Where to Live in St. Louis Region

Much of Greater St. Louis' character and charm arises from its neighborhoods, which foster a connectedness among people that is rare today among large metropolitan areas. Whether it is to their immediate neighborhoods, to their parishes, or to their particular municipalities within the 15-county region, St. Louisans tend to develop strong ties to their close surroundings.

There are hundreds of distinct neighborhoods and mini-communities in the area, far too many to list individually. Here's a snapshot:

• Within the city, a few of the more prominent include the rapidly emerging downtown loft district centered on Washington Avenue; Lafayette Square, with its gorgeous Victorian townhouses and mansions; Soulard, with its historic farmers' market and 19th century French-inspired architecture; the Hill, an historic Italian neighborhood that spawned baseball's Yogi Berra; the Central West End, with its eclectic combination of mansions, townhouses, restaurants and shops; and The Ville, a cradle of African-American culture that produced Chuck Berry, among others.
• St. Louis County, meanwhile, features some of the most beautiful suburbs to be found anywhere in the United States, and University City, home of the Delmar Loop shopping and entertainment area and, at one time, two Poet Laureates of the United States. Further out in the Missouri portion of the region, St. Charles County provides a more exurban and often small-town feel.
• The Illinois part of the region offers its own charms, from handsome, small-town communities like Edwardsville, which features a campus of Southern Illinois University, to larger communities like Belleville, Collinsville, and Alton, all within easy reach of the downtown St. Louis area.