CallataGuidesBusiness phone system for optometry practices in St. Louis, MO-IL
Optometry practices in the St. Louis, MO-IL metro area: 240 establishments in 2023, the local area codes, and what phone service costs a 7-person team.
- Establishments
- 240CBP 2023
- Employees
- 1,736mid-March 2023
- Per 100k residents
- 8.5U.S. 6.6
- Rank
- 16th of 734areas by count
The optometry practice market in St. Louis, MO-IL
County Business Patterns counts 240 optometry practices (NAICS 621320, Offices of Optometrists) in the St. Louis, MO-IL metro area for 2023. They employed 1,736 people in mid-March and paid $88.7 million in annual payroll. By establishment count the area is 16th out of 734 areas with published figures for optometry practices.
Measured against its 2.8 million residents (2024 estimate), the area has 8.5 optometry practices per 100,000 people; the U.S. rate is 6.6, so St. Louis, MO-IL is 29.0% above the national figure. The average establishment here has 7.2 employees, compared with 6.6 nationally. Payroll per employee comes to $51,097, 4.5% above the national $48,910.
| Measure | St. Louis, MO-IL | Missouri | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Establishments | 240 | 427 | 22,501 |
| Mid-March employees | 1,736 (moderate noise) | 3,037 | 147,931 |
| Annual payroll | $88,705,000 (moderate noise) | $140,867,000 | $7,235,361,000 |
| Employees per establishment | 7.2 | 7.1 | 6.6 |
| Payroll per employee | $51,097 | $46,384 | $48,910 |
| Establishments per 100,000 residents | 8.5 | 6.8 | 6.6 |
Census County Business Patterns 2023 (mid-March employment; annual payroll). Employees and payroll flagged high-noise are shown but not used in the text. Residents: Census Vintage 2024 estimates.
Team sizes at optometry practices in St. Louis, MO-IL
Of the optometry practices in St. Louis, MO-IL that had employees in March 2023, 36.6% had fewer than five (the U.S. share is 47.9%). 81.9% had fewer than ten. Small teams usually share the phone: the person who answers is often also serving a customer or doing the job, which is when calls get missed.
| Employment size | Establishments | Share | U.S. share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1–4 employees | 87 | 36.6% | 47.9% |
| 5–9 employees | 108 | 45.4% | 32.2% |
| 10–19 employees | 36 | 15.1% | 15.5% |
| 20–49 employees | 7 | 2.9% | 4.0% |
| 50 or more employees | 0 | 0.0% | 0.4% |
Employment-size classes count establishments by mid-March 2023 employment. Establishments with no March employees are excluded from the size classes, so shares are of establishments with employees. Source: Census County Business Patterns 2023.
Calls an optometry practice in St. Louis, MO-IL has to catch
Eye-care offices combine exam scheduling with eyewear and contact-lens orders, so callers want both appointments and order status. Calls about broken glasses or eye irritation also need to reach someone quickly.
A few of the calls that come in to optometry practices in St. Louis, MO-IL:
- A patient calls to check whether new glasses are ready for pickup.
- A parent calls to book a child's eye exam before the school year.
- A patient calls to reorder contact lenses.
Business texting for optometry practices
Optometry offices text patients when an eyewear or contact lens order is ready for pickup, along with appointment reminders.
Because carriers require registration for business texting from local numbers, Callata files a 10DLC registration for a one-time $49; after approval, anyone on the team can reply from the business number.
What a phone system costs an optometry practice in St. Louis, MO-IL
The average optometry practice in St. Louis, MO-IL has 7.2 employees, so a 7-person team is a reasonable benchmark. Priced per seat, 7 users would run $210.00 a month on RingCentral RingEX Core and $174.65 on Ooma Office Pro (month-to-month list prices, checked September 28, 2026). Callata comes to $139.00 a month for 7 users ($99 a month with 5 users included, then $20 per additional user), below both.
Over a year, that is $852 less than RingCentral for an optometry practice in St. Louis, MO-IL of that size. Annual contracts lower some competitors' prices, so compare the plan you would actually sign.
| Provider (plan) | Pricing basis | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Callata (Callata Office) | $99 incl. 5 users, $20 per extra user | $139.00 | $1,668.00 |
| Quo (Starter) | $19.00 per user | $133.00 | $1,596.00 |
| Nextiva (Core) | $23.00 per user | $161.00 | $1,932.00 |
| Ooma (Office Pro) | $24.95 per user | $174.65 | $2,095.80 |
| Dialpad (Standard) | $27.00 per user | $189.00 | $2,268.00 |
| RingCentral (RingEX Core) | $30.00 per user | $210.00 | $2,520.00 |
Competitor prices are each vendor's published month-to-month list price per user for its lowest plan that includes business calling and texting, checked September 28, 2026: Quo Starter $19, Nextiva Core $23, Ooma Office Pro $24.95 (Essentials excludes texting; one-time $29.95 activation not included), Dialpad Standard $27, RingCentral RingEX Core $30 ($20 billed annually). Prices exclude taxes and fees and may change; annual contracts lower some competitors' prices.
Which area code to use in St. Louis, MO-IL
NANPA records place the exchanges of the area's named cities and towns in 8 area codes. 314 has the most, with 723 of 1,483 exchanges (49%). A local number lets patients in St. Louis, MO-IL call without dialing out of area. Callata includes up to 3 local numbers, and which numbers are open in an area code depends on carrier inventory when you choose.
| Area code | Exchanges | Time zone | In service since | Overlay with |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 314 | 723 | Central | 1947 | 557 |
| 618 | 324 | Central | 1947 | 730 |
| 636 | 308 | Central | 1999 | none |
| 557 | 71 | Central | 2022 | 314 |
| 730 | 30 | Central | 2023 | 618 |
| 217 | 14 | Central | 1947 | 447 |
| 573 | 11 | Central | 1996 | 235 |
| 447 | 2 | Central | 2021 | 217 |
Exchanges are NANPA-assigned central office codes (NPA-NXX) in the rate centers matched to the area's named places. Source: NANPA utilized code and NPA reports.
Setting up Callata for an optometry practice in St. Louis, MO-IL
For $99 a month, Callata puts a team of up to 5 on one plan ($20 for each person after that): up to 3 local numbers, unlimited inbound calls, a pooled allowance of 1,500 outbound US and Canada minutes per user, browser and cell calling, voicemail transcription with urgency triage, recorded calls with AI summaries and business-hours routing, with E911 on every number.
Porting a number you already use in St. Louis, MO-IL is free, and business texting is available once the carrier registration (10DLC) is approved; the registration carries a one-time $49 fee. Which specific numbers are open in a given area code depends on carrier inventory at the time you sign up.
AI agents are optional: an AI receptionist or scheduler can pick up when the team is busy or closed, take a message, send a text or email, or transfer the call. They draw on prepaid AI minutes ($0.25/minute), disclose that they are AI, and outbound AI calls require prior consent and are limited to 8am–9pm.
Practices that handle protected health information should review their own privacy obligations before recording calls, enabling AI summaries or texting appointment details, and keep clinical conversations out of text messages unless their policies allow it.
Frequently asked questions
How many optometry practices are there in St. Louis, MO-IL?
Census County Business Patterns counted 240 optometry practices in the St. Louis, MO-IL metro area in 2023. They employed 1,736 people in mid-March.
What does a business phone system cost for a 7-person optometry practice?
At month-to-month list prices checked September 28, 2026, 7 users cost $210.00 a month on RingCentral RingEX Core and $174.65 on Ooma Office Pro. On Callata, $99 a month with 5 users included, then $20 per additional user, the same team pays $139.00.
What area code should an optometry practice in St. Louis, MO-IL use?
Area code 314 has the most assigned exchanges among the area's named places, followed by 618 and 636. If you already have a local number, you can port it to Callata for free.
Can an AI receptionist answer calls for an optometry practice?
Yes. Callata's optional AI agents can answer when the team is busy or closed, take a message, text, email or transfer the call. They disclose that they are AI and are billed from prepaid AI minutes at $0.25 per minute. Practices that handle protected health information should review their own privacy obligations before recording calls, enabling AI summaries or texting appointment details, and keep clinical conversations out of text messages unless their policies allow it.