St. Louis, MO, known as 'The Gateway to the West,' offers a unique blend of historic significance and modern urban amenities. Located in eastern Missouri, St. Louis is a large city that serves as a major cultural and economic hub. Major nearby cities like Kansas City and Springfield enhance its status as a central point in the region. St. Louis's blend of historic landmarks, cultural festivals, and urban amenities creates a distinctive living experience.
St. Louis is home to several iconic landmarks, including the Gateway Arch, the historic Anheuser-Busch Brewery, and the Missouri Botanical Garden. The city offers a variety of attractions, from the beautiful Forest Park to the bustling Delmar Loop, known for its shopping and dining. St. Louis's dining scene is diverse, offering everything from St. Louis-style barbecue to international cuisine.
Annual events such as the St. Louis Art Fair and the Fair Saint Louis highlight the city's vibrant cultural scene and provide unique entertainment opportunities for residents and visitors. These events celebrate St. Louis's rich cultural heritage and community spirit. Prestigious institutions like Washington University in St. Louis contribute to the city's academic and cultural vibrancy, fostering a thriving intellectual community.
The arts and culture scene in St. Louis is dynamic and diverse, with numerous theaters, music venues, and art galleries. The St. Louis Symphony Orchestra and the Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis are just a few of the cultural landmarks that showcase the city's commitment to the arts. Living in St. Louis provides ample opportunities to engage with art, music, and history, making it an exciting place to call home.
St. Louis’s community is welcoming and diverse, creating a friendly environment for newcomers. The city is home to professional sports teams like the St. Louis Cardinals (MLB) and the St. Louis Blues (NHL), providing plenty of excitement for sports fans. Major industries in St. Louis include healthcare, education, and manufacturing, with significant employers such as BJC HealthCare and Boeing driving economic growth. The city has extensive public transit options, including buses and light rail, making commuting convenient. St. Louis's weather features hot summers and mild winters, allowing for a variety of outdoor activities year-round.
Amenities
Conveniently located, the area boasts a variety of amenities, including grocery stores, shopping, coffee shops and entertainment options all within walking distance.
Commute
The high commute score in this area could imply easy access to public transportation, as well as shorter-than-average commute times to your workplace.
Cost Of Living
Everyday cost of living expenses like goods and services, housing, groceries, transportation, health care and utilities are far below the national average.
Housing
Impressive scores in the housing category characterize this area, potentially attributed to the availability of affordable housing, strong appreciation rates and high home values.
Health & Safety
Accessible health facilities like hospitals, doctors offices, clinics and nursing homes as well as good air quality are all factors that have led to a high score in this category.
Crime
Reporting high crime rates per 100,000 people, this area may be perceived as an unsafe place to reside. These statistics encompass both violent and property crime rates.
Schools
The low schools score might be a result of factors like lower than average education levels, lackluster reading and math scores and the inaccessibility of local elementary and high schools.
Ratings
Through surveys and polls, AreaVibes obtained feedback from local residents in the area, and the results did not indicate a favorable outlook on factors like local amenities and the safety of the area.
St. Louis is a large city located in the state of Missouri. The city has a population of 315,543 residents. With a population density of 5,093 people per square mile, St. Louis is well above the nation's average density level. St. Louis is known to be an ethnically diverse city. The two most common races are White (46%) and Black or African American (46%). In St. Louis, only 38% of people over the age of fifteen are married. This city could be a good option for singles ready to mingle. On a daily basis, the typical American spends approximately 26 minutes on their one-way work commute. Reduced travel times not only contributes to increased overall happiness, but also affords more opportunities to cherish moments with family and friends. If you're living in St. Louis, your commute time will align closely with the national average, spanning a one-way duration of approximately 24 minutes.
Whether you’re moving to a new town to be closer to family, friends or for a new job, living in St. Louis could be a positive experience compared to other cities in Missouri if you know where to look. Don't forget to determine what matters most to you in a neighborhood. Consider factors such as safety, proximity to work or school, access to amenities (like parks, fitness facilities, grocery stores, restaurants), public transportation options, community atmosphere and the overall vibe you're looking for. With useful information like amenities, cost of living, health & safety, employment and other key data points, finding the best places to live in St. Louis and in the areas around St. Louis is a much easier task.
With a livability score of 74/100, St. Louis is ranked #4,027 in the United States and #57 in Missouri. If we take a closer look at each of the categories on their own, we see that St. Louis ranks well for cost of living (A+) and housing (A+). St. Louis does not fare well for the following: education (D-). It might be a smart idea to take a closer look at each category to find out why.
If you're living in St. Louis, you can expect to enjoy a multitude of local amenities, mostly thanks to the strategic placement of essential services such as grocery stores, restaurants, coffee shops, parks and various shops. If you're contemplating a move to this locale with the intent of establishing it as your permanent residence, you'll be pleased to find an extensive array of amenities and recreational opportunities within easy reach, either on foot or via a brief commute. This wealth of accessible amenities not only enhances the livability of the area but also ensures that you can enjoy a rich and fulfilling lifestyle, making St. Louis an attractive destination for those seeking a vibrant and well-served community to call home. A few of the enjoyable things to experience and sights to see are: Gateway Arch, St. Louis Zoo, and City Museum.
For home buyers, real estate will be the largest purchase they will ever make and it will also be their most valuable asset. For renters, the monthly rent paid on their St. Louis apartments will most likely be their largest expense. Based on tangible metrics like home and rental affordability and appreciation rates, housing in this area has received a score that is well above the average of every other US city. A thriving real estate market can also generate strong local economic activity and job creation.
There are many factors that go into deciding if an area is the right fit for your lifestyle. Certain “must haves” like low crime, great schools and nearby amenities are all at the top of most people's lists. But before even considering if those options are attainable, we'll need to know if the real estate in St. Louis is actually affordable. The median home price for St. Louis homes is $255,582, which is 2.4% higher than the Missouri average. If we take a closer look at the affordability of homes in St. Louis, we’ll see that the home price to income ratio is 3.8, which is 11.8% higher than the Missouri average.
Why stop at city-to-city? With Local Insights, you can compare neighborhoods, zip codes, or even exact addresses. Access 300+ hyperlocal data points—from schools and crime to housing and amenities—to see which area is the better fit.
| Statistic | St. Louis | Missouri | National |
| Average one way commute | 24min | 23min | 26min |
| Workers who drive to work | 71.0% | 81.6% | 76.4% |
| Workers who carpool | 7.5% | 9.1% | 9.3% |
| Workers who take public transit | 7.3% | 1.5% | 5.1% |
| Workers who bicycle | 0.9% | 0.3% | 0.6% |
| Workers who walk | 4.6% | 1.9% | 2.8% |
| Working from home | 7.6% | 4.6% | 4.6% |
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