Indicators

The OneSTL Performance Indicators measure the St. Louis region’s progress toward sustainability. The indicators are organized by the plan’s nine theme areas and reflect the goals and objectives of OneSTL. Analysis of the indicators will better equip the region to make data driven decisions, set priorities, evaluate the effectiveness of the plan, and revise the plan to achieve success.

The Big Picture

The performance indicators are listed below along with the following for each:

  • Desired Trend: Reflects the vision, goals and objectives of OneSTL.
  • Baseline Data: Provided for the “baseline year”, which is the year the OneSTL planning process began (2010) or the closest year for which data is available.
  • Current Data: Provided for the most recent year available. Indicators that do not have data updates since the baseline are marked with a dash (–) to indicate that data is not yet available.
  • Current Trend: Color coded to reflect the direction of change from the baseline to the current data.

    Color Current Trend Type
     

    Current Trend is in-line with the Desired Trend

     

    No Change from baseline to current year or no statistically significant change

     

    Current Trend is the opposite of the Desired Trend

The Details

Click on the name of an indicator to get more information, including:

  • Why is it Important?: An explanation of why we are tracking the indicator and what it means. 
  • How are we Doing?: A more detailed look at how the St. Louis region is performing, how it has changed over time and how we compare with other regions.
  • Toolkit Solutions: Links to relevant OneSTL tools that are in use or can be used to help the region improve on this indicator.
  • OneSTL Objectives: Links to the OneSTL plan objectives and related strategies that are most relevant to this indicator.
  • Research and Resources: Links to OneSTL reports and other resources that provide greater understanding of the indicator and the underlying issues. 

Keep checking back. The website will be updated regularly with new data as it becomes available. Additionally, the OneSTL Report to the Region will be released annually to provide updates on the region’s progress on the performance indicators and updates from OneSTL Network Members on what they are doing to make the St. Louis region more sustainable.

OneSTL Performance Indicators

Collaborative
Indicator Definition Desired Trend Baseline Current

OneSTL Network Membership

Number of OneSTL Network Members

Up 2013

0

2022

490

Sustainability Lab @ T-Rex

Average number of people in attendance per month at the Sustainability Lab @ T-Rex

Up 2017

44

2022

21

Access to Information

Number of OneSTL.org users in the St. Louis Metro Area

Up 2014

2,208

2022

5,394

Prosperous
Indicator Definition Desired Trend Baseline Current

Access to Jobs

Percent of residents living within a reasonable travel time to work

Up 2006-2010

88.0%

2017-2021

87.7%

Poverty

Percent of residents living in poverty

Down 2010

12.9%

2021

11.0%

Employment

Number of full-time equivalent (FTE) jobs

Up 2010

1,123,867

2021

1,190,768

Unemployment

Unemployment Rate

Down 2010

9.5%

2021

4.6%

Income

Personal income per capita (in 2021 dollars)

Up 2010

$ 53,119

2021

$ 64,769

GMP

Gross Metropolitan Product - the market value of all goods and services produced in the region (2012 chained dollars)

Up 2010

$ 145.8
billion

2021

$ 156.9
billion

Racial Disparity

Ratio of white median household income to black median household income

Down 2010

1.88

2021

1.87

Distinctive
Indicator Definition Desired Trend Baseline Current

H+T Affordability

Proportion of median household income spent on housing and transportation costs

Down 2017

49.7%

2021

45.6%

Access to Open Space

Percent of population that reside within 1 mile of a park or public open space for rural areas or ½ mile for urban areas

Up 2007-2011

74.5%

-

Healthy and Active

Percent of adults meeting recommended exercise standard

Up 2011

49.5%

2019

47.0%

Inclusive
Indicator Definition Desired Trend Baseline Current

Concentrated Poverty

Percent of poor residents living in a concentrated area of poverty (census tracts with >40% poverty rate)

Down 2006-2010

13.8%

2017-2021

7.5%

Income Inequality

Gini Index

Down 2010

0.454

2021

0.471

Green
Indicator Definition Desired Trend Baseline Current

Developed Land per Capita

Number of developed acres per capita

Down 2006

0.255
acres

2016

0.266
acres

Air Quality

Average number of days per year the EPA Air Quality Index exceeds 100 for ozone (unhealthy for sensitive groups)

Down 2009-2011

30.3
days

2020-2022

12.3
days

Rainscaping

Acres of land treated for stormwater overflow using water quality best management practices

Up 2010

578
acres

2022

11,803
acres

Tree Cities

Percent of municipalities that are certified by Tree City USA

Up 2010

20.4%

2021

29.5%

Tree Canopy

Percent of land with tree canopy cover

Up 2010/2012

39.0%

-

Watershed Plans

Number of watersheds with a plan or active organization

Up 2010

8

2021

31

Water Quality

Rivers and streams impaired (polluted), in miles

Down 2012

709.5

2015

711.9

Sustainable Codes

Percent of local governments that have an energy conservation code and/or a green construction code

Up 2013

86.8%

2022

87.0%

Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Total metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (MTCO­2e) emissions per capita

Down 2010

21.10
MTCO2e

2015

19.20
MTCO2e

Prepared
Indicator Definition Desired Trend Baseline Current

Floodplain Management

Number of local governments participating in the Community Rating System by the NFIP

Up 2010

1

2022

8

Heat/Cold Mortality

Number of heat- and cold-related deaths

Down 2008-2012

24.0

2017-2021

26.2

Hazard Mitigation

Percent of local governments that have participated in the development of and adopted the current local or regional hazard mitigation plan

Up 2010

84.3%

2022

45.5%

Development in Potentially Hazardous Areas

Percent of development in potentially hazardous areas (500-year flood zone, potential landslide areas, and potential earthquake liquefaction areas)

Down 2006

16.2%

2016

17.6%

Sustainability and Climate Plans

Percent of local governments that have a sustainability plan, climate action plan, or GHG inventory

Up 2010

3.4%

2023

4.5%

StormReady

Percent of local governments that are certified StormReady by the National Weather Service

Up 2010

2.5%

2022

6.5%

Connected
Indicator Definition Desired Trend Baseline Current

Transportation Choice

Total percent of workers commuting via all non-SOV modes (walking, biking, transit, rideshare, other modes, or who work from home).1


 
Up 2010

17.0%

2021

28.2%

Employment Transit Access

Percent of jobs within 1/4 mile of a transit stop

Up 2011

69.2%

2022

55.1%

Transit Oriented Development (TOD)

Number of transit riders plus number of housing units and employees within ½ mile of a MetroLink station.1

 
Up 2021

221,418

2022

230,975

VMT per capita

Vehicle miles traveled (VMT) per capita per day

Down 2017

31.7

2021

31.3

Bikeability

Number of miles of on-road bike facilities and shared-use paths

Up

-

2021

1,039
miles

Complete Streets

Percent of local governments with complete streets policies

Up 2010

3.4%

2021

10.8%

Transit Ridership

Annual transit boardings system-wide (MetroLink/Bus System/Call-A-Ride)

Up 2010

43.0
million

2021

18.4
million

Efficient
Indicator Definition Desired Trend Baseline Current

Access to Healthy Food Choices

Percent of total population that live in a low-income census tract and reside far from a supermarket/large grocery store (more than one mile for urban areas or 10 miles for rural areas)

Down 2010

6.0%

2019

6.9%

Energy Use

Total residential gas and electric energy use in BTUs per customer

Down 2010

111.4
million BTUs

2011

106.6
million BTUs

Energy Diversity

Percent of electricity supplied by renewable sources

Up 2010

3.2%

2021

15.9%

Recycling Contamination Rate

The weight of unrecyclable materials as a percent of the total load (annual monthly average)

Down 2017

16%

2022

20%

Building Energy Efficiency

Square footage of 3rd party verified green commercial and institutional buildings and sites (LEED, ENERGY STAR, and Sustainable Sites)

Up 2013

32.3
million sq. ft.

2022

64.6
million sq. ft.

Educated
Indicator Definition Desired Trend Baseline Current

Volunteer Rate

Percent of residents who volunteer

Up 2010

32.1%

2021

29.1%

Voter Participation

Voter turnout among registered voters in the presidential election

Up 2008

69.5%

2020

70.8%

High School Graduation

Percent of adults with a high school degree or equivalent

Up 2010

88.9%

2021

93.0%

College Attainment

Percent of adults age 25 and over with a bachelor's or graduate degree

Up 2010

29.9%

2021

37.1%