Quick Facts About St. Louis
A baseball town, a beer town and a big river city, St. Louis is a burgeoning center of industry and creativity at the confluence of the mighty waters of the Mississippi and the Missouri.
Once the fourth-largest city in America, St. Louis’ heyday has often felt like a portrait in the rearview. Lewis and Clark embarked on their famous expedition from St. Louis’ banks of the Mighty Miss’. The world’s first steel truss bridge — the Eads — was built over its waters. The city played host to the 1904 World’s Fair and the 1904 Olympic Games. Major companies like Anheuser-Busch and Monsanto made the city into a commercial hub and the railroad and rivers kept the city a manufacturing and shipping powerhouse. Colleges like Saint Louis University, Washington University in St. Louis, and the nearby University of Missouri established the region as one of the nation’s earliest academic outposts west of the Mississippi.
But Saint Louis has also been the site of some of the nation’s greatest struggles and failings. The Dred Scott case was heard at St. Louis’ Old Courthouse. Rampant redlining reinforced even outlawed segregation practices that are still felt today, underscoring the divide between St. Louis City and St. Louis County. And the loss of manufacturing jobs in the 20th and early 21st centuries only amplified St. Louis’ underlying problems.
But as much as the city under the Gateway Arch was built on trade it was also built on resolve, and a new generation of entrepreneurs, community activists, urban planners and civic-minded creatives have coupled their inspiration and ingenuity, determined to bring the city back. And, big things are in the works, some of which are already bearing fruit.
The new Cortex Innovation Community has created a collaborative economic engine to make St. Louis a technology hub. New Greenway projects are making the city more sustainable and connected, by creating inclusive spaces for carbon-free commuting and recreation. And, building on its already outsized arts scene, the city is bringing exciting new venues and ventures to the community, from public murals to entertainment destinations like the City Foundry to new stadiums like CITYPARK for the St. Louis City SC, which had an outrageously good first season. From Cardinals and St. Louis Blues games to nights at the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra and performances of the Black Rep, there is a lot to look forward to in Gateway City.
If you’re looking for a lively, affordable city to call home, St. Louis may be for you. Learn more about St. Louis below, from the cost of housing to the weather, the food and the best things to do. And, let us show you everything you need to know about the Show-Me State in our Moving Guide to Missouri.
Four Distinct Seasons in St. Louis
We have to be honest: St. Louis’ weather is not one of its finer qualities. Sure, there’s colder weather in Minneapolis, hotter weather in Phoenix, and worse humidity in the Florida Keys, but St. Louis can easily experience all the extremes of the nation’s climate — sometimes in just 24 hours.
The average temperature in St. Louis is a mild 57 F, but in just the first four months of 2024, the city has seen temperatures below zero and above 90 F. On February 26, temperatures in the city rose to a record 86 F before plummeting to 26 F on February 27, sending people and wildlife into a seasonal tailspin. Thanks to the city’s central location, St. Louisans feel the brunt of Canadian cold fronts, the drifting heat and humidity from the Gulf of Mexico, and the whipping winds from the Rockies.
In an average winter, you should expect at least one or two snows worth breaking out the shovel for, and ice storms and freezing rain are a perennial hazard. In spring and summer, you’ll have to watch out for hail, tornados, floods and straight-line winds, but don’t go out into the storms and watch for them, even if your neighbors do. And they will. You can watch them from your basement, which you’ll have stocked with snacks, water and a weather radio.
But there are some benefits to all this climatic activity. St. Louis has four true seasons, even if summer occasionally day trips into winter and vice versa. This means that there’s always a possibility of a white Christmas, there’s a long growing season and 42 inches of annual rain, which is great for gardeners, and the spring and fall are genuinely nice times to be outdoors, whether you want a picnic in the park or a swanky al fresco table at your favorite bistro. Even during the most sweltering days of summer, St. Louisans rally to attend their favorite outdoor events, dragging camping chairs and coolers of wine, beer, soda and snacks to Shakespeare in the Park, the Whitaker Music Festival and summer movies on Art Hill.
So, maybe the best thing about St. Louis weather is St. Louisans, who just roll their eyes and roll with it.
Affordable Cost of Living in St. Louis
One of Saint Louis’ biggest assets is its affordable cost of living. The cost of real estate in St. Louis, though rising, has stayed well below the national average, with the median home value in the city of St. Louis averaging $174,100 between 2018 and 2022 and the median home value in St. Louis County averaging $249,400, compared to the U.S. average of $281,900 during the same timeframe. Rental rates in the area are comparably affordable, with city prices not even reaching the $950 mark and county prices just above $1,100/mo.
But, Saint Louisans do spend more than the average U.S. resident on some common household expenditures, like food, healthcare, transportation, and personal insurance/pensions. Energy costs, though, have dropped 3.3% over the past year, so your family may be able to save on utilities, depending on your lifestyle.
You should also be aware that income levels aren’t as high in St. Louis, and this is where the city-county divide is at its sharpest. The median household income in the city of St. Louis is just $52,941, and poverty levels here are top 20%. But county residents bring home an average of $78,067 per household — a bit more than the national average, even — and poverty levels are only 10.5%. Wages in the St. Louis area average a little less than $2.00/hr below the national average.
Want to know what your wages might be in St. Louis? Check out this table of average wages in St. Louis.
Diverse Job Market in St. Louis Area
Though unemployment has been on the rise, sitting at 3.6% in St. Louis County and 4.4% in St. Louis City in March 2024, the metro average of 3.8% is in line with the national rate, and no single sector has suffered an alarming hit. The civilian labor force in metro STL had roughly 1.5 million workers at the beginning of the year, and three industries dominated the pack: Education & Health Services, Trade, Transportation & Utilities, and Professional & Business Services — the only one of the trifecta to lose jobs, and its contraction was contained to only a 1.3% loss.
Major employers like Washington University in St. Louis — which also helms the Barnes-Jewish Hospital healthcare system — provide critical stability in this non-coastal region, further bolstered by commercial leaders like Energizer, Purina, Hubbell and Emerson Electric, one of Missouri’s eight Fortune 500 companies, which also includes Centene, O’Reilly Automotive, Edward Jones, Enterprise Automotive, RGA (Reinsurance Group of America), Graybar, Ameren and Olin.
Leisure & Hospitality also makes a strong showing in the region, a testament to the city’s growing appeal to visitors, as does Manufacturing, where companies like General Motors (Wentzville), Boeing, GKN Aerospace and Anheuser-Busch employ nearly 8,000 people.
Diverse Neighborhoods in St. Louis
The city of St. Louis has 79 unique neighborhoods, from walkable, shoppable urban districts like Benton Park West to near-suburban spots like the Skinker-DeBaliviere neighborhood just east of Washington University. To be sure, there’s a place and a space for everyone in this city, and we’re here to help you get a feel for what feels most like you.
If you’re looking for a historic townhouse, with a high walkability factor and lots of curb appeal, there are several districts to consider. Historic Soulard has maintained its French cultural affinity for more than two centuries, and you won’t find better-looking brick or a more raucous Mardi Gras celebration anywhere outside of New Orleans itself.
Nearby neighborhoods like Tower Grove and Shaw put you within easy reach of treasures like Tower Grove Park and the Missouri Botanical Gardens, which are some of the finest in the country. You’ll find lots of late-19th/early-20th century, three-story brick homes here, with high ceilings, welcoming stairwells and windows so large you’ll never have to hem another pair of Ikea curtains. Move-in-ready prices generally start in the $300s and can run into the $600s for a high-end renovation, which still feels like a steal compared to other major cities.
The Central West End is a popular area surrounding the WashU Med School, and while young residents find the area’s shiny new apartments and condos practical and appealing, it’s the historic high-rises and the mansions within the area’s gated drives that have the highest drool factor. The streets in the CWE are lined with boutiques and restaurants, like the beloved Left Bank Books and the French bistro Brasserie. Sometimes the most fun thing to do is grab an ice cream cone from Jeni’s and take a walk through those seemingly off-limits areas (they’re only closed to vehicles) and take in the beautiful front gardens. There are some well-respected schools in the area, too, like Crossroads Academy and New City School, and the CWE’s central location makes it easy to get to weekend soccer games in the county or to work downtown or in Clayton, a first-ring suburb and bustling business district.
Downtown St. Louis is still the city’s commercial core, and it’s also where you’ll find a lot of core attractions like the Arch, the St. Louis Aquarium at Union Station, Busch Stadium (Go Cards!), CITYPARK stadium (Go St. Louis City SC!) and the Enterprise Center (Go Blues!), where the 2019 Stanley Cup winners play both ice hockey and “Gloria” on repeat. Possibly the most popular destination in the city for the 21-and-under set is the City Museum. This is not a place where you’ll spend hours reading didactics and becoming enlightened about St. Louis’ past. It’s more of a ramshackle playground for the daring and up. Made of bits and bobs and the occasional retired airplane or bus, the City Museum is like being invited to climb into the artistic minds of its creators — Bob and Gail Cassilly — and run around in them. There’s a giant praying mantis, a beguiling network of caves and the world’s largest pencil. Many of those warehouses have now been converted into residential lofts and condos.
If you’re looking for less urban, and cozier residential, the Southampton neighborhood may be right up your alley. Part of the larger South City region, this neck of the metro woods is filled with charming gingerbread houses and Prairie-style bungalows, and residents relish the tight-knit community and easy-going lifestyle. There are convenient shopping centers, like Hampton Village, and great public greenspaces, like Francis Park and Willmore Park.
If you’re of a suburban mindset, St. Louis certainly has some great ones. Maplewood, Richmond Heights/DeMun and University City are three of the most popular districts near the city-county line, and you’ll find great condos, apartments and single-family houses throughout these areas at a range of prices, from incredibly modest to very spendy.
Farther afield, there’s the quaint neighborhood of Webster Groves, where old clapboard houses with porch swings and vegetable gardens give an almost Mayberry-esque vibe. Kirkwood and Creve Coeur cater to families with school-aged children, as both areas have strong school districts and at least some affordable housing. Farther west, there are the more remote areas of Wildwood and Chesterfield, which are adjacent to truly rural areas but are loaded with amenities for growing families — live/work/play developments, shopping centers and recreation spots like the Butterfly House at Faust Park and the hiking trails at Babler State Park.
Note: If you’re thinking of moving to St. Louis, it’s important to thoroughly research neighborhoods or areas in the city you might be interested in living. Before you decide where you are going to live, make sure you understand the area’s cost of living, commute time, tax rates, safety statistics and schooling information.
Top-Notch Education and Schools in St. Louis
The St. Louis region is awash in institutions of higher education. Private colleges like Saint Louis University and Washington University in St. Louis are national leaders and public institutions schools like Harris-Stowe State University — one of two HBCUs in the state — and the University of Missouri (part of the NCAA Southeastern Conference) make getting a great education near to home an easy goal for St. Louis residents. You’ll just have to adjust to all these schools’ quirky acronyms — SLU, MIZZOU, WashU, UMSL…it’s a lot.
K-12 schooling in the metro area also gives parents plenty of options, from Catholic girls’ schools like Ursuline to prep schools like John Burroughs, Crossroads, Thomas Jefferson and MICDS, to top-rated public schools in Clayton, Ladue, Kirkwood and the Central West End.
Outdoor Recreation in St. Louis
When St. Louis built the Arch, it was banking on it being a beacon for visitors, and its new status as part of Gateway Arch National Park has recertified the 630-foot-tall monument designed by Eero Saarinen as a sight to be seen. The newly redesigned grounds and museum are a city treasure, and the Old Courthouse — the site of the Dred Scott hearing — will finally reopen to the public in 2025.
St. Louis is also famous for its other parks. There are 108 in total (excluding dog parks), and even more in the suburbs of Saint Louis County. Tower Grove Park, located on the southeastern side of the city, is known for its colorful, historic pavilions and its popular Saturday farmer’s market. But the most loved of them all is Forest Park. This green centerpiece is, as the locals will brag, larger than New York’s Central Park, but unlike NYC, many of the park’s major amenities are free, including the Saint Louis Art Museum, the Missouri History Museum, the Saint Louis Zoo and the Saint Louis Science Center. There is also a nice public golf course, connected waterways for recreational boating and fishing and facilities for tennis, handball and, of course, pickleball.
The city is also going to great lengths to cater to its throngs of cycling enthusiasts. The Great Rivers Greenway has already constructed more than 135 miles of trails in the region. This includes the Mississippi River Greenway, which runs from the Arch to the Old Chain of Rocks Bridge — a crossing that has been closed to cars along historic Route 66 for 50 years but is a popular pedestrian and bike pathway from Missouri to Illinois. A new parkland on the Saint Louis side of the Chain of Rocks just opened, and it features a mural by local artist Simiya Sudduth and a native prairie space. The bridge — 60 feet above the roiling Mississippi River — is also a popular winter haunt for those looking for bald eagles, who frequent the St. Louis regional riverways in the coldest months of the year.
Katy Trail State Park is one of the most beloved outdoor destinations in the region. This rail trail is 240 miles long, stretching most of the way from the northern burbs of St. Louis to the far southeastern burbs of Kansas City. Meandering along the Missouri River, the trail is scenic and largely flat, making it perfect for family day-trippers and a great endurance ride for devoted cyclists.
Anyone who wants a classic St. Louis adventure should try paddling the Mighty Miss’. But to embrace your inner Huck Finn, you’ll want to travel it with a guide, like Big Muddy Adventures, as the swirling waters are major shipping lanes for barges, and the current is not for the faint of heart. For a languid journey, try tubing along the Meramec River, where the biggest threat of capsizing comes from your beer cooler outweighing your raft. You can also go spelunking in the Meramec Caverns if you’re not bat phobic.
Food and Dining in St. Louis
To get a taste of the city’s signature flavors, start with the capital STL app: toasted ravioli. Toasted ravs are the ubiquitous fried starter on St. Louis menus — the calamari of Middle America — but we’ve noticed them cropping up at restaurants across the country lately. It’s hard to deny the appeal of the breaded, seasoned, meat-filled pillows, which are accompanied by a crock of marinara. Just remember — you tasted them here first.
St. Louis has made a big name for itself in barbeque, and stand-alones like Salt + Smoke, Pappy’s and Sugarfire have quickly become local chains with devoted followings. You’ll want to wash those ribs, burnt ends and pulled pork down with some made-in-STL suds, too. With its deep German heritage and the home of Anheuser-Busch (do take the brewery tour), St. Louis’ craft breweries sprouted from this original mash with refined, original flavors that Bud could hardly dream of. We recommend Urban Chestnut’s Zwickel, Civil Life’s rich American Brown Ale and Schlafly’s Kolsch.
The city’s pizza, on the other hand, is a more contentious subject. Longtime locals swear by the homegrown, thin-crust, square-cut pies topped with the synthetically creamy Provel cheese — like an American version of provolone — and the Saint Louis chain Imo’s is the place to sample the pies. Frank & Helen’s has been making their St. Louis-style pizza since 1956, but this quintessential family restaurant in University City stands out for many house-made specialties — the gooiest mac & cheese and fried chicken so close to Grandma’s we’re not sure if it’s a cure or a cause for homesickness.
If there’s one thing that most St. Louisans have a soft spot for, though, it’s gooey butter cake. This unabashedly, over-the-top sweet treat eats a bit like a lemon bar, but without the acid to cut through the decadence.
But St. Louis is hardly just a tavern-food kind of town. The new hometown favorites are the pide and patlidžan at Balkan Treat Box. The devilishly flaky, double-chocolate croissants known as the DARKNESS from La Pâtisserie Chouquette. The beet and beef dumplings from Corner 17. And the sakana yaki at Sado — a surprising Japanese addition to St. Louis’ Little Italy, known as The Hill. You’ll find oodles of James Beard Award nominees and several winners in St. Louis. In this affordable city that’s still flying below the radar in the so-called flyover country, you’ll have more dough to spend on fine pastries, sushi and all of St. Louis’ other foodie delights.
Tips for a Smooth Relocation to St. Louis
Ready to move to St. Louis? United Van Lines can help get you there. United Van Lines is America’s #1 Mover®, and we’re proud to call the St. Louis region our home. With our full-service moving packages, United Van Lines can make your long-distance move to the Gateway City smooth and stress-free. Our experienced team has helped move more than 1 million families across America. See how we can help you.
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If you’re making a cross-country move to St. Louis, United Van Lines has everything you need to simplify your move. We can provide full-service moving packages with custom moving options, including packing and unpacking services, storage, car-shipping services, debris removal and more.
Making a local move to Gateway City? Our interstate agents in the area provide local moving services independently under their brands and businesses.
United Van Lines has many resources for anyone who is relocating. Keep track of the details of your move in this week-by-week moving checklist. And, before you plan your move, learn about the types of moving quotes and estimates you can expect when you move to St. Louis.
While you’re packing and planning, learn a little more about the Show-Me State in our Moving Guide to Missouri, where we break down the BBQ rivalry between STL and KC, and you’ll find local tips on everything from the best state parks to the best colleges across the state.
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