St. Peters, Missouri
St. Peters is a city in St. Charles County, Missouri, United States. The 2010 census showed the city's population to be 52,575, tied for 10th place in Missouri with Blue Springs. Interstate 70 passes through the city, providing a major transportation link. In 2008, St. Peters was named the 60th best place to live by Money magazine, putting it at the top in the state of Missouri. It also ranked in Money magazine's Top 100 in 2010, 2012 and 2017. The "Rec-Plex" in St. Peters recreation and fitness complex underwent an $18.5 million  expansion in 2007. The city also hosts the county's largest shopping center, Mid Rivers Mall. History. Prior to the arrival of Europeans, the area that would become St. Peters was inhabited by Mississippian mound builders. The remains of a village were uncovered during the construction of I-70 in 1954 and a street near the site was later named Mound Drive after the mounds built by the villagers. One of the first documented sources about European settlers in the area is a Spanish census from 1791, which documented a land grant. St. Peters was named for a Jesuit mission established  there. In 1895, music was a binding factor for the area, with a well-known cornet band. Throughout most of the twentieth century, St. Peters was a small farming town. As recently as 1970, St. Peters had a population of only 486. The population rapidly increased to 15,700 by 1980 and within the span of a decade the community changed from a small rural town to a more suburban community. The city continued its rapid growth through the 1980s and by 1990 had a population of 40,660. St. Peters population increased to an estimated 52,575 as of 2010. St.Peters  celebrated its 50th year as a city in 2009, and marked its 100th year as a town in 2010, having become a town in 1910 and a city in 1959. Geography. St. Peters is located at (38.778893, -90.603131). According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all land. Demographics. 2010 census. As of the census of 2010, there were 52,575 people, 20,861 households, and 14,244 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 21,717 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 91.7% White, 3.7 % African American, 0.2% Native American, 1.8% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 0.8% from other races, and 1.8% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.5% of the population. There were 20,861 households, of which 33.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.8% were married couples living together, 10.0% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.5% had a male householder with no wife present, and 31.7% were non-families. 26.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or  older. The average household size was 2.51 and the average family size was 3.05. The median age in the city was 38.8 years. 23.2% of residents were under the age of 18; 8.3% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 26.9% were from 25 to 44; 30% were from 45 to 64; and 11.4% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 48.2% male and 51.8% female. 2000 census. As of the census of 2000, there were 51,381 people, 18,435 households, and 13,936 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,425.5  people per square mile (936.7/km). There were 18,776 housing units at an average density of 886.3 per square mile (342.3/km). The racial makeup of the city was 94.25% White, 2.80% African American, 0.20% Native American, 1.23% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.44% from other races, and 1.07% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.49% of the population. There were 18,435 households, out of which 42.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.8% were married couples living together, 9.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.4% were  non-families. 20.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.78 and the average family size was 3.24. In the city the population was spread out, with 30.0% under the age of 18, 7.4% from 18 to 24, 33.5% from 25 to 44, 21.3% from 45 to 64, and 7.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over , there were 90.6 males. The median income for a household in the city was $57,898, and the median income for a family was $65,123. Males had a median income of $45,497 versus $30,295 for females. The per capita income for the city was $22,792. About 1.5% of families and 2.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.6% of those under age 18 and 5.1% of those age 65 or over. Government. Citizens elect a mayor and eight aldermen (two for each of four wards) to govern the city. The Mayor and Board  of Aldermen appoint individuals to the positions of City Collector, City Clerk, and City Treasurer. A Municipal Judge of the 11th Judicial Circuit, also known as the St. Peters Municipal Court, has a four-year term. A City Administrator also works for the Mayor and Board of Aldermen. The Board of Aldermen meets on the second and fourth Thursdays of each month, except the months of June, July, November and December when one meeting is held each month on a date scheduled with the Mayor. City elections are held in April, per Missouri law for elected officials. Propositions may be  voted upon at these elections, or others held in February, August or November. Mayor – Len Pagano Aldermen Ward 1 – Joyce Townsend and Rocky Reitmeyer Ward 2 – Judy Bateman and Gregg Sartorius Ward 3 – Terri Violet and Melissa Reimer Ward 4 – Nick Trupiano and Patrick Barclay Education. Three public high schools are within St. Peters city limits: Fort Zumwalt South High School with an enrollment of 1,700 students, Francis Howell North High School (2,100 students), and Fort Zumwalt East High School (1,100 students) which opened in 2007. Some high school students from St. Peters attend schools in surrounding communities such as  Francis Howell Central High School in neighboring Cottleville, and Fort Zumwalt North and Fort Zumwalt West High Schools in O'Fallon. Other public schools in the city include Fairmount, Hawthorn, Lewis & Clark, Mid Rivers, Progress South, St. Peters, and Warren Elementary Schools, as well as DuBray and Fort Zumwalt South Middle Schools. The city limits also contain the private Lutheran High School of St Charles County. Civic facilities. The St. Peters Rec-Plex, a family recreation and athletic training complex, is situated next to St. Peters City Hall. The Rec-Plex hosted the 2004 Olympic Diving Trials and is recognized as  one of the USA's premier diving facilities. St. Peters is home to Barnes-Jewish St. Peters Hospital, the county's second busiest after St. Joseph Health Center in St. Charles. Barnes-Jewish St. Peters Hospital serves a large portion of St. Charles County, Lincoln County, and Pike County; it is St. Charles County's second largest hospital, with 175 rooms, and a satellite location of the Alvin J. Siteman Cancer Center. The Spencer Road Branch library, the largest and busiest within the St. Charles City-County Library District, is in St. Peters. The city's "Recycle City" opened in  April 1997 and has the ability to recycle various types of material which is then sold to companies that use recycled goods in products. In 2007, Recycle City recycled 12,522,767 pounds of material. Parks and recreation. St. Peters has the most extensive park system in St. Charles County. The city has over of parks and trails. Outdoor amenities include: recreation trails, playgrounds, picnic shelters and pavilions, athletic fields, fishing ponds, and landscape areas.