Town and Country, Missouri

Town and Country is a city in west-central St. Louis County, Missouri, and a significant suburb within the St. Louis metropolitan area. It had a population of 10,815 at the 2010 census, rising to 11,640 at the 2020 census.

History

Initially settled by French and later American pioneers in the late 18th and 19th centuries, the future area of Town and Country took shape as the community of Altheim by 1886, when it first received a post office. Centered on the modern intersection of Clayton and Mason Roads, it was named for John Alt of Clayton, an early promoter of the new town. During the early stages of its existence, Altheim was primarily a market and social center for local farmers, though by the mid-20th century, it was gradually transitioning to a suburb of St. Louis.

By the late 1940s, local residents had become concerned about the possibility of neighboring cities, such as Des Peres and Frontenac, annexing the still-unincorporated area. In response, they worked to create their own village, incorporating as Town and Country in 1950. With a population of only 162 at that year's census, it steadily grew through a series of annexations of its own, plus the trend of rapid population movement into western St. Louis County. Originally planned to have large residential lots, with many open green spaces to preserve the pastoral atmosphere of previous generations, Town and Country's rapid expansion rendered this impracticable, and it soon came to resemble neighboring suburban communities. Following a 1974 vote, the village was upgraded to a fourth-class city, enabling it to provide more local services. Another series of annexations, completed in 1992, expanded Town and Country to its present boundaries.

Geography

Town and Country is located near the geographic center of St. Louis County, lying about 15 miles west of downtown St. Louis. The city has a very irregular shape, due to the periodic annexations since its incorporation; most of it lies south of Interstate 64/U.S. Route 40 and west of Interstate 270. Other important roads within the city are Missouri State Highway 141, Clayton Road, and Ladue Road. Its exact coordinates are 38°37′52″N 90°28′18″W.

The city lies within a transition zone geographically, the foothills of the Ozark Mountains in the southern part of the county giving way to the flatter and low-lying Missouri River bottomland farther north. The neighborhoods north of Interstate 64 especially demonstrate this. Town and Country has a total land area of 11.68 square miles, and an average elevation of 590 feet.

Demographics

At the 2010 census, Town and Country had a total of 10,815 inhabitants, grouped into 3,591 households, with a population density of 926.1 people per square mile. This figure was virtually unchanged from the 2000 census, when Town and Country had a population of 10,894. 87.79% of the inhabitants were White, 2.59% were African-American, 0.11% were Native American, 7.51% were Asian, 0.09% were Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, 0.35% were from some other race, and 1.56% were from two or more races. Hispanics of any race were 1.75% of the population.

The median age in Town and Country was 48.6 years, with 21.9% of inhabitants under the age of 18, 10.2% between 18 and 24 years old, 12.4% between 25 and 44, 32.5% between 45 and 64, and 23.1% 65 years old or older. The sex ratio was 46.5% male, 53.5% female.

Figures from the 2020 census indicated that Town and Country's population had risen to 11,640.

According to the 2018 American Community Survey, Town and Country had a median household income of $178,000, and a median family income of $215,972. The unemployment rate was 2.7%. The per capita income was $92,664. About 5.0% of the population lived below the poverty line, including 4.9% of those under the age of 18 and 3.7% of those 65 years of age or older.