Some General Impressions:
St. Louis is actually a very nice mid-sized city to live in. There are many civic organizations that are supported very well by the community. Some that come to mind are: The MUNY (open-air theater which hosts musicals and plays), St. Louis Symphony, St. Louis Zoo (which is world-renowned), the Science Center, Missouri Botanical Garden, Forest Park and the Science Center.
The foodie culture is growing as well and there are awesome new bars and restaurants popping up all the time. Several new restaurants have been established with chefs coming in from L.A., New York, etc.
The average commute time is 21.5 minutes which is slightly lower than the national average (24.3) according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
Another nice advantage that many people don’t think about is that there are other major cities within driving distance that make for great day or weekend trips. Chicago, Louisville, Nashville, Kansas City, Memphis, and Indianapolis are all within driving distance. I’ve driven to Indianapolis to watch races. I’ve driven to Chicago with my wife for a weekend away. I’ve even driven to Denver (12-14 hours) and New Orleans (10-12 hours), but those are a stretch for many people and really take more than a weekend.
Express Scripts, Monsanto, Emerson, Ralston Purina, Energizer, etc all have HQs here. The economy here doesn’t seem to be as service oriented as it appeared to be in other cities I’ve been to and lived in. Things are actually manufactured, built, invented, and created here. The start-up culture is in its infancy, but is growing fast. Grass-roots professional organizations are popping up and there’s a general feeling of excitement that the area holds a lot of promise for new businesses. The low taxes and great standard of living are proving to be a draw for many people exploring areas to build new businesses or expand existing ones.
