I moved from St. Charles County to St. Louis City

I was born in Illinois but spent most of my adult life in St. Charles County. I raised my three children in St. Charles County and it was a good experience. However, I always knew my heart and soul belonged in a city. Once divorced and my youngest graduated high school…an agreement I made with my kids so they would not have to leave the area and the friends they made from childhood…I moved to the city of St. Louis. I’m now in the McKinnley Heights neighborhood, which is just blocks from Lafayette Square, Soulard, Compton Heights, Fox Park and Benton Park. And I love it.

I get asked a lot about my move and also my feelings on crime in the city (click here to read more about that subject). There is no doubt: moving to a major metropolitan region is a mixed bag. That I won’t deny. However, I do think there is a misconception and some misinformation about life in the city.

Why move to the city from the suburbs?

Living in the city is an entirely different way of life compared to the suburbs. City life is ripe with opportunity and options for residents of all ages with easy access to transportation, jobs, nightlife, dining, parks and activities that are not as accessible in suburban neighborhoods.

Some of the most common reasons people, like me, choose the city lifestyle include:

Living Closer to Work

Commuting from the burbs can be a grind. You lose a lot of your time on on the road, and if your job is in the city, you can take back hundreds of hours of your life to do the things you love by living in the city. That was the case for me…I am now four miles away from my office and I don’t get on a highway to get there. It has changed my life in terms of the stress of a commute and the time I have to do more of the things that I enjoy doing outside of work.

Being Closer to Entertainment

I have always been a do-er. Living in St. Charles County didn’t stop me, but as a resident of the city, great entertainment is in my backyard. It’s so much more accessible and easier to see a game (we ARE a sports town!), catch a concert, see live music, or check out so many of the fun things our city has to offer.

Becoming More Cultured

City life brings together people from all ethnicities and cultures, with many choosing to share their culture with the rest of the community.

It can be easy to find authentic foods, specialized shops and people who share similar values within the diverse city communities. People who move from the suburbs to the city are able to branch out to try new things including exploring new cultures and ways of life.

Walkable Neighborhoods

Okay my suburban friends. When is the last time you saw someone walking in your area? Suburbs just aren’t made for that. One very positive thing that I’ve discovered about living in the city and living close to an amazing park (Lafayette Park) is the amount of my neighbors that are out and about and WALK! What I have found this means is that the city really feel more like a community than the suburbs. And that, in my opinion, is quite the opposite of what one thinks the suburbs bring: community. I think I’ve felt more a sense of community as a city resident than I ever did in the suburbs. And I am enjoying it so much!

Experiencing More Diversity

Living in a city means you are going to be experiencing great levels of diversity. The problem with smaller communities is that they are just that: small. This leaves little room for diversity of thought, race, and culture. Living in a city allows you to experience the diversity this country has to offer. The diversity a large city can offer is unprecedented, and for someone wanting to widen their wings and educate themselves about the many different people in the world, there is no better place than the city.

Things to Consider When Moving to the City

Okay, I can’t promote the great things about moving to the city without acknowledging some of the challenges:

Lack of Parking

Living in the city is my first time to live without a garage (first world problems, right?). Now, don’t get me wrong, so many people in the city do have a garage. Just not me! Parking overall is definitely a struggle of the city that really doesn’t impact suburban life.

Space is at a Premium

Cities are much more consolidated per square foot than our suburban counterparts. I lived in a suburban neighborhood for over a decade where one acre lots were the minimum, and most of my friends had way more space than that. It was a great way for my kids to grow up…they ran around, built treehouses, had space to ride bikes and run free. So that is a difference. And I’m much closer to my neighbors than I was as a county resident.

Noise

My college-aged daughter lives with me and we often joke about ‘ah, the sounds of the city’ with the sirens, traffic and barking dogs. It’s noisier, no doubt! But I embrace it. Others would not enjoy, but to each their own!

Higher Rates of Crime

Okay, this is the biggest and most frequent question I get. And media talks often about crime in St. Louis City, so it’s no wonder my friends and family are concerned. And I had to dig into this issue myself to have an educated response. Day-to-day, anecdotally my answer is that my neighborhood is quiet and peaceful! I have never felt nervous about my neighborhood, and I feel safe. But I’m not naive to the fact that crime is something any resident of the city considers. CLICK HERE to take a more involved glimpse into statistics for crime in the City of St. Louis.

I hope this sheds some insight into my decision to move from St. Charles County to St. Louis City. As with any decision, there are pros and cons. But I’m enjoying a lifestyle that truly aligns more with who I am!