Updated September 10, 2026
How much housing does St. Louis have?
The Census counts 173,920 housing units in St. Louis for a population of about 293,109 — roughly 1.7 people for every housing unit.
That makes St. Louis the second largest of the four Missouri cities with a page here; Kansas City counts 243,692.
Who arranges chimney work on a St. Louis home?
About 45.4% of occupied St. Louis homes are owner-occupied, which leaves about 54.6% rented.
With 54.6% of occupied St. Louis homes rented, the person who notices the smell, the stain or the smoke is more often than not a tenant, and the person who authorizes a repair is someone else. Say which you are when you send a request, so the findings reach whoever has to act on them.
Tenure also decides who keeps the paperwork. A St. Louis chimney's earlier reports follow the property, not the occupant, so ask for them whichever side of that 45.4% you are on.
Which cities near St. Louis have their own page here?
Columbia, about 114 miles away, Springfield, about 194 miles away, and Kansas City, about 234 miles away — measured from St. Louis.
Those are great-circle distances between the Census 2023 Gazetteer interior points of each place, so the drive is longer than the figure.
Columbia's median build year is 1993 against St. Louis's 1938, a 55-year difference in the housing the two chimneys belong to.
What you can observe safely
- Photograph the staining while the system is cold and from a safe distance.
What to avoid
- Do not climb onto the roof or enter the chimney.
- Do not alter gas components, venting, or safety controls.
- Do not use a test fire to diagnose the problem.
Possible causes to assess
- Combustion deposits
- Smoke escaping the expected path
- Appliance or venting concern
A symptom cannot establish the cause remotely. An assessment of the complete system helps determine the appropriate repair.
Chimney inspection in St. LouisA few common questions
Can this be diagnosed from a photo?
A photo can document a symptom and help prepare a visit. It cannot confirm concealed conditions or establish that a chimney or fuel-burning appliance is safe.
Sources & further reading
Source checked 2026-09-10.