The Gateway Arch, which soars 630 feet as it sits on the banks of the Mississippi River, is of course the icon of St. Loius but there is so much more to the city. There’s the commerce and character of the waterfront, the historic Anheuser Busch brewery, a renowned zoo, world-class museums, professional sports and more parkland per capita than almost any other U.S. city.
Many may not know that peanut butter, iced tea and the ice cream cone made their debuts in the city, and the legend — many swear it is fact — that the practice of putting chocolates on hotel pillows originated with actor Cary Grant’s courtship of a female friend staying at a swank hotel. Then there’s the housing, among the most diverse in the nation at some of the best prices.
The St. Louis region continues to be one of the more affordable places in the nation which is great news for home buyers. The median home price is about $150,000. The average sale price for a 2,200-square-foot house with 4 bedrooms, 2 1/2 bathrooms, a family room and a two-car garage, is about $250,000. Renters get a similar good deal with the average monthly rent for a two-bedroom apartment running about $800.
The diverse neighborhoods of St. Louis are as varied as the housing stock. We picked these great neighborhoods: Mid-century charm in the suburban city of Kirkwood; sprawling new homes in St. Charles; cosmopolitan luxury in the Central West End; or help pioneer the urban renaissance of the booming Washington Avenue Loft District, once the hub of the city’s garment industry.
