Chicago-Naperville-Elgin vs St. Louis, MO: Housing Market Comparison (2026)

Side-by-side Alpha Scores, affordability, momentum, supply, jobs, and rental yield · scores computed September 2026

Chicago-Naperville-Elgin vs St. Louis, MO side by side

Metric● Chicago-Naperville-Elgin● St. Louis, MO
Alpha Score3949
Price Momentum8366
Inventory Health13band 5 of 521band 5 of 5
Affordability3758
Economic Strength2559
Rental Yield4549
Median Sale Price (Redfin)—$304K
Months of Supply (Redfin)—3

Highlighted = the stronger read for that metric (supply, valuation, and payment burden are better when lower). Income/rent inputs lag annually.

How Chicago-Naperville-Elgin and St. Louis, MO compare, dimension by dimension

  • Affordability: St. Louis, MO leads — Chicago-Naperville-Elgin 37/100 vs St. Louis, MO 58/100.
  • Price Momentum: Chicago-Naperville-Elgin leads — Chicago-Naperville-Elgin 83/100 vs St. Louis, MO 66/100.
  • Inventory Health: St. Louis, MO leads — Chicago-Naperville-Elgin 13/100 vs St. Louis, MO 21/100.
  • Economic Strength: St. Louis, MO leads — Chicago-Naperville-Elgin 25/100 vs St. Louis, MO 59/100.
  • Rental Yield: St. Louis, MO leads — Chicago-Naperville-Elgin 45/100 vs St. Louis, MO 49/100.

Frequently asked questions

Which has a higher Alpha Score, Chicago-Naperville-Elgin or St. Louis, MO?

St. Louis, MO scores higher — 49 vs 39 out of 100. The Alpha Score is a 0-100 composite of price momentum, inventory health, affordability, economic strength, and rental yield.

Is Chicago-Naperville-Elgin or St. Louis, MO more affordable?

St. Louis, MO is more affordable on our affordability dimension.

Which housing market has stronger momentum, Chicago-Naperville-Elgin or St. Louis, MO?

Chicago-Naperville-Elgin has stronger price momentum — 83/100 vs 66/100.

Want to swap in other cities, change the metrics, or chart the trend over time? Customize this comparison → in the interactive Compare tool. Or read the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin market brief and the St. Louis, MO brief.