 within 15 miles of the center of Wellston
Washington University in St LouisUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · St. Louis2.1 mi$65,790 tuitionFontbonne UniversityUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Saint Louis2.5 miUniversity of Missouri-St LouisUniversity or college · Public · Saint Louis2.6 mi$14,112 in-state tuition
About 3 of every 100 Wellston residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Missouri.
A job hub
Every workday, about 791 people come to Wellston for work
Where Wellston’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
809jobs based in Wellston
3%of working residents work in town
6 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
Wellston’s neighbors
4 towns share a border with Wellston.
HillsdaleUniversity CityPagedaleNormandyWellston
How the neighbors grade
| Town | MO rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wellston | — | — | B+ | — | D− | D− |
| Hillsdale | — | — | A− | — | D− | D− |
| University City | #168 | C | C− | C | D | A− |
| Pagedale | #244 | D− | A− | D− | D− | D− |
| Normandy | #185 | C− | A+ | D | D− | C+ |
Wellston and Hillsdale have fewer than 2,500 residents, so they get subject grades but no overall grade. Wellston and Hillsdale report no FBI crime data of their own. Compare Wellston with a neighbor →
Questions about Wellston
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Wellston, 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+.