The Town FilesNorthwoods, Missouri
City in St. Louis County · population 3,687 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $76,000
- Household income
- $45,330
- Jan low / Jul high
- 25° / 90°
- Snow a year
- 17 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 53
- Median age
- 48.1
Northwoods is a city of 3,687 people in St. Louis County, Missouri. The median home is worth $76,000, below the typical Missouri town ($153,900). It ranks more walkable than 97% of Missouri towns, more of a college town than 96% of Missouri towns, more vibrant than 93% of Missouri towns.
How Northwoods ranks
Percentile among Missouri towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Missouri towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Northwoods is worth $76,000, below the typical Missouri town ($153,900). Homes cost about 1.7 times the median household income of $45,330, which is more affordable than 91% of Missouri towns. Median rent is $1,167 a month. 78.5% of households own their home.
| Housing | Northwoods | Typical Missouri town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $76,000 | $153,900 |
| Median rent | $1,167 | $855 |
| Median household income | $45,330 | $56,368 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.7× | 2.7× |
| Homeownership | 78.5% | 67.4% |
| Median year built | 1953 | 1972 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Northwoods
| People | Northwoods | Typical Missouri town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 48.1 | 38.6 |
| Age 65 and over | 28.5% | 17.7% |
| Under 18 | 17.4% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 21.9% | 18.9% |
| Below the poverty line | 24.8% | 14.6% |
| Veterans | 10.3% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 2.3% | — |
| Work from home | 9.1% | 7.9% |
| Average commute | 32.7 min | 23.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 79.8% | 88.7% |
Weather in Northwoods
July highs average 89.6°F and January lows 24.6°F. About 43.9 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 16.6 inches of snow (typical Missouri town: 11.1 in). Expect about 47 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 79 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
53 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Northwoods since 1950, compared with 23 for the typical Missouri town. 20 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF4, struck on April 22, 2011 about 2.7 miles from the town center. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 29 deaths and 666 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on June 21, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 295 times; the largest was 4.50 inches on May 25, 2011.
Severe weather in St. Louis County since 1996
St. Louis County has been included in 34 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, tornado.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| June 9, 2025 | Severe Storm | DR-4877: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| May 21, 2025 | Severe Storm | DR-4867: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Wildfires |
| August 8, 2022 | Flood | DR-4665: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| March 26, 2020 | Biological | DR-4490: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3482: Covid-19 |
Jobs and pay in St. Louis County
St. Louis County had 596,676 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $75,926 a year. Unemployment was 3% in 2023; in Northwoods itself the ACS puts it at 1.4%.
Towns near Northwoods
- Pine Lawn, MO0.7 mi · 2,754 people · home $66,800
- Normandy, MO1.0 mi · 4,287 people · home $87,300
- Jennings, MO1.7 mi · 12,895 people · home $68,800
- Pagedale, MO2.1 mi · 2,554 people · home $75,200
- Ferguson, MO3.2 mi · 18,527 people · home $109,900
- St. John, MO3.5 mi · 6,643 people · home $106,300
- Dellwood, MO3.7 mi · 4,914 people · home $83,700
- University City, MO3.7 mi · 35,065 people · home $306,700
Northwoods questions
Is Northwoods, Missouri a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Northwoods scores better for retirees than 45% of Missouri towns and quieter than 17%. 28.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 48.1).
How much does a house cost in Northwoods?
The median owner-occupied home in Northwoods is valued at $76,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $45,330, so homes cost about 1.7 times income. Median rent is $1,167 a month.
What is the weather like in Northwoods?
July highs average 89.6°F and January lows 24.6°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 43.9 inches of precipitation a year and 16.6 inches of snow.
Does Northwoods get tornadoes?
53 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Northwoods since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF4 on April 22, 2011. The typical Missouri town has had 23.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)