Pros and Cons of Living in Arnold

Arnold's core trade-off pairs a genuine, distinctive flood-mitigation success story and a below-average property tax rate against a notably high sales tax rate and real, disclosed data uncertainty on crime and schools.

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Pro: a real, genuine hazard-mitigation success

Arnold's ~500-home flood-buyout program converted a catastrophic 1993 flood zone into current parkland, dramatically reducing flood-damage exposure -- a genuine, disclosed positive story.

Pro: a property tax rate below Missouri's average

Jefferson County's own effective property tax rate, per the one source found this pass, runs modestly below Missouri's own statewide average -- a real, distinct contrast to the higher-taxed St. Louis County suburbs elsewhere in this project's Missouri batch.

Con: a notably high combined sales tax rate

Arnold's combined sales tax rate ran a real, disclosed 11.6% this pass, substantially above Missouri's statewide average.

Con: real, disclosed data uncertainty on crime and schools

Arnold's crime-rate standing carries a real, disclosed cross-source disagreement, and Fox C-6's academic performance runs genuinely mixed (a B- average grade under its own projected proficiency benchmark).

Key takeaways

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Last reviewed: 2026-08-27. Independent research; not financial, tax, or legal advice -- confirm current figures with a local professional before making a decision.