West Alton, Mo, 2012
West Alton’s story
131 years in pictures
Census counts: 573 in 2000, 359 in 2020. The archive holds 3 old photos and papers going back to 2004 and 6 maps from 1927 on.
- 1895West Alton is settled
West AltonMO
A town of 354, settled in 1895.
6 bordering townsMap →
Photo: Paul Sableman · CC BY 2.0
Population
354
2025 Census estimate · −0.8% since 2020
Typical home
$169K
−13.7% in a year
Household income
$112K
median
Median age
36.5
years
Jobs based here
296
A job hub
Is West Alton a good place to live?
Among 248 Missouri towns, just 5 have a lower share of residents below the poverty line than West Alton. 14% of the land in West Alton is conserved, where Missouri’s towns sit at 2.1% and U.S. towns at 4.3%. West Alton has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Small town
354 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
GodfreyAltonAlton TownshipWood River TownshipElsah TownshipChouteau TownshipWest Alton
Nearby attractions
All 57 attractions →Cahokia and 53 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around West Alton. Close and well known come first.
Big draw16 mi State parkCahokia
Big draw16 mi Stadium & arenaThe Dome at America's Center
2 mi Ancient sitePiasa
17 mi Stadium & arenaBusch Stadium
16 mi National ParkGateway Arch National Park2.2M visitors a year
16 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 · Piasa: Burfalcy, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Busch Stadium: Lee Ann Ratledge, CC BY 4.0 · Gateway Arch National Park: Daniel Schwen, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Monks Mound: Skubasteve834, CC BY-SA 3.0
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Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to West Alton: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in West Alton, and how to reach them.
PowerUnion Electric13.3¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
InternetProviders and speedsData pending · D4
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have West Alton’s trash rules yet
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. CharlesSt. Charles County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Aug 2019
ZIP code6338663386 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 West Alton.
Work & commute
A job hub: West Alton has 1.6 jobs for every working resident and draws in 294 commuters
Most working residents leave West Alton for work: only 1% work in town. At $112,000, West Alton’s median household income is against $62,000 in Missouri’s towns and $80,000 across U.S. towns. West Alton’s average trip to work is 29 minutes.
1%work in town
| West Alton | Missouri towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $112,000 | $62,000 | $80,000 |
| Average trip to work | 29 minutes | 22 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Working residents who work in town | 1.1% | 13% | 8% |
Where working residents work
In West Alton1%
St. Charles16%
St. Louis9%
St. Peters8%
O'Fallon5%
18 mi
median commute distance
296
jobs based in West Alton
A job hub
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Housing
Homes in West Alton are worth about $169K, by Zillow’s estimate
The typical West Alton home is worth about $169,000, down 13.7% in a year, 36% below the Missouri typical home. 86% of households own their home in West Alton.
$169KZillow home value
| West Alton | Missouri towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 86% | 64% | 73% |
| Median rent | $1,375 a month | $971 a month | $1,185 a month |
Typical home value
West Alton$169K
Missouri$265K
−13.7%
value change, 1 year
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Natural hazards
High risk in West Alton, with inland flooding at the top
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 76% of U.S. communities. Since 1990, 253 flood insurance claims have been paid out in West Alton.
76risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingEarthquakesTornadoes
253
paid flood claims since 1990
3
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Climate
Four seasons and hot summers in West Alton
West Alton has chilly winters and warm summers. July afternoons reach 88°, January nights drop to 23° and about 11 inches of snow falls in a winter.
11″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter26–43°
Spring45–66°
Summer67–87°
Fall47–68°
Nov 5
typical first frost
Apr 4
typical last frost
+0.9°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Who lives here
More children than Missouri overall
Children under 18 are 30% of residents (22% statewide); adults 18 to 34 are 15% of residents (22% statewide). 12% of West Alton residents are 65 or older. 23% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor’s degree or more, vs 32% across Missouri.
36.5median age · MO 39
| West Alton | Missouri towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aged 65 or older | 12% | 17% | 18% |
| Median age | 36.5 years | 38.5 years | 40.5 years |
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 23% | 22% | 29% |
West AltonMissouriUnited States
Ages · share of residents
23%
Education · adults 25 and older
No diploma7%
High school32%
Some college30%
Associate’s8%
Bachelor’s18%
Graduate5%
Women and men · all residents
52% women, 48% men
That’s an even split within the survey’s margin of ±8.2 points. Across Missouri, 50.7% of residents are women.
| West Alton | MO | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 22.9% | 11.9% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 7.5% | 10.4% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 4.1% | 9.1% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 11.1% | 13.2% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 23.3% | 12.8% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 8.8% | 11.6% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 10.1% | 13% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 10.1% | 10.6% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 2.1% | 7.3% | 7% |
| No diploma | 7.2% | 8.1% | 10.4% |
| High school | 32.4% | 30.2% | 26% |
| Some college | 30.1% | 20.8% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 7.8% | 8.4% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 18% | 19.8% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 4.6% | 12.6% | 14.1% |
U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 400, single groups can be off by several points
Outdoors
West Alton has set aside 14.3% of its land for conservation
34 miles of trail in 2 parks and preserves. The trail density in West Alton is 0.9 miles per square mile.
14.3%conserved
14.3%
conserved · 3,398 of 23,697 acres
34 mi
of trails · 0.9 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Big Muddy National Fish and Wildlife Refuge Cora Island Unit | — | 1,402 |
| 2. West Alton Memorial Park | 0.1 mi | 2 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Health
How healthy West Alton is
West Alton beats the Missouri average on 1 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 1.
| West Alton | Missouri towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 16% | 16% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 41% | 38% | 36% |
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 29% | 32% | 33% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 17% | 14% |
32 measures vs. Missouri
1 better30 too close to call1 worse
| What stands out | West Alton | MO |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing a utility shut-off | 7.2% | 9% |
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 21.9% | 15.8% |
Alton Memorial Hospital
3.4 mi away · emergency room
1 of 3
care shortages: mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Keep exploring
Everything we know about West Alton
17pages on West Alton
The big questions
Out and about
After high school
Colleges nearby
6 within 15 miles of the center of West Alton
Lewis and Clark Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Godfrey, IL6.2 mi$4,340 in-state tuitionPrincipia CollegeUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Elsah, IL9.9 mi$34,680 tuitionUniversity of Missouri-St LouisUniversity or college · Public · Saint Louis12 mi$14,112 in-state tuition
About 2 of every 100 West Alton residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Missouri.
A job hub
Every workday, about 294 people come to West Alton for work
Where West Alton’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
296jobs based in West Alton
1%of working residents work in town
18 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
About West Alton
City in Missouri, United States
West Alton is a city in St. Charles County, Missouri, United States. The population was 359 at the 2020 census. It is located at the tip of the peninsula formed by the confluence of the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers and is directly across Alton, Illinois.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 37 sq mi
- Elevation
- 443 ft
- ZIP code
- 63386
- Area code
- 573
Questions about West Alton
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is West Alton, MO a good place to live?
West Alton has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.