Winchester, Missouri

Winchester is a city in West St. Louis County, Missouri. It had a population of 1,547 at the 2010 census.

History[edit]

Winchester was incorporated as a village in 1935, and as a 4th-class city in 1957.^[1] Though the name is a fairly common one in many American states, originating from the historic city in England, in this particular case the town is said to derive its name from combining the endings of the neighboring cities of Ballwin and Manchester. It was chosen to exemplify inter-community cooperation in the region.^[2]

Geography[edit]

Winchester is located in west-central St. Louis County, surrounded by the cities of Ballwin to the west and Manchester to the east. Missouri State Highway 100 (Manchester Road) forms its northern boundary. Its exact coordinates are 38°35′24″N 90°31′33″W.

The city lies on mostly level ground between Fishpot and Grand Glaize Creek. It has a total land area of 0.25 square miles, and an average elevation of 620 feet.^[3]

Demographics[edit]

At the 2010 census, Winchester had a total of 1,547 inhabitants, grouped into 596 households, with a population density of 6,188.0 people per square mile. This figure represented a moderate decrease from the 2000 census, when Winchester had a population of 1,651. 92.57% of the inhabitants were White, 1.23% were African-American, 0.45% were Native American, 1.42% were Asian, 0.13% were Pacific Islander, 1.55% were from some other race, and 2.65% were from two or more races. Hispanics of any race were 4.40% of the population.

The median age in Winchester was 36.8 years, with 22.0% of inhabitants under the age of 18, 7.2% between 18 and 24 years old, 32.4% between 25 and 44, 22.1% between 45 and 64, and 16.2% 65 years old or older. The sex ratio was 47.8% male, 52.2% female.^[4]

According to the 2018 American Community Survey, Winchester had a median household income of $62,614, and a median family income of $73,542. The unemployment rate was 4.3%. The per capita income was $28,501. About 4.5% of the population lived below the poverty line, including 7.2% of those under the age of 18 and 2.6% of those 65 years of age or older.^[5]

Government[edit]

Winchester has a mayor-council form of government, with elected officials including a mayor and a four-member board of aldermen, two representing each of the city's two wards. The mayor is elected for a four-year term, while council members are elected for two-year terms in alternating years. The current mayor of Winchester is Gail Winham, last elected in April 2021.^[6]

The city is part of the 100th District for the Missouri House of Representatives, currently represented by Derek Grier (R-Chesterfield), first elected in November 2016. It is also in the 15th District for the Missouri State Senate, currently represented by Andrew Koenig (R-Manchester), first elected in November 2016; and in Missouri's 2nd Congressional District, currently represented by Ann Wagner (R-Ballwin), first elected in November 2012.

Education[edit]

Most of Winchester is part of the Parkway School District, which serves a large portion of west-central St. Louis County. Local students attend Sorrento Springs Elementary (grades K-5), Southwest Middle School (grades 6-8), and South High School (grades 9-12). A small western portion of the city is part of the Rockwood R-VI School District, which covers most of the western part of the county. Local students attend Ballwin Elementary (grades K-5), Selvidge Middle School (grades 6-8), and Marquette High School (grades 9-12).^[7]

References[edit]