Living in St. Louis, MO
Explore Things To Do, Cost of Living, Top Restaurants and More

• 2025 Top 100 Best Places to Live

Thinking of moving to St. Louis, MO? You’ve come to the right place! You will find all the details about living here, from insight into the quality of life and cost of living to details about industry and job opportunities to lists of fun things to do.

Why You’ll Love Living in St. Louis, MO

Living in St. Louis, MO, which is known as the Gateway to the West, means living your best life. With the exception of the nation’s capital, St. Louis claims to boast more free major attractions than anywhere in the United States. Locals and visitors have admission-free entry to places like the Saint Louis Art Museum, Saint Louis Science Center, Saint Louis Zoo, Missouri History Museum and many more spots, and the accessibility of these amenities is just one reason St. Louis is a great place to live.

In the realm of careers, this city has established itself as a leader in health sciences and services, though the area has a strong tradition of leadership in transportation and logistics. It’s also an emerging hot spot for financial services and investment advisors. In recent years, it has carved out a reputation as a tech hot spot, drawing tech companies, remote workers and entrepreneurs eager to join (and grow) the innovative, creative tech scene here. 

In every corner of the city, you’ll find creative, driven people actively working to make St. Louis the best city it can be – and their hard work is paying off. More than 281,000 people call the city home and can pick from a variety of incredible places to live. Neighborhoods range from the hip Central West End district full of fabulous restaurants and shops to The Hill, the area with a nod to everything Italian. Some more things that make St. Louis notable are the 630-foot-tall landmark Gateway Arch, Cardinals baseball, an outdoor summer Shakespeare festival and a bona fide beer scene, with the city being home to Anheuser-Busch and dozens of smaller craft breweries.

Top Reasons to Move to St. Louis

• St. Louis is family-friendly, home to one of the nation’s best zoos, tons of museums and great schools.
• There are plenty of economic opportunities in St. Louis, especially in AgTech and Plant Science.
• From historic spots to artsy districts, St. Louis has many distinct neighborhoods.
• St. Louis is for sports lovers, thanks to its number of professional sports teams.

St. Louis is a vibrant city on the eastern border of Missouri, about 250 miles east of Kansas City, accessible via Interstates 70 and 64. St. Louis Lambert International Airport is just northwest, offering worldwide flights. Nearby major cities include:

• Springfield, MO, sits 215 miles southwest, boasting the Fantastic Caverns, Wonders of Wildlife National Museum and Dickerson Park Zoo.
• Chicago, IL, is 300 miles northeast, where you can cruise the river to admire architecture, visit the Art Institute or root for the Cubs at Wrigley Field.
• Memphis, TN, is roughly 280 miles south, buzzing with the excitement of Beale Street and home to attractions like Graceland and the National Civil Rights Museum.

Humid continental and subtropical climates influence the region, allowing residents to experience cold Arctic winds and hot, humid tropical air from the Gulf. Summers are hot and muggy, with temperatures rising to the mid-80s. Winters are very cold, with temperatures often dropping below freezing and occasional snowfall.

St. Louis has established itself as a career leader in health sciences and services, though the area has a strong tradition of leadership in transportation and logistics. It’s also an emerging hot spot for financial services and investment advisors. In recent years, the city has carved out a reputation as a tech hot spot, drawing tech companies, remote workers and entrepreneurs eager to join (and grow) the innovative, creative tech scene here. Some of the largest employers here are Washington University, BJC HealthCare and Boeing. Edward Jones Investments, a financial firm, is headquartered in St. Louis.

The cost of living in St. Louis is below the national average. The median home value in St. Louis is $197,928, and the average household income is $59,263.

Missouri has a state income tax. St. Louis residents can expect a combined sales tax rate of 9.68% in 2026.

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Escape the urban jungle and visit The St Louis Botanical Gardens. When the hot, sticky summers are more than you can bear, retreat to the Climatron, which is considered one of the top 100 most significant achievements in U.S. architectural history. Without any internal support, this climate-controlled geodesic dome focuses on diversity and ecology. It fully immerses visitors into a tropical oasis with waterfalls, a native hut, rocky cliffs and over 2,800 plants. Then, continue to the children’s garden and peruse the events calendar for events such as Adventures with Cocktails, the Garden Gallop and the Green Living Festival.

Locals in St. Louis will never run out of things to do. The city has a thriving arts scene, with free admission to several spots, including the Saint Louis Art Museum and the Saint Louis Zoo, as well as unique venues like the City Museum and the Pulitzer Arts Foundation. When it comes to music and live performances, the Fabulous Fox Theatre, Powell Hall (home of the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra) and The Pageant are can’t-miss spots. Sports lovers can root, root, root for the home team by cheering on the St. Louis Cardinals at Busch Stadium and the St. Louis Blues at Enterprise Center to experience the city’s sports culture.Beyond its arts and sports scenes, St. Louis residents can appreciate the iconic Gateway Arch, a 630-foot monument. The St. Louis Union Station was once one of the largest and busiest passenger rail terminals, and today, it is a popular entertainment spot. Residents can also explore the city’s history through tours of the Anheuser-Busch brewery and visits to historic sites, and its eclectic neighborhoods offer a wide range of dining and shopping experiences.

8 Things To Do in St. Louis
8 Reasons To Move to St. Louis, MO

Stretch your legs in St. Louis! With more than 100 parks that provide plentiful recreational opportunities, including pools, skating rinks and sports courts, there are several spots for residents to get out and about. Forest Park is larger than Central Park and offers 30 miles of trails, golf courses and the Emerson Grand Basin, perfect for canoeing, all alongside attractions like the Muny Amphitheater and the St. Louis Zoo. Citygarden and Laumeier Sculpture Park blend art and nature, featuring sculptures in green spaces. Residents can also explore the Mississippi via riverboat cruises or enjoy seasonal activities like sledding at Art Hill.

Beyond the parks, residents can explore numerous trails – more than 607 miles of them! – and waterways are great for hiking, biking and paddling. Tower Grove Park is a designated birding trail with meadows, pavilions and a farmers market. It also hosts the annual Festival of Nations, celebrating the city’s numerous cultures. Additionally, attractions like the Audubon Center at Riverlands and Lone Elk Park provide wildlife viewing and nature exploration opportunities.

You’ll never go hungry here. The city is rapidly gaining recognition as a culinary destination and offers an array of dining experiences, from traditional St. Louis specialties like toasted ravioli to innovative international cuisines found along South Grand Boulevard and in neighborhoods like The Hill. Residents can enjoy everything from Turkish kebabs and Ethiopian injera to Vietnamese pho and Bosnian dishes, reflecting the city’s multicultural makeup. The Delmar Loop is one of the most popular dining districts. It got its name from a former streetcar loop in the area, but now it’s home to more than 154 restaurants, specialty shops, entertainment venues and art galleries. The beverage scene is equally exciting. The city is home to the original Anheuser-Busch Brewery, offering tours and tastings of its famous brews. That innovation spills over into the St. Louis craft beer scene, with 65 local breweries that include favorites like Schlafly.

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St. Louis places a significant emphasis on the importance of education, which is reflected in the variety of educational options, with a mix of public, private and charter schools. Several public school districts are in the area, but Saint Louis Public Schools (SLPS) is the largest, with more than 18,000 students enrolled. SLPS offers several charter and magnet schools with specialized themes, including STEM, arts and language immersion. Though performance varies from school to school, the district maintains a favorable student-to-teacher ratio of 14:1. 

Regarding private education, the city has a large presence of religious and independent private schools, often with a long history of high-quality education and smaller class sizes. St. Louis has several outstanding options – according to Niche, four of the five best private schools in Missouri are located here. John Burroughs School, MICDS – Mary Institute & St. Louis Country Day School, Thomas Jefferson School and The Whitfield School are among the most highly regarded institutions in the state.