Each row shows where St. Louis sits on the national distribution for one economic concept across all three mobility measures.

All income a person receives, including wages and transfers.

α Absolute mobility 41st percentile

this county national median

31.84 — Higher means children who started at the bottom reach a higher rank on average.
β Persistence 69th percentile

this county national median

0.36 — Higher means rank sticks across generations — less mobility.
δ Extensive margin 32nd percentile

this county national median

The gap for children whose parents had zero of the resource vs. the lowest positive amount.

Income earned from work (wages and salaries).

α Absolute mobility 47th percentile

this county national median

36.70 — Higher means children who started at the bottom reach a higher rank on average.
β Persistence 68th percentile

this county national median

0.36 — Higher means rank sticks across generations — less mobility.
δ Extensive margin 88th percentile

this county national median

12.94 — The gap for children whose parents had zero of the resource vs. the lowest positive amount.

The probability of owning a home (the extensive margin of housing wealth).

α Absolute mobility 60th percentile

this county national median

61.49 — Higher means children who started at the bottom reach a higher rank on average.
β Persistence 56th percentile

this county national median

0.42 — Higher means rank sticks across generations — less mobility.
δ Extensive margin 24th percentile

this county national median

-11.75 — The gap for children whose parents had zero of the resource vs. the lowest positive amount.

The value of housing assets a person holds.

α Absolute mobility 51st percentile

this county national median

38.27 — Higher means children who started at the bottom reach a higher rank on average.
β Persistence 70th percentile

this county national median

0.36 — Higher means rank sticks across generations — less mobility.
δ Extensive margin 52nd percentile

this county national median

-1.11 — The gap for children whose parents had zero of the resource vs. the lowest positive amount.

The total value of all assets a person holds.

α Absolute mobility 34th percentile

this county national median

37.91 — Higher means children who started at the bottom reach a higher rank on average.
β Persistence 82nd percentile

this county national median

0.37 — Higher means rank sticks across generations — less mobility.
δ Extensive margin 64th percentile

this county national median

4.46 — The gap for children whose parents had zero of the resource vs. the lowest positive amount.

County	State	α (absolute mobility)	β (persistence)	δ (extensive margin)	n
Bond	IL	38.20	0.343	2.62	300
Calhoun	IL	47.63	0.185	4.29	150
Clinton	IL	46.49	0.303	3.56	800
Franklin	MO	40.50	0.319	3.47	1300
Jefferson	MO	39.65	0.305	5.60	2400
Jersey	IL	40.65	0.262	2.80	350
Lincoln	MO	40.11	0.328	10.63	600
Macoupin	IL	39.99	0.292	10.33	950
Madison	IL	37.99	0.357	5.28	2900
Monroe	IL	46.35	0.265	4.51	400
St. Charles	MO	46.50	0.281	5.51	3200
St. Clair	IL	34.53	0.393	-6.20	2900
St. Louis	MO	36.18	0.435	6.88	11000
St. Louis	MO	29.62	0.352	1.19	2800
Warren	MO	39.56	0.307	1.28	400

St. Louis

The five lenses at a glance