The Town FilesSpanish Lake, Missouri
Community in St. Louis County · population 18,413 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $135,600
- Household income
- $55,920
- Jan low / Jul high
- 22° / 87°
- Snow a year
- 17 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 55
- Median age
- 33.0
Spanish Lake is a community of 18,413 people in St. Louis County, Missouri. The median home is worth $135,600, below the typical Missouri town ($153,900). It ranks better for first-time buyers than 90% of Missouri towns, more walkable than 88% of Missouri towns, better transit than 88% of Missouri towns.
How Spanish Lake 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 Spanish Lake is worth $135,600, below the typical Missouri town ($153,900). Homes cost about 2.4 times the median household income of $55,920, which is more affordable than 70% of Missouri towns. Median rent is $1,160 a month. 49.2% of households own their home.
| Housing | Spanish Lake | Typical Missouri town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $135,600 | $153,900 |
| Median rent | $1,160 | $855 |
| Median household income | $55,920 | $56,368 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.4× | 2.7× |
| Homeownership | 49.2% | 67.4% |
| Median year built | 1969 | 1972 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.6% | — |
Who lives in Spanish Lake
| People | Spanish Lake | Typical Missouri town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 33.0 | 38.6 |
| Age 65 and over | 11.9% | 17.7% |
| Under 18 | 26.9% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 14.3% | 18.9% |
| Below the poverty line | 14.8% | 14.6% |
| Veterans | 6.2% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.9% | — |
| Work from home | 9.8% | 7.9% |
| Average commute | 24.6 min | 23.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 92.6% | 88.7% |
Weather in Spanish Lake
July highs average 87.3°F and January lows 21.7°F. About 41.9 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 16.6 inches of snow (typical Missouri town: 11.1 in). Expect about 29 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 85 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
55 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Spanish Lake since 1950, compared with 23 for the typical Missouri town. 25 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF4, struck on April 22, 2011 about 3.0 miles from the town center. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 25 deaths and 511 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on April 27, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 173 times; the largest was 3.75 inches on March 14, 2024.
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 Spanish Lake itself the ACS puts it at 7.2%.
Public schools in Spanish Lake
4 public schools with 1,435 students, about 12.9 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| SOUTHEAST MIDDLE | 6-8 | 469 | 13.8 |
| ARROWPOINT ELEM. | PK-5 | 358 | 12.8 |
| LARIMORE ELEM. | PK-5 | 345 | 13.3 |
| TWILLMAN ELEM. | PK-5 | 263 | 11.4 |
Towns near Spanish Lake
- Glasgow Village, MO2.2 mi · 4,584 people · home $69,000
- Bellefontaine Neighbors, MO2.7 mi · 10,740 people · home $99,700
- Black Jack, MO3.1 mi · 6,634 people · home $193,000
- Castle Point, MO3.1 mi · 2,815 people · home $62,600
- Dellwood, MO4.3 mi · 4,914 people · home $83,700
- Old Jamestown, MO5.3 mi · 19,790 people · home $236,100
- Jennings, MO5.5 mi · 12,895 people · home $68,800
- Ferguson, MO5.5 mi · 18,527 people · home $109,900
Spanish Lake questions
Is Spanish Lake, Missouri a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Spanish Lake scores better for retirees than 2% of Missouri towns and quieter than 2%. 11.9% of residents are 65 or older (median age 33.0).
How much does a house cost in Spanish Lake?
The median owner-occupied home in Spanish Lake is valued at $135,600 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $55,920, so homes cost about 2.4 times income. Median rent is $1,160 a month.
What is the weather like in Spanish Lake?
July highs average 87.3°F and January lows 21.7°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 41.9 inches of precipitation a year and 16.6 inches of snow.
Does Spanish Lake get tornadoes?
55 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Spanish Lake 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)