St. Louis is commonly called the Gateway to the West, because of the pivotal role it played in our nation’s westward expansion. Today the Gateway Arch symbolizes America’s shift from east to west, as does the Mississippi river, which rushes past St. Louis’ city edge.
St. Louis is more than a mere landmark, though. It is a vibrant city known for its blues and jazz, its parks and its sports. It is also home to a strong base of the manufacturing and logistics industries.
Scroll down to learn about the pros and cons of St. Louis…
St. Louis’s Geography & Layout
St. Louis is located on the western side of the Mississippi River. On the other side is Illinois, which makes up part of the greater metropolitan area that is home to 2.8 million people.
St. Louis is in the middle of a flat plain, with no nearby mountains or large bodies of water. Temperatures swing drastically from well-below freezing in the winter to humid and hot in the summer. St. Louis is also prone to tornadoes and severe thunderstorms.
Reasons to Move to St. Louis
- Music – St. Louis has a rich history of jazz and blues, and many of its venues still partake in the truly American form of music.
- Cost of Living – St. Louis is a relatively low-priced big city, and it has an affordable public transit system.
- Sports – St. Louis has three professional teams, and its baseball team, the Cardinals, is a perennial contender that plays in a great ballpark. Other teams include the Blues (NHL) and Rams (NFL).
- Family Life – St. Louis is a very affordable place to raise a family. Parents can offer their children sizable yards and good schools, and the city still has a number of things to take the children to for fun, including museums and sporting events.
- Nature – St. Louis has some vibrant vegetation, including roses. It also is nearby some unique geographic areas, including the Ozarks.
Reasons to Avoid St. Louis
- Crime – Though crime stats can be misleading and inapplicable to an entire area, it’s noteworthy that St. Louis consistently tops lists for its high levels of crime.
- Weather – St. Louis gets hammered by bad weather all year long, from arctic cold, to blazing heat, to tornadoes and window-shaking storms.
- Culture – While St. Louis does have a number of fun things to do and places to go, it doesn’t have many world-famous spots, like San Francisco and not-too-far-away Chicago.
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