Business ideas · Missouri · Census Business Patterns 2023
Business ideas in St. Louis, MO: what has room right now
Out of 230 business types, these five have the most room in St. Louis at a $60,000 budget: fewer per resident than the rest of Missouri, a startup range you can reach, and a realistic time to the first paying customer. Skipped 28 the city already has more of. Run it with your own budget and interests.
Neur picks
St. Louis, MO · 293,109 residents
- 01
Shoe Store
Footwear retail: sneakers, work boots, kids, or western
- RoomSt. Louis has 93% fewer of these per person than Missouri. At the state rate it would hold about 14 more.
- CostOpens for $60k to $250k, inside your budget.
- In St. Louis1
- Per 100k vs state0.3 vs 5.2
- Residents per one293,109
- To first dollar3 to 7 mo
- 02
Electronics Store
Retail phones, computers, accessories, and audio; repairs and activations on the side
- RoomSt. Louis has 93% fewer of these per person than Missouri. At the state rate it would hold about 13 more.
- CostOpens for $40k to $150k, inside your budget.
- In St. Louis1
- Per 100k vs state0.3 vs 4.8
- Residents per one293,109
- To first dollar3 to 7 mo
- 03
Tax Preparation / CPA Office
Individual and small-business tax returns, bookkeeping add-ons, seasonal peaks
- RoomSt. Louis has 90% fewer of these per person than Missouri. At the state rate it would hold about 27 more.
- CostOpens for $5k to $40k, inside your budget.
- In St. Louis3
- Per 100k vs state1.0 vs 10.3
- Residents per one97,703
- To first dollar1 to 3 mo
- 04
Cabinetry / Finish Carpentry
Custom cabinets, trim, built-ins, and closets for remodels and builders
- RoomSt. Louis has 88% fewer of these per person than Missouri. At the state rate it would hold about 23 more.
- CostOpens for $15k to $80k, inside your budget.
- In St. Louis3
- Per 100k vs state1.0 vs 8.8
- Residents per one97,703
- To first dollar—
- 05
Garden Center / Nursery
Plants, trees, soil, and feed; landscapers and homeowners
- RoomSt. Louis has 88% fewer of these per person than Missouri. At the state rate it would hold about 21 more.
- CostOpens for $60k to $300k, inside your budget.
- In St. Louis3
- Per 100k vs state1.0 vs 8.3
- Residents per one97,703
- To first dollar3 to 7 mo
Questions
- What business should I start in St. Louis, MO?
- On Census Business Patterns for St. Louis's own ZIP codes, the types with the most room at a $60,000 budget are shoe store, electronics store, tax preparation / cpa office, cabinetry / finish carpentry, garden center / nursery. Shoe Store leads: St. Louis has 93% fewer of these per person than Missouri. At the state rate it would hold about 14 more.
- How is "room" measured?
- Establishments per 100,000 residents inside St. Louis against the Missouri rate, from Census County and ZIP Business Patterns 2023, with crowded types (more than 1.35 times the state rate) left off. It is a screen, not a guarantee: the paid report maps the actual competitors and the neighborhood demand.
- What does it cost to open these?
- Shoe Store $60k–$250k; Electronics Store $40k–$150k; Tax Preparation / CPA Office $5k–$40k; Cabinetry / Finish Carpentry $15k–$80k; Garden Center / Nursery $60k–$300k. Ranges are Neur planning ranges per business type; the report localizes rent and wages.