The Best and Safest Neighborhoods in St. Louis, Missouri

St. Louis, Missouri, is often unfairly given a bad rap when it comes to real estate. But this city with soul, located on the banks of the mighty Mississippi and serving as America's “gateway to the west”, is home to some of the safest neighborhoods in the country. It boasts first-rate museums, a world-famous zoo, and one of the most successful franchises in major league baseball history - the St.

Louis Cardinals. Before you start your search for a new home in St. Louis, it's important to understand the city's crime rate. According to Richard Rosenfeld from the University of Missouri-St. Louis, St.

Louis' homicide and violent crime rate give the impression that the entire city is unsafe, but: “It's very high in some neighborhoods on the north side, in and around Dutchtown, and almost nowhere else”. As a general rule, the north side of St. Louis and the city center are the most dangerous parts of St. Louis. The suburbs of St.

Louis have the lowest crime rates and Safewise lists the safest places to live in Missouri, giving us two of the best St. Louis neighborhoods for families: Clifton Heights and Northampton. Clifton Heights is located in the southwest corner of the city and offers a perfect balance between affordable housing and low crime. It has a more suburban environment than other parts of St. Louis and is often ranked as one of the best neighborhoods in St.

Louis. Northampton is the largest neighborhood next to Southampton in Southwest City, one of the safest neighborhoods in St. Louis. This neighborhood has some of the best public schools in the city and has a 90 percent high school graduation rate - 20 points higher than the city average. There are also plenty of nice parks and picnic areas in the surrounding area, which you can enjoy knowing that the crime rate is 25% lower than the rest of the city. Warson Woods is another safe neighborhood in St.

Louis County with a rural atmosphere. This small suburb has a population of 1,915 and no violent crimes were reported in the past 12 months - 992.1 per 100,000 inhabitants were reported for property crimes. The suburban town of Northbrook, Illinois, is known for its remarkably low crime rate, ideal for families looking for a safe place to live outside of St. Northbrook is an elegant and vibrant town in northeastern Illinois. Soulard was St. Louis' first neighborhood and is home to Soulard farmers market, a cornerstone of the community established by Soulards in 1770 while they were working for the king of Spain.

More than just an ideal party spot, Soulard also provides access to many high-paying jobs, affordable housing, and quick access to most of St. Louis. Boulevard Heights is an older neighborhood with Foursquare, Craftsman, and Storybook homes common to pre-World War II areas of the city. Many young professionals live in Boulevard Heights and there are also many retirees who live in this community. Ladue is another safe neighborhood with an overall crime rate 56% lower than Missouri's average. No matter what your needs are - whether you're moving to St. Louis for work or just looking for a safe place to raise your family - there are plenty of secure neighborhoods in St.

Louis that offer everything from great parks and restaurants to good schools and easy walking.