St. Charles County, Missouri

Updated on Nov 26, 2024

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Named for Charles Borromeo Congressional districts 2nd, 3rd Website www.sccmo.org Founded 1812 County seat Saint Charles		Largest city O'Fallon Time zone Central: UTC-6/-5 Area 1,536 km² Population 373,495 (2013)

Rivers Cuivre River, Peruque Creek Colleges and Universities St Charles Community College, Lindenwood University, The Art Institute of St Louis, The Salon Professional Academy, Midwest University Points of interest First Missouri State Cap, Grant's Farm, Missouri Botanical Garden, Jones‑Confluence Point State Park, Saint Louis Zoo

St. Charles County is a county in the eastern part of the U.S. state of Missouri. As of the 2010 census, the population was 360,485, making it Missouri's third-most populous county. Its county seat is St. Charles. The county was organized October 1, 1812 and named for Saint Charles Borromeo, an Italian cardinal. The county executive is Steve Ehlmann, since January 2007.

Map of St Charles County, MO, USA

St. Charles County is part of the St. Louis, MO-IL Metropolitan Statistical Area and contains many of the city's northern suburbs.

The wealthiest county in Missouri, St. Charles County is one of the nation's fastest-growing counties. The county is also recognized as very conservative, ranking in the top 100 nationally, and many residents support a gun culture.

St. Charles County includes an area of vineyards and wineries whose distinction has been nationally recognized. On its rural outer edge along the south-facing bluffs above the Missouri River is an area of numerous wineries, so that Missouri Route 94 is sometimes called the Missouri Weinstrasse. The area includes the Augusta AVA, designated in 1980 as the first American Viticultural Area by the federal government.

History

The County of St. Charles was originally called the District of St. Charles and had no definite limits until 1816 to 1818 when neighboring counties were formed. The borders of St. Charles are the same today as they were in 1818.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 593 square miles (1,540 km²), of which 560 square miles (1,500 km²) is land and 32 square miles (83 km²) (5.4%) is water.

The highest elevation is 901 feet (275 m) northwest of Augusta near Femme Osage Creek headwaters.

Adjacent counties

Lincoln County (northwest)

Calhoun County, Illinois (north)

Jersey County, Illinois (northeast)

Madison County, Illinois (east)

St. Louis County (southeast)

Franklin County (south)

Warren County (west)

Major highways

I-64 – Major freeway in the western portion of the county. Originally U.S. Route 40, the highway was upgraded to Interstate standards in the late 2000s. The highway was resigned as Interstate 64 from the Daniel Boone Bridge to Interstate 70 in Wentzville in 2009.

I-70 – The major east-west thoroughfare in the county. It is mostly a six-lane freeway throughout most of the county but there are sections in St. Charles and St. Peters where the Interstate widens to 11 lanes of traffic.

US-40

US-61

US-67

Rte-79

Rte-94

Rte-364 – A freeway in the southern and central portions of the county that begins at Interstate 270 in western St. Louis County and ends at Interstate 64 in Lake St. Louis.

Rte-370 – A six-lane freeway that connects Interstate 70 in St. Charles County and Interstate 270 in St. Louis County.

National protected area

Two Rivers National Wildlife Refuge (part)

Demographics

As of 2010, there were 360,485 people, 132,906 households, and 77,060 families residing in the county. The population density was 643 people per square mile (1665/km²). There were 142,766 housing units at an average density of 73 persons/km² (188 persons/sq mi). The racial makeup of the county was 91.3% White, 4.4% African American, 0.3% Native American, 2.3% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, and 1.6% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.9% of the population.

There were 101,663 households out of which 40.50% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 63.20% were married couples living together, 9.20% have a woman whose husband does not live with her, and 24.20% were non-families. 19.40% of all households were made up of individuals and 5.90% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.76 and the average family size was 3.18.

In the county, the population was spread out with 29.00% under the age of 18, 8.20% from 18 to 24, 32.60% from 25 to 44, 21.60% from 45 to 64, and 8.80% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 97.10 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.10 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $71,458, and the median income for a family was $64,415. Males had a median income of $44,528 versus $29,405 for females. The per capita income for the county was $23,592. 4.00% of the population and 2.80% of families were below the poverty line. Out of the total people living in poverty, 4.90% are under the age of 18 and 5.10% are 65 or older.

St. Charles County, with an estimated population of 373,495, has been one of the fastest-growing counties in the country for decades, with 55% growth in the 1970s, 48% in the 1980s, 33% in the 1990s, and another 27% in the 2000s. The county features a cross-section of industry, as well as extensive retail and some agriculture. With the Missouri River on the south and east and the Mississippi River on the north, the county is bisected east to west by Interstate 70. St. Charles County has two small airports, St. Charles County Smartt Airport and St. Charles Airport, and two ferries that cross the Mississippi River.

Public schools

Fort Zumwalt R-II School District – O'Fallon

Joseph L. Mudd Elementary School – (K-02) – O'Fallon

St. Peters Elementary School – (K-02) – St. Peters

Dardenne Elementary School – (K-05) – O'Fallon

Emge Elementary School – (K-05) – O'Fallon

Hawthorn Elementary School – (K-05) – St. Peters

Mid Rivers Elementary School – (K-05) – St. Peters

Mount Hope Elementary School – (K-05) – O'Fallon

Ostmann Elementary School – (K-05) – O'Fallon

Pheasant Point Elementary School – (K-05) – O'Fallon

Progress South Elementary School – (K-05) – St. Peters

Rock Creek Elementary School – (K-05) – O'Fallon

Twin Chimneys Elementary School – (K-05) – O'Fallon

Westhoff Elementary School – (K-05) – O'Fallon

Forest Park Elementary School – (03-05) – O'Fallon

Lewis & Clark Elementary School – (03-05) – St. Peters

Dr. Bernard J. DuBray Middle School – (06-08) – St. Peters

Ft. Zumwalt North Middle School – (06-08) – O'Fallon

Ft. Zumwalt South Middle School – (06-08) – St. Peters

Ft. Zumwalt West Middle School – (06-08) – O'Fallon

Ft. Zumwalt East High School – (09-12) – St. Peters

Ft. Zumwalt North High School – (09-12) – O'Fallon

Ft. Zumwalt South High School – (09-12) – St. Peters

Ft. Zumwalt West High School – (09-12) – O'Fallon

Francis Howell R-III School District – St. Peters

Early Childhood Family Education Center – (PK) – St. Peters

Early Childhood Family Education Center – (PK) – Weldon Spring

Becky-David Elementary School – (K-05) – St. Peters

Castlio Elementary School – (K-05) – St. Peters

Central Elementary School – (K-05) – St. Peters

Daniel Boone Elementary School – (K-05) – New Melle

Fairmount Elementary School – (K-05) – St. Peters

Harvest Ridge Elementary School – (K-05) – St. Charles

Henderson Elementary School – (K-05) – St. Peters

Independence Elementary School – (K-05) – Weldon Spring

John Weldon Elementary School – (K-05) – Dardenne Prairie

Warren Elementary School – (K-05) – Cottleville

Barnwell Middle School – (06-08) – St. Peters

Bryan Middle School – (06-08) – Weldon Spring

Francis Howell Middle School – (06-08) – Weldon Spring

Hollenbeck Middle School – (06-08) – St. Peters

Saeger Middle School – (06-08) – Cottleville

Francis Howell Central High School – (09-12) – Cottleville

Francis Howell North High School – (09-12) – St. Peters

Francis Howell High School – (09-12) – Weldon Spring Heights

Orchard Farm R-V School District – St. Charles

Discovery Elementary School – (PK-02) – St. Charles

Orchard Farm Elementary School – (K-05) – St. Charles

Orchard Farm Middle School – (06-08) – St. Charles

Orchard Farm High School – (09-12) – St. Charles

St. Charles R-VI School District – St. Charles

Coverdell Elementary School – (K-04) – St. Charles

George M. Null Elementary School – (K-04) – St. Charles

Harris Elementary School – (K-04) – St. Charles

Monroe Elementary School – (K-04) – St. Charles

Lincoln Elementary School – (K-04) – St. Charles

Jefferson Intermediate School – (05-06) – St. Charles

Hardin Middle School – (07-08) – St. Charles

St. Charles High School – (09-12) – St. Charles

St. Charles West High School – (09-12) – St. Charles

Wentzville R-IV School District – Wentzville

Early Childhood Center – (PK) – Wentzville

Heritage Primary School – (K-02) – Wentzville

Boone Trail Elementary School – (K-05) – Wentzville

Crossroads Elementary School – (K-05) – O'Fallon

Duello Elementary School – (K-05) – Lake St. Louis

Discovery Ridge Elementary School – (K-05) – Lake St. Louis

Green Tree Elementary School – (K-05) – Lake St. Louis

Peine Ridge Elementary School – (K-05) – Wentzville

Prairie View Elementary School – (K-05) – O'Fallon

Heritage Intermediate School – (03-05) – Wentzville

Frontier Middle School – (06-08)– O'Fallon

Wentzville Middle School – (06-08) – Wentzville

Wentzville South Middle School – (06-08) – Wentzville

Liberty High School – (09-12) – Lake St. Louis

Emil E. Holt High School – (09-12) – Wentzville

Timberland High School – (09-12) – Wentzville

Private schools

Academy of the Sacred Heart – St. Charles – (PK-08) – Roman Catholic

All Saints School – St. Peters – (K-08) – Roman Catholic

Assumption Catholic Grade School – O'Fallon – (K-08) – Roman Catholic

Campbell Montessori School – St. Charles – (NS-06) – Nonsectarian

First Baptist Christian Academy – O'Fallon – (PK-07) – Nondenominational Christian

Foristell Baptist Academy – Foristell – (K-09) – Baptist

Hope Montessori Academy – Lake St. Louis – (PK-K) – Nonsectarian

Immaculate Conception Catholic School – Dardenne Prairie – (K-08) – Roman Catholic

Immanuel Lutheran School – St. Charles – (PK-08) – Lutheran

Immanuel Lutheran School – Wentzville – (PK-08) – Lutheran

Living Word Christian School District – O'Fallon and St. Peters– (PK-12) – Nondenominational Christian

Messiah Lutheran School – Weldon Spring – (PK-08) – Lutheran

Mid Rivers Seventh-day Adventist School – St. Peters – (03-08) – Seventh-day Adventist

St. Charles Borromeo – St. Charles – (K-08) – Roman Catholic

St. Cletus School – St. Charles – (K-08) – Roman Catholic

St. Elizabeth St. Robert Regional School – St. Charles – (PK-08) – Roman Catholic

St. Joseph School – Cottleville – (K-08) – Roman Catholic

St. Joseph School – Wentzville – (PK-08) – Roman Catholic

St. Patrick Elementary School – Wentzville – (K-08) – Roman Catholic

St. Paul Elementary School – St. Paul – (PK-08) – Roman Catholic

St. Peter Catholic School – St. Charles – (PK-08) – Roman Catholic

St. Theodore School – Wentzville – (K-08) – Roman Catholic

Sts. Joachim & Ann School – St. Charles – (PK-08) – Roman Catholic

Trinity Lutheran School – St. Charles – (01-08) – Lutheran

Willott Road Christian Academy – St. Peters – (NS-09) – Baptist

Zion Lutheran School – St. Charles – (PK-08) – Lutheran

Living Word Christian School – O'Fallon – (06-08) – Nondenominational Christian

Liberty Classical School – O'Fallon – (07-12) – Nondenominational Christian

Living Word Christian High School – O'Fallon– (09-12) – Nondenominational Christian

Duchesne High School– St. Charles– (09-12)– Roman Catholic

Lutheran High School of St. Charles County – St. Peters – (09-12) – Lutheran

St. Dominic High School – O'Fallon – (09-12) – Roman Catholic

Alternative schools

Boonslick State School – St. Peters – Special Education

Fort Zumwalt Hope High School – O'Fallon – Other/Alternative School – (09-12)

Francis Howell Union High School – St. Charles – Other/Alternative School – (09-12)

Heritage Landing – St. Peters – Other/Alternative School – (06-12)

Lewis & Clark Career Center – St. Charles – Vocational/Technical School – (09-12)

Quest Day Treatment Center – St. Charles – Other/Alternative School – (06-12)

Higher education

Lindenwood University – St. Charles

St. Charles Community College – Cottleville

Law and government

St. Charles County is governed by a county executive and a county council. The county council consists of seven members, each elected from various districts in the county. The county executive is elected by the entire county. The current executive is Steve Ehlmann. He was preceded by Joe Ortwerth, who was preceded by Gene Schwendemann, the first county executive of St. Charles County under the new form of government. The executive under the old form of county government was termed a "judge." The county had 258,525 registered voters as of March, 2016.

The St. Charles County Police Department operates under the authority of the St. Charles County government and is the largest law enforcement agency in St. Charles County.St. Charles County Police Department (SCCPD)

St. Charles County Ambulance District (SCCAD) is the largest district in Missouri, serving all of St. Charles County and its population of nearly 370,000.St. Charles County Ambulance District (SCCAD)

Local

The Republican Party predominantly controls politics at the local level in St. Charles County. Republicans hold all the elected positions in the county.

State

St. Charles County is divided into twelve legislative districts in the Missouri House of Representatives, all of which are held by Republicans.

District 42 – Bart Korman (R-High Hill). Consists of Augusta, Defiance and part of New Melle.

District 63 – Bryan Spencer (R-Wentzville). Consists of Wentzville, Foristell, and part of New Melle.

District 64 - Robert Cornejo (R-St. Peters). Consists of Flint Hill, Josephville, St. Paul, and parts of O'Fallon and St. Peters.

District 65 - Tom Hannegan (R-St. Charles). Consists of West Alton, Portage Des Sioux, and part of St. Charles.

District 70 - Mark Matthiesen (R-Maryland Heights). Consists of parts of St. Charles and Weldon Spring.

District 102 - Kurt Bahr (R-O'Fallon). Consists of Weldon Springs Heights, and parts of O'Fallon, Dardenne Prairie, New Melle, and Weldon Spring.

District 103 - John Wiemann (R-O'Fallon). Consists of Cottleville and parts of O'Fallon, St. Peters, and Weldon Spring.

District 104 – Kathie Conway (R-St. Charles). Consists of part of St. Peters.

District 105 - Phil Christofanelli (R-St. Charles). Consists of parts of St. Charles and St. Peters.

District 106 – Chrissy Sommer (R-St. Charles). Consists of parts of St. Charles and St. Peters.

District 107 – Nick Schroer (R-O'Fallon). Consists of parts of Lake St. Louis, O’Fallon, and St. Peters.

District 108 – Justin Hill (R-Lake St. Louis). Consists of parts of Lake St. Louis and Dardenne Prairie.

St. Charles County is divided into two districts in the Missouri Senate, both of which have elected Republicans.

District 2 – Bob Onder (R-Lake St. Louis). Consists of the communities of Augusta, Dardenne Prairie, Flint Hill, Foristell, Josephville, Lake St. Louis, New Melle, O'Fallon, St. Paul, Weldon Spring Heights, and Wentzville.

District 23 – Bill Eigel (R-Weldon Spring). Consists of Portage Des Sioux, St. Charles, St. Peters, Weldon Spring, and West Alton.

Federal

Part of St. Charles County is included in Missouri’s 2nd Congressional District and is currently represented by Ann Wagner in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Most of St. Charles County is included in Missouri’s 3rd Congressional District and is currently represented by Blaine Luetkemeyer (R-St. Elizabeth) in the U.S. House of Representatives.

2016 Missouri Presidential Primary results

Republican

Donald Trump won the most votes in St. Charles County, with 41.50 percent. U.S. Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas) came in second with 38.87 percent, Governor John Kasich (R-Ohio) came in third with 10.70 percent, and U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-Florida) came in fourth with 7.10 percent.

Democratic

U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont) won the primary with 54.32 percent to former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's 44.80 percent.

2012 Missouri Presidential Primary results

Republican

Former U.S. Senator Rick Santorum (R-Pennsylvania) won the most votes in St. Charles County, with 56.29 percent. Former Governor Mitt Romney (R-Massachusetts) came in second with 25.43 percent, and former U.S. Representative Ron Paul (R-Texas) came in third with 12.69 percent.

Democratic

With incumbent President Barack Obama facing no serious opposition, few St. Charles County voters voted in the Democratic primary; Obama won 87.83 percent.

2008 Missouri Presidential Primary results

Republican

Former Governor Mitt Romney (R-Massachusetts) won the most votes in St. Charles County, with 37.72 percent. U.S. Senator John McCain (R-Arizona) came in second with 34.95 percent, former Governor Mike Huckabee (R-Arkansas) came in third with 21.83 percent, and U.S. Representative Ron Paul (R-Texas) came in fourth with 3.83 percent.

Democratic

Former U.S. Senator Hillary Clinton (D-New York) received more votes, a total of 23,611, than any candidate from either party in St. Charles County during the 2008 presidential primary.