Home to the iconic Gateway Arch, St. Louis is the second-most populous city in Missouri. Situated on the banks of the Mississippi River, it is a large Midwestern city with a small town atmosphere. With a population of more than 300,000, St. Louis continues to draw families and young professionals from around the country because of its highly ranked quality of life. Along with historic architecture and urban parks, the cityscape boasts museums, sporting events and a vibrant arts and food scene. A wide selection of housing options, from renovated Victorian-era homes to modern high-rise apartments, also makes St. Louis an ideal place to relocate.
Residents of St. Louis enjoy the hip, urban vibe of up-and-coming neighborhoods like the Central West End and the Delmar Loop. You can also live in an established community. While Soulard features historic redbrick townhouses and a farmers market in operation since 1779, Lafayette Square boasts a 30-acre urban park. The city is ranked as one of the most affordable in the country thanks in part to a growing diversified job market. Along with Anheuser-Busch, St. Louis is the headquarters for nine Fortune 500 companies. Job opportunities are available in energy, finance, healthcare and transportation. Many residential areas are connected to employment centers and leisure activities by the efficient MetroLink and MetroBus public transit systems.
Along with professional baseball and hockey teams, St. Louis has one of the country’s leading children’s museums. Residents also enjoy exhibits in museums dedicated to art, Missouri history and the Blues as well as the botanical garden and the highly regarded zoo. The St. Louis Science Center is known for its interactive exhibits and planetarium shows. Major cultural events include the Fair St. Louis Independence Day celebration and the Big Muddy Blues Festival. Keep the weather in mind when attending outdoor events. St. Louis has four distinct seasons that produce summer highs in the upper 80s and winter lows below freezing.
With an abundance of great neighborhoods from which to choose, finding the best places to live in St. Louis may not always be easy. We will help give you a head start as these are our picks for the best places to live in St. Louis. To personalize your list of the best places to live in St. Louis, you can also specify your search radius, population size, budget and other metrics that are most important to you. These can include neighborhood amenities, crime rates and cost of living as well as educational opportunities, employment centers and housing options.