STL suburb among best Midwest cities to live despite shrinking middle class

ST. CHARLES COUNTY, Mo. – A St. Louis suburb ranked in a new study among the top 25 best places to live in the Midwest, noting its affordability. The same suburb also ranked among U.S. cities with a quickly shrinking middle class.

According to Livability , O’Fallon, Missouri, ranked as the sixth-best place to live in the Midwest.

The suburb was noted as one of the “fastest-growing” suburbs in St. Louis and known for its access to great schools and a “place for young families to put down roots.”

The study also noted the suburbs’ affordable cost of living, while another new study noted the suburb for its shrinking middle class.

According to personal finance site Money Geek , O’Fallon ranked as the ninth U.S. city where the middle class is shrinking the fastest. The data showed O’Fallon experienced an -8.1% drop in middle-income households between 2017 and 2022.

The study also shared that the middle income range in O’Fallon is between $70,160 and $210,480.

Another city ranked on both studies as Carmel, Indiana, topped Livability’s rankings as number one and placed second as a U.S. city with a -10.7% drop in middle-income households.

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