Census-designated place · Missouri
Spanish Lake, Missouri
Spanish Lake, census-designated place, in St. Louis County, Missouri. Spanish Lake had 17,873 people in the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates (±1,543). GEOID 2969266.
Residents, 2020-2024
17,873
±1,543 (90% margin)
2020 Census count: 18,413
Median household income
$55,920
±$4,576 (90% margin)
Missouri: $70,702
Median home value
$135,600
±$19,612 (90% margin)
Missouri: $230,300
Median gross rent
$1,160
±$78 (90% margin)
Missouri: $1,033
Where is Spanish Lake and what county is it in?
Spanish Lake is a census-designated place: an unincorporated community the Census Bureau draws for counting, with no city government of its own, in St. Louis County, Missouri. It covers 7.4 square miles of land, 2,498 residents per square mile in 2020.
Spanish Lake is in the St. Louis, MO-IL metropolitan statistical area, which takes in 15 counties (Census Bureau delineation, July 2023).
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Spanish Lake, and is it growing?
The 2020-2024 American Community Survey puts Spanish Lake's population at 17,873 (±1,543). The 2020 Census counted 18,413 residents.
The Census Bureau publishes yearly population estimates for incorporated places only; Spanish Lake is a census-designated place, so its figures come from the ACS and the 2020 Census.
| Measure | Spanish Lake | St. Louis County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 17,873 ±1,543 | 995,569 | no clear change |
| Households | 7,215 ±579 | 413,849 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.45 ±0.14 | 2.36 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 8,939 ±625 | 446,192 | no clear change |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Spanish Lake?
The median resident of Spanish Lake is 33.0 years old; 26.9% are under 18 and 11.9% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic Black residents at 80.3%, then non-Hispanic white residents at 14.1%. 1.9% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Spanish Lake | St. Louis County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 33.0 ±2.5 | 40.3 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 26.9% ±2.6 pts | 22.0% | – |
| 65 years and over | 11.9% ±2.7 pts | 19.1% | – |
| Male | 44.2% ±2.8 pts | 47.8% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 1.2% ±0.9 pts | 3.9% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 14.1% ±2.9 pts | 61.4% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 80.3% ±3.2 pts | 24.0% | no clear change |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.6% ±0.5 pts | 4.9% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.1% ±0.1 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.2 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 3.3% ±1.5 pts | 5.3% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.4% ±0.6 pts | 0.5% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 1.9% ±1.1 pts | 8.4% | no clear change |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 2.3% ±1.3 pts | 10.5% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 6.2% ±2.0 pts | 6.0% | – |
| With a disability | 16.8% ±3.0 pts | 12.1% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 13.3% ±3.3 pts | 5.7% | no clear change |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 89.6% ±2.8 pts | 94.5% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 14.3% ±3.3 pts | 47.4% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 5.4% ±2.2 pts | 20.4% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 86.6% ±3.5 pts | 88.2% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 0.6% ±0.8 pts | 2.0% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Spanish Lake earn?
Half of Spanish Lake's 7,215 households earn less than $55,920 a year (±$4,576), against $82,936 in St. Louis County and $70,702 in Missouri. In 2015-2019 the median was $45,724 in 2024 dollars, so it rose by $10,196 after inflation. 14.8% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Spanish Lake | St. Louis County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $55,920 ±$4,576 | $82,936 | +$10,196 |
| Mean household income | $70,453 ±$6,066 | $123,036 | – |
| Per capita income | $29,313 ±$2,423 | $51,977 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 14.8% ±3.3 pts | 9.8% | −7.3 pts |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 20.8% ±6.6 pts | 13.5% | no clear change |
| Households receiving SNAP | 25.7% ±5.3 pts | 8.0% | – |
| Households with a computer | 96.0% ±1.9 pts | 96.3% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 92.6% ±2.9 pts | 93.4% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Spanish Lake?
Owners occupy 49.2% of Spanish Lake's occupied homes and renters 50.8%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $135,600 by its owner (±$19,612). The median renter pays $1,160 a month including utilities, and 46.0% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Spanish Lake | St. Louis County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $135,600 ±$19,612 | $276,800 | no clear change |
| Median gross rent | $1,160 ±$78 | $1,209 | +$157 |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 46.0% ±8.4 pts | 39.5% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,349 ±$85 | $1,753 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 49.2% ±5.2 pts | 69.2% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 50.8% ±5.2 pts | 30.8% | – |
| Housing units | 8,939 ±625 | 446,192 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.5% ±0.8 pts | 0.7% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 4.4% ±3.0 pts | 5.0% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 63.8% ±3.9 pts | 72.0% | – |
| Mobile homes | 0.0% ±0.4 pts | 0.3% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.0% ±0.4 pts | 0.7% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 0.8% ±0.7 pts | 3.5% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 5.6% ±3.6 pts | 9.7% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 9.9% ±2.7 pts | 6.6% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How do people in Spanish Lake work and get to work?
75.2% of Spanish Lake's workers drive alone and 9.8% work from home. The average trip to work takes 24.6 minutes. The unemployment rate in 2020-2024 averaged 7.2%.
| Measure | Spanish Lake | St. Louis County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 69.0% ±4.6 pts | 65.0% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 7.2% ±2.9 pts | 4.3% | no clear change |
| Drove alone to work | 75.2% ±4.9 pts | 71.3% | – |
| Carpooled | 11.3% ±4.7 pts | 6.4% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.2% ±0.2 pts | 1.4% | – |
| Walked | 1.8% ±1.7 pts | 1.4% | – |
| Worked from home | 9.8% ±3.4 pts | 18.3% | +4.5 pts |
| Mean travel time to work | 24.6 min ±1.3 | 23.1 min | −4.2 min |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What census tracts are in Spanish Lake?
5 census tracts lie mostly in Spanish Lake (2020 census blocks). Their median household incomes run from $52,586 (Tract 2107.02) to $74,306 (Tract 2101.01).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 2107.02St. Louis County | 6,732 | $52,586 |
| Tract 2107.04St. Louis County | 3,459 | $54,780 |
| Tract 2107.03St. Louis County | 3,340 | $64,185 |
| Tract 2101.02St. Louis County | 3,415 | $44,107 |
| Tract 2101.01St. Louis County | 1,287 | $74,306 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in Spanish Lake) · Census block assignment files
How does Spanish Lake compare with other places in Missouri?
Spanish Lake ranks 226th of 416 places in Missouri with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population (ACS 2020-2024) | 48th | 420 |
| Residents per square mile | 57th | 420 |
| Median household income | 226th | 416 |
| Per capita income | 219th | 420 |
| Median home value | 267th | 416 |
| Median gross rent | 74th | 398 |
| Poverty rate | 202nd | 373 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 312th | 404 |
| Median age | 353rd | 420 |
| Owner-occupied share | 381st | 418 |
| Work from home | 153rd | 270 |
| Travel time to work | 148th | 420 |
Spanish Lake's figures with every place in Missouri (CSV)
Every place in Missouri, sortable · Compare Spanish Lake with other places
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Spanish Lake?
13 of the 57 figures for Spanish Lake on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections
Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Spanish Lake are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' school search.