The Central West End neighborhood in St. Louis, Missouri, has experienced significant changes in its housing market over the past decade. From 2013 to 2022, homeownership rates remained relatively stable between 27% and 30%, while average home prices showed substantial growth. In 2013, the average home price was $220,956, which increased by 51.2% to reach $334,153 by 2022. This appreciation in home values did not significantly alter the proportion of homeowners in the neighborhood, suggesting other factors influenced homeownership decisions.

The relationship between federal interest rates and homeownership rates in the Central West End presents an interesting case. Despite historically low interest rates from 2013 to 2021, ranging from 0.08% to 2.16%, the neighborhood did not see a significant increase in homeownership. The homeownership rate remained relatively constant, even as interest rates fluctuated, indicating that factors beyond mortgage affordability, such as lifestyle preferences or local economic conditions, may have played a more substantial role in housing decisions.

Renter percentages in the Central West End have consistently been high, ranging from 70% to 73% between 2013 and 2022. Average rent prices showed an overall increasing trend during this period, with some fluctuations. In 2013, the average rent was $850, which rose to $944 by 2022, an increase of 11%. The most significant jump occurred between 2020 and 2021, when average rent increased from $940 to $1,056, a 12.3% rise in a single year. This spike coincided with a slight decrease in the renter percentage from 73% to 72%, possibly indicating that some renters may have been priced out of the market or chose to become homeowners.