The Out-of-State Heir Index

Bottom line: when an heir lives outside Missouri, they manage the house from a distance. In St. Louis estates where we have confirmed an heir's address, nearly half have an out-of-state heir.

Some estates are settled by an heir who lives down the road. Others are settled by a son in Phoenix or a sister in Chicago, who inherited a house they rarely see. That difference matters, because a distant heir manages — and often sells — property they cannot easily visit.

How often does it happen?

Among St. Louis County estates where we know an heir's address, about 48% have an heir who lives outside Missouri. The chart shows which states those heirs live in.

Read this number carefully

That 48% comes from a small, early group — about 126 estates where an heir's address is confirmed. Most cases do not have that yet, because address work happens after a case opens. So this is the slice we can see clearly, not the whole county, and the early group may not be typical. As we confirm more addresses, the share will move. We would rather show the honest, narrow number than a confident wide one.

For where these estates sit on the map, see where filings cluster. This page updates as the data grows.