Keep up the great work brother. I love this city and it is nice to see a balanced, fair perspective about it. Hopefully we can attract new population for the future and leverage some of the great assets we do have here. We definitely need to come together as a region.
I live just north of Delmar and bought a great historic house. I was concerned about crime in my near north neighborhood when i moved here 7 years ago, but i have found it very safe and the crime hysteria to be very overblown. Neighbors are great and i know more of them than anywhere else i have lived. Yes, you are in a city and not the suburbs but i have had no problems. Love being 15 min drive from anywhere and close to Forest Park.
@@Ben-iz9ud actually, it is. Most cities are much larger than STL and base their crime rates on a much larger area, thus making ours seem high due to it all being concentrated in the neglected parts of town where good education and adequate housing was a non-priority of the local government for over a century.
Hey neighbor. I live in the West End/Academy neighborhood. My area is being gentrified and I work at a St. Louis Public Library and that’s what all our new neighbors say. Yeah, things could be safer and should be but it’s not as bad as people make it out to be. I was born and raised in the city but I went to Webster University and lived in Webster Groves for a few years and I will say… crime is everywhere but it’s different kinds of crime. In the city we have dumb a*sses with short fuses (gun violence) but the counties, even the wealthier counties like Ladue have a lot of drugs in them and a lot of it started from prescription drugs and spread to other ones.
I have lived in Saint Louis for almost 40 years. You should listen to the stats on St Louis crime and homicide more. Its all the local news has to talk about. If you drive around StL you can tell the state of the city gives a big hint at the stats. Staying in the neighborhood you are in gives no hint to what the broader picture shows.
This is spot on honestly. You can add 3 or 4 more things but after living in Houston for a few years, we do have that small town mentality and it's slowing down progress.
My summary (my 2 cents) about St. Louis is stay away from the North side, be careful on the South side and be careful in U-City, Ferguson, East Delmar and maybe Central West End; such are the most dangerous areas and are where much of the crime statistics come from. Otherwise, the rest of St. Louis is mostly fine in regards to safety. Sure, St. Louis don't have as much as Florida. In fact, it's one of the WORST cities for entertainment. But, a few things that St. Louis has are the Science Center, Six Flags, the Arch, Forest Park, the St. Louis Galleria mall, the Magic House, the Casino and maybe a restaurant here and there. They tore down much of the entertainment like Crestwood and Northwest Plaza. It's also best to have a car in St. Louis. The Metrolink and Bus don't go everywhere and you might find a lot of crazy people on the bus and Metrolink. So, either having a car, renting a car or going Uber might be best. By the way, St. Louis got a lot of weird weather. In Winter, one day it could be snowing and the next day, it could be hot and even rank up to summer temperatures and then back to snow. Seriously!!
Hahah exactly! Good point I didn't mention in this video. I feel like the weather is something people will love or hate, and we definitely get both extremes of warm and cold here
I think the biggest downfall for the city of St.Louis is the fact the city of St.Louis seceded from St.Louis County in 1877 and became an independent city (which really made the city of St.Louis what it is today).
Absolutely not. The city hit its peak nearly 70 years after that. White flight killed the city. In 1950 the population of st louis city was 2.5x what it is now. Crime started going up and tax payers started moving out.
The city crime per population is outrageous. The clogged highways demonstrate that those who work in the city are living in the neighboring counties. The city claims the whole metro area for the good stats while ignoring the ever-decreasing actual city population.
Great video. Been in STL for almost a year from Florida, people here complain about the humidity, but only noticed it a couple of times in the winter (which was weird), seems like great mild weather year-round. No real traffic, everything is like 15 minutes away even with "traffic." Plenty beautiful green space, parks, festivals, and great food (except the BBQ & pizza) - sometimes overwhelmed by the number of free activities in and around the city, literally something for everybody. Friendly people (maybe it's the weed). Amazingly preserved history. But there are a bunch of ugly and sad looking places which can be depressing driving pass - really no different than any other historical city. I'm happy I made the move.
@@LivingStLouis the high humidity all year round causes the hot and cold season to be miserable with a few weeks on the shoulder each spring and autumn when it is comfortable outside
@@LivingStLouis Yeah if you work outside or even want to go outside for recreational activities, good luck lol. Even when the weather is "nice" by STL standards the humidity is horrendous. I think this part of Missouri is really pretty, I just wish it wasn't constantly trying to be a swamp! xD
Thank you for the nice video. SIU Carbondale alumna here, and I moved back five years ago to take advantage of cheap college town rent. It's easy to get to StL from here just as it was in my undergrad days. Recently, I traveled to Florida from Lambert (or whatever they call it now) and decided to save parking and fuel by parking at Shiloh and riding Metrolink in. It was a little tedious but worth it, and I could see they had lots of nice bike trails on the IL side. Union Station, the basilica, the zoo, and Busch are my favorite places in the area. It was shocking to see how massive Wentzville has become because when I was a late-teen undergrad (showing my age here), it was a little podunky place where we would stop at this little food stand on our way to K.C. Your video was spot-on just as other commenters have said. There are many pluses but also some really scary aspects as well (racial tensions, anyone?), but of course one could say the same about EVERY middle-sized to large U.S. city.
Definitely some good points, thank you for sharing your experience! STL does have its good sides and ugly sides that people feel strongly about. I try my best to give a balanced take. I've gotten a lot of feedback and some of these things are so driven by personal preference that they might be a complete deal breaker to one person but a minor inconvenience to someone else.
Thank you for watching and for the positive feedback! Definitely will continue with the videos. Is there anything missing from the channel that would be helpful to hear more about?
I'll echo this, I love your channel! I just really enjoy learning a lot about different parts in the metro area and to see what's going on. Keep them coming!!! I'm a few years out from buying a house or a condo or anything but if I ever need to you'll be the realtor group to pick :)
@@austinbeinder Thank you so much for watching! I'm really glad to hear your feedback and super glad the videos are helpful. If there's anything we can ever do to help we're here for ya! :)
Moved here from Chicago. Was so excited that I can get !ANYWHERE! (by car) within 30 minutes. But I've tried to meet new people, only to be asked where I went to high school, and since it wasn't in/near StL, I literally had people turn their backs on me. Like I didn't even register. I couldn't be categorized, and therefore I didn't exist. I heard this was 'like a small town', that 'everyone is friendly'. But man, I've never felt so immediately shunned as I have here.
wow! that makes me sad to hear you say. I was just going to comment on the video to rebut his comments about "where did you go to high school" because I thought he made us sound standoffish and isolating. I am a South County native living in West County and "some of my best friends are 'outsiders'". Our biggest problem is that we do have such deep roots that many of us know so many people from the neighborhood, high school, college, work, church, clubs, that we are just not looking to widen our circle, but even still I sure thought all my fellow travelers would be friendly and gracious and make a newcomer feel welcome. Also, do not underestimate the inferiority complex we have towards our neighbor to the north! At any rate, I sure hope you find those reactions going forward to be the exception rather than the rule and I hope you come to love your new home...
That's the St Louis Special!! If you go to college in Columbia and Mizzou, and you meet someone from STL, all they will want to talk about was which private highschool they went to and why that makes them cooler than other STL people. Anyone outside of STL doesn't give a shit. If you don't have a highschool story to join in the gossip then yes, they just turn around and ignore you. Had it happen countless times when chatting up ladies at the bars in Columbia that were from STL. The rest of Missouri thinks STL and it's residents are pathetic jokes and we make fun of them endlessly.
As someone who also moved here from Chicago I totally agree. The only people I actually talked to were the people I served with in the reserves. My neighbors wave hi but not much else
And for for the public transport my family in Colorado thought we were lying when we say we don’t have a bus in st Charles county. Really think it would be good for st Charles county.
I appreciate your balanced content regarding St. Louis. It is rare from what I've read and watched. In my perspective, St. Louis does not exude a small-town ambiance; however, its potential varies based on the specific area and the transient population it attracts. The absence of congestion in day-to-day activities, such as traffic and parking issues, might inadvertently create an impression of a slower pace, which may not accurately reflect the city's overall dynamism. Navigating the transit landscape poses a complex challenge. Commuting from suburb to suburb sans a car is nearly impractical. Suburb to city commutes tend to be longer than optimal, while city-to-city travel is relatively more manageable. Effective utilization of the limited transit system requires careful planning, and though it may necessitate intentional effort, it can prove beneficial when strategically employed.
i agree with you very much. The public transit is certainly nuanced depending on where one is traveling from and to. And you're right, I I'd say it really depends on where someone lives for the "small town mentality" because some of the parts of STL that attract a more global demographic might feel the exact opposite, whereas suburbs that are farther away and disconnected from the city might feel much more small-town than the city itself.
Honest question - do you think the STL city population is going to continue to decline with the new apartment builds, single family rehabs, and riverfront plans? STL is an area we're considering to relocate to in a few years. We're also considering Chicago and maybe Louisville. Chicago definitely has a different vibe and the high rises and lakefront are sweet....but STL has a lot to love too with architecture, parks, sports, cool hiking and golf - and it's more affordable. Its like loving two people for different reasons ...lol.
It's tough to say... Based on the last few decades, it looks like the projection is a continued decrease in population overall. However, the interesting thing is that from 2000 to 2020, yes the city as a whole saw a net loss of people, but the central corridor consistently grew in population. It's many of the neighborhoods in north city and south city that saw a constant decrease in population, while the neighborhoods right in the middle of the city are seeing an increase in growth. Lots of the central neighborhoods between Downtown all the way to Central West End are the areas seeing a lot of new apartments, commercial space, attractions, etc. Some examples are Steelcote Square, Armory, Foundry, Riverfront. This page from the city's website has a helpful map to visualize where positive and negative population growth is happening: www.stlouis-mo.gov/government/departments/planning/research/documents/preliminary-population-change-maps.cfm
You honestly can't go wrong with either city. I have lived in St Louis and Chicago. They couldn't be different but just as livable. Not familiar with Louisville like the other two but I love the charm and people. Good luck with your decision.
@@LivingStLouis thanks for the info. Good to see the city map does anticipate some growth in city limits in certain neighborhoods. The developments you mentioned are definitely bright spots. Its those and a few others planned that make STL city look appealing.
Absolutely! @@HX79 Despite the decreasing population I think some of the big developments do paint St. Louis in a positive light and I am very much looking forward to seeing how they add to the city's growth
I live in STL county and enjoy it here. Overall, I think the area has a lot to offer. While I can recommend a move to the county, I would be hard pressed to recommend a move to the city. My opinion, and it might not be a popular one, is that the city has been one party rule for as long as I can remember. Same political mindset, same results.
Worst thing in St. Louis is the weather. It is extreme on both ends highs and lows and humidity. No one is moving here because the weather is horrible. There’s no tourism here because the weather is horrible. Did I mention the weather? Don’t move here you will regret it. His comments are accurate
I enjoy living here and it’s nice to see an explanation of the cities flaws without going off saying how it’s a shitty cesspool like so many assume. Currently my biggest frustration has to be the transit system. Ever since I was little trying to take the metro or a bus was a pain in the ass and it feels like it hasn’t been improved much since the early 2000’s. Which is a shame because I would love to catch a bus or train but walking an extra 5 miles after that seems like such a chore
After a game when people are walking with u you’ll probably be good as long as you don’t take wrong turns into weird alleys. Make sure to park close you don’t want to walk a billion blocks. Overall yeah.
Ive been to st.Louis.......otw to Chicago frim texas ........I gotta say.....THE LAND IS BEAUTIFUL 😍 THE TREES ARE MAJESTIC ♥️ (And there not all pines). It looks..... "NORTHERN"..... don't go for the city.......Go for the landscape
I'm referring to the numerous edits that are invisible on the audio but visually obvious. More footage over your narration can hide this but the content was great and accurate. I mean no offense and look forward to future posts.
@@DeeSnutz-qg6id Yes I agree, thanks for the feedback. I hide jumpcuts if the face change makes the video weird, but other than that I don't try to cover them up I think that style of editing to keep a quick pace is common on UA-cam
If you are moving here for a city job you must move into the city the city will give you 6 months to find a place. My suggestion is the only two good zip codes 63109 & 63139 . What about the 63108 that is the CWE Central West End you will pay a steep price by moving there. The house or the apartment is going to be very expensive that only the beginning of your adventures.
I don’t like going east of the 270. (Well maybe a little ways) I refuse to go into St Louis City other than on the freeway going by. It’s just not worth the chance something bad will happen. Sadly, my desire to go to St Louis County is fading fast.
Crime is the number one issue. I’m not from here, but been living here since 2014. I own a loft off Washington, there are many positive things about St. Louis and Missouri as a whole. However, the crime is too much. I moved here in my early 30’s, and am now in my 40’s, I have a decent paying job, and I’m just waiting for the right opportunity to leave. The crime has gotten worse, and I just don’t see it changing in the next 10-15 years.
The traffic! Some part of STL are fine, but especially the 270 area is AWFUL. I'd say avoid it, but unfortunately it's of the major highways. If you live west/south of the city proper, which as highlighted in this video is statistically more likely, you will probably have to battle 270 haha.
We used to have extremely good public transportation and a beautiful walkable city. This was over a century ago. Cars demolished many historic buildings and increased sprawl, killing our city. So sad.
Yeah everyone in st Charles stays in st Charles lol. I love stl after living in Florida my whole family moved back after living in Florida for 4 years.
Recently moved here from Chicago and spent some time in NorCal. I think that top to bottom, Fed to local, left to right, these are by far the worst elected officials possible. That is the fault of the electorate. Don't just vote, vote intelligently. Demand some level of competence from these people.
To be honest it really depends on your preference and what level you're comfortable with. I highly recommend looking at the STL PD crime map around SLU or areas you're considering living here to get a sense of what each area looks like: www.slmpd.org/crime_mapping.shtml
There are instances of crime around Midtown but it is mostly safe. This is coming from someone who lives in STL and is attending SLU next year. SLU has pretty good security and there is usually police around there too. Also lots of activity around campus so that tends to deter crime too.
Yes, a little. I was a grad student at SLU for 7 years. It gets pretty sketchy after dark. South Grand was a popular neighborhood for grad students. I moved to Maplewood and commuted - not the worst commute, but any driving in STL is pretty horrible between heavy traffic and 20+ different township police forces writing tickets.
Another thing about crime statistics is they count people who dont live there. 285,000 population, but a million workers a day. So all those million + workers in there 9-5 will add their issues to the list. 2 commuters from Wentzville get in a road rage incident on i-70 passed Grand, guess what, 2 crimes added per St Louis proper’s 285,000 people, zero added to Wentzville. There are so many reasons a city can skew less safe than it is. Certainly the Delmar divide has left North StL in poverty and ruin, but most of even the city proper is very safe. Even Downtown. But let’s say we invested (as we should) in more and better transit and housing and businesses in the city and closed the Delmar Divide making North StL safe and affluent. The crime rate would still skew from commuters. It’s a Catch 22 with being your own county.
I live in Milwaukee on the East Side near Lake Michigan, and I love it here but not as much as I loved the year I lived in St Louis. I have a car (van) but I am getting older and would like to have the option to live in a city with light rail/ monorail / subway as LA/Long Beach, San Francisco, Chicago and New York City has. I lived in all those cities, and it just gives a person more options. Milwaukee does not have light rail except for a "touristy" line that only snakes from the Lower East Side of Milwaukee through downtown and ends by the Intermodel Transit Hub with Amtrak trains and Greyhound and other buses. The city of St Louis is half the size of the city of Milwaukee and although we are growing even more to about 600K it still feels St Louis has more to offer. We don't have a personal property tax but our real estate taxes in the city and many other towns in the county are high. Wisconsin has a higher income tax rate as well and of course we are much colder sooner and longer in the winter season. We have great cultural amenities: I.E. Symphony, Opera, Ballet, theatre companies and small independent movie theaters. We have many festivals on the Lakefront from Summerfest, Festa Italiana, African World Festival, Fiesta Mexicana, Gay Pride, Irish Fest and major sport teams in basketball, hockey and baseball with the Green Bay Packers and Chicago Bears within driving distance north and south respectively. With all this being said I look forward to returning to St Louis and live there until I retire in Las Vegas or Long Beach in 10 years. I thank you for such an informational channel on everything St Louis. I also loved the quaintness of St Charles and the cobblestone streets remind me of Germany when our family lived there twice growing up as a military family.
Thanks for watching and sharing your experience! I hope when you come back St. Louis is just as great as it was when you lived here, or hopefully even better than it was.
From Missouri. Not Saint Louis. You are considered to be in Saint Louis the second you’re in Eureka. There is no reason to go further into Saint Louis than Eureka.
I don't recommend moving to anywhere near St. Louis, especially within the city limits or north county. Poorly ran, rotting, decaying. Huge lack of enforcement. Really sad.
Spent my teens in Valley Park (suburb, SW of downtown). VP has changed significantly since I left; Hwy 141 has been 4-laned through the town so the traffic and noise are very different. I used to walk to school, crossing 141 in the process. I wouldn't want to try that, now. My beloved and I met in St Louis. We go back there on a regular basis; we were there for the weekend a couple weeks ago. Both of us have respiratory issues after a weekend there. So long as most of the power comes from Labadie, and downtown is in the pollution plume from same, that can be a real issue. The Labadie power plant is one of the most polluting coal-burning powerplants in the entire country so, no, this isn't some "snowflake" issue. The EPA is looking at clamping down on it, possibly even closing it. If that happens, the St Louis metro might become a much more livable place. We love it there but ... we just can't live there until they improve the air pollution. Chesterfield is further north of Labadie, as is Wentzville, St Charles, etc. Those areas are less-frequently in the pollution plume from the powerplant so they don't suffer as badly. We can spend the weekend in Chesterfield and not have respiratory issues.
Can we agree there is a color thing going on here? The evidence is astounding . Inner city vs. the surrounding counties. Missouri is a racist state to its core. Let’s not sugar coat it
The color thing has been here for a long time I'm from here i keep moving away and coming back. The news stations don't help with the color thing. The news will show pie charts of black and white thing at least every 4 months.
100% true. You can still see the shadows of redlined areas when looking at current maps showing data like average household income, household highest education attainment, property values, property tax revenue, school district funding, school district outcomes...
ST LOUIS is racist to it's core. And some other parts of Missouri also. Not all of it though, Kansas City is very nice. STL is segregated harshly from old racist Irish and German immigrants. Kansas City had the Irish mob install a highway around the whole city to connect everything. Very unlike STL.
@@The-Logic-Wizard don’t act like Kansas City didn’t redline in the 20th century😂😂 KC is just as bad and has similar crime stats to STL. The city pays a lot of tribute and recognition to those communities that were destroyed/redlined. KC just has shittier amenities and culture🤷♂️
if you want to come to stl move to dog town area. Not bad location. Good access area. Crime better then other areas. I mean cars on the side of the road are just targets regardless of where you are. I lived in country area and have more break in to my cars then I had in city area. So it just random and depends on the persons in the area at the time really.
What about the additional 1% income tax? Why is crime #3 on your list when STL is usually top 1 or 2 for homicide? I'm not sure I follow your statement that the data is skewed. Can you elaborate?
The list was made in no particular order. When I say the data is skewed, the crime rankings are typically analyzing St. Louis City proper, which is 10% of the metro population, meaning the numbers aren't about any other 12 parts of the STL metro area like STL County, St Charles county, etc. which make up the remaining 90% of the population of the metropolitan area
His answer doesn't really explain it. Crime data in the US are compiled by counties, so most metro areas are balanced by lower crime suburban communities. Since STL doesn't exist in a county, it has no "cushion" of the suburbs so it appears more crime- ridden than other areas, like Chicago (ie Cook County)
I'm sure adding North County would only double the crime stats. That would be balanced a little if you add in west and south County, but not much. My area of north county just had its first side show last weekend. Gunfire, injured cops, suspect shot, all in the confines of the "safe" suburbs.
The only thing I would have added is the population spread that happened in the late 80s through the mid 90s that many St. Louis natives refer to as White Flight where housing availability, ARM mortgages and a solid percentage of white people fled from not only the city but also STL county across the river due to the influx of non whites into those communities with the added benefit of living in homes that they would not have been able to buy without that state of lending. There are a ton of research papers and solid data to back up the phenomena.
Moved to the metro area a year ago. Purposefully moved to Jefferson County and we liked Missouri a lot, just not super comfortable with the city itself. Barely went there since we moved.
I've always hated the way the crime rate is calculated. To your point, it's a bit misleading. Most of the crime takes place in small pockets in the city, but the data doesn't reflect that. Most of the metro area has extremely low crime rates and is very safe.
I’ve had a gun pointed at me five different times when I visit the city. One time was on the highway in North County. I’ve also been physically assaulted in the loop and have had homeless threaten to jab me with dirty needles. Mind the fact I’m a shy introvert to begin with and these crimes just haphazardly occur. It’s super sad when city people tell me I’m scared of nothing and watch too much of the news. It feels so isolating and scary. I don’t even watch the news 😅
A couple years ago I worked with a poor guy who moved here from Iowa. He made the foolish mistake of thinking he could actually have packages delivered and park a vehicle with a catalytic converter in front of his apartment. The roads are Mad Max. I'm honestly not worried about a random strong arm robbery or carjacking, though they do exist. I'm far more scared of the reckless driving by armed people who WILL do that stuff on the highway. Was that just 2 weeks ago the guy followed the woman off the exit on 170 and blasted her for "cutting him off?"
And yeah, I often get "go back to Chesterfield, racist maga guy." Um, I live in a part of Norco that has had countless shootings this year, I've even heard some of the ones that made the news. One occurred next door to me. But yeah, we're just overreacting.
The scooters were suppose to help with getting around. But you know how that is. They cost money. So they used, but not really as much as you would want.
I am from the Los Angeles area for over 30 years. Lived in the Hollywood and Long Beach off and on. Even parts at the beginning of being gentrified. I have loved L.A from day 1. I always will. Even though it was a rough neighborhood in the late 80s, to it being gentrified in the late 90s/ 2000s and progressed back to kinda of what people think is dangerous now after Covid. I don't see it. I don't see it as bad as it was back in the 80s, and I loved the place then. I love it, but the affordability is crazy. My parents live across the bridge in the Alton area. They moved back there after bringing us kids to California. I could not bear living in a small town again. Wouldn't dream of it. I want to move back to STL after 30 plus years. I need city life, hustle and bustle and I have a kiddo. Would someone from the L.A area think this crime talk is way over blown? Because I feel like currently people are saying the same about L.A. I feel my family and friends who never left the area keep telling me how crazy it is in St. Louis. LOL But I'm like have you ever lived in Hollywood? Then they tell me it is too dangerous there too. Any advice would be awesome. Looking in Benton Park, Soulard, Tower Grove and even checked out some wonderful old houses in Old North St. Louis.
@@LivingStLouis Creve Coeur and Maryland Heights. It's come up twice at various jobs I've had and I think both times it was brought up as a spoof of the concept.
Oh gotcha! Maybe people are starting to move away from asking it. I notice I get asked a lot in certain contexts or when talking to people from specific parts of town, but outside that I don't hear it
I hear it in my area of Ballwin every once in a while. I did a couple years of face to face costumer care and service. People just like knowing who you are and like general background stuff
Thanks for the video. Glad I found you on here. Born and raised in this area, moved to Chicago for quite some time, and am now back here. I’d argue that people might as well just cross public transit off their list of pros if they’re moving here. Honestly just take it off the list completely lol because the Metro is a sorry excuse for public transit. They need a track running north to south for it to be viable and this city is so racist they will never ever do it lol. Ugh oh St Louis… how I love and hate you so much
That's fair! I feel like the metro is useful in very specific situations depending on where you're coming from / going. If there happen to be stops that make it convenient, then great, but it's definitely not something you can always rely on especially if you're going outside the city limits
@@LivingStLouis man, YT is crazy. So I was posting that to a video I watched after yours, but apparently, the comments section was for your video! That explains how 98 people left comments on a four-minute old video, at least!
Here's a novel idea, quite electing Democrat year after year after year, give the stray catch a short or the mail man. You have been doing Democrat since 1949,try something else and see 😮
1. That wasn't Saint Louis in that last map. Jeffco is not St louis no shade. 2. We do not have too many abandoned areas. 3. It's not a small town mentality it's called redlining and racism😂😂😂 i was born in 1997 & enrolled in a desegregation program. 4. We got the Kia boys off the street😂 5. For you to be a realtor in St. Louis your so real for that
I live in St Louis county & St Louis city has so much crime people are not visiting. The mayor is a joke & people are leaving bc of her poor decisions.
So you touched on it but I want to get into a little more detail on it. The statistics about us being the most or one of the most dangerous cities in the country is not accurate and never has been. Yes the city has had it's fair share of problems and decline like any American city but we are not, nor have ever been the most dangerous city in America. That divide between the city and county skews the data far more than people realize. Please stop perpetuating these lies/misinformation. I know you're not trying to smear the city here but I think it's important that when we talk about the crime and problems we have here that we make sure to talk accurately about it and be sure to thoroughly explain why the data is misrepresentative of the truth. Multiple economic studies have found that this is literally hurting our region by discouraging people from moving to or investing here. Here's the truth and as a St. Louis area native and resident of downtown for the last 6 years I can confirm that our city is as safe as any other and there are plenty of wonderful things left. I can also confirm that we are beginning to turn it around and grow again. ua-cam.com/video/PS4IxDP66xw/v-deo.html
St Louis is trash and is a 2005 lifestyle where they are way behind times. The People are rude as hell and sadly they don’t even know what that is. I’m from California and lived there for a year. Trash. Glad I was able to save a lot of money and take those money. So thank you for that 😂
9$ Area is racist AF. Many Black people, who grew up in the STL and has gotten college degrees or above, have moved out of the area for green pastures, since many businesses in the area of refuse to provide them the high paying opportunities they have qualified for. Instead, those businesses have given those type of jobs to while applicants with much lesser qualifications…
Living St. Louis is the name of a popular series on the local PBS station. You really ought to change the name of your channel. Using this name is misleading clickbait.
In the past, 1970s'...was difficult in many of the same areas, that have not improved. But, STL has activities, education & sports a high priority (with the help of the industries in STL). Many places on the East Coast, the South & Memphis, have a much higher crime rate, and little to none activities except during Sport seasons (College Football, Minor league Baseball)...STL weather changes quite often, but at least you have 4 seasons. Not the best, but definitely not the worst....In my opinion
Keep up the great work brother. I love this city and it is nice to see a balanced, fair perspective about it. Hopefully we can attract new population for the future and leverage some of the great assets we do have here. We definitely need to come together as a region.
Thanks for watching! more videos coming
I live just north of Delmar and bought a great historic house. I was concerned about crime in my near north neighborhood when i moved here 7 years ago, but i have found it very safe and the crime hysteria to be very overblown. Neighbors are great and i know more of them than anywhere else i have lived. Yes, you are in a city and not the suburbs but i have had no problems. Love being 15 min drive from anywhere and close to Forest Park.
The "crime hysteria" is nowhere near over blown. Statistically
@@Ben-iz9ud actually, it is. Most cities are much larger than STL and base their crime rates on a much larger area, thus making ours seem high due to it all being concentrated in the neglected parts of town where good education and adequate housing was a non-priority of the local government for over a century.
Hey neighbor. I live in the West End/Academy neighborhood. My area is being gentrified and I work at a St. Louis Public Library and that’s what all our new neighbors say. Yeah, things could be safer and should be but it’s not as bad as people make it out to be. I was born and raised in the city but I went to Webster University and lived in Webster Groves for a few years and I will say… crime is everywhere but it’s different kinds of crime. In the city we have dumb a*sses with short fuses (gun violence) but the counties, even the wealthier counties like Ladue have a lot of drugs in them and a lot of it started from prescription drugs and spread to other ones.
"Overblown" means "nothing too bad has happened to me personally yet." Statistics don't lie.
I have lived in Saint Louis for almost 40 years. You should listen to the stats on St Louis crime and homicide more. Its all the local news has to talk about. If you drive around StL you can tell the state of the city gives a big hint at the stats. Staying in the neighborhood you are in gives no hint to what the broader picture shows.
This is spot on honestly. You can add 3 or 4 more things but after living in Houston for a few years, we do have that small town mentality and it's slowing down progress.
Thanks for watching -- What are some other things I missed in this video?
Lol "progress"
My summary (my 2 cents) about St. Louis is stay away from the North side, be careful on the South side and be careful in U-City, Ferguson, East Delmar and maybe Central West End; such are the most dangerous areas and are where much of the crime statistics come from. Otherwise, the rest of St. Louis is mostly fine in regards to safety. Sure, St. Louis don't have as much as Florida. In fact, it's one of the WORST cities for entertainment. But, a few things that St. Louis has are the Science Center, Six Flags, the Arch, Forest Park, the St. Louis Galleria mall, the Magic House, the Casino and maybe a restaurant here and there. They tore down much of the entertainment like Crestwood and Northwest Plaza. It's also best to have a car in St. Louis. The Metrolink and Bus don't go everywhere and you might find a lot of crazy people on the bus and Metrolink. So, either having a car, renting a car or going Uber might be best. By the way, St. Louis got a lot of weird weather. In Winter, one day it could be snowing and the next day, it could be hot and even rank up to summer temperatures and then back to snow. Seriously!!
And, the weather which changes daily. Fifth warmest December on record. Now the big deep freeze. Brrrr!🌸
Hahah exactly! Good point I didn't mention in this video. I feel like the weather is something people will love or hate, and we definitely get both extremes of warm and cold here
I think the biggest downfall for the city of St.Louis is the fact the city of St.Louis seceded from St.Louis County in 1877 and became an independent city (which really made the city of St.Louis what it is today).
I am new to STL. Is the current city limits the same today as it were in 1875?
@@blackchemist2013 pretty much yes
Absolutely agree; that was definitely a short-sighted move and one despite efforts that we can’t seem to reverse. Better Together tried for years.
@@jonathanholmes3549why would we? Separates the crime areas easier.
Absolutely not. The city hit its peak nearly 70 years after that. White flight killed the city. In 1950 the population of st louis city was 2.5x what it is now. Crime started going up and tax payers started moving out.
The city crime per population is outrageous. The clogged highways demonstrate that those who work in the city are living in the neighboring counties. The city claims the whole metro area for the good stats while ignoring the ever-decreasing actual city population.
People have been fleeing central downtown areas of several cities ever since the 1950s. That's old news.
Fr
What clogged highways?
Great video. Been in STL for almost a year from Florida, people here complain about the humidity, but only noticed it a couple of times in the winter (which was weird), seems like great mild weather year-round. No real traffic, everything is like 15 minutes away even with "traffic." Plenty beautiful green space, parks, festivals, and great food (except the BBQ & pizza) - sometimes overwhelmed by the number of free activities in and around the city, literally something for everybody. Friendly people (maybe it's the weed). Amazingly preserved history. But there are a bunch of ugly and sad looking places which can be depressing driving pass - really no different than any other historical city. I'm happy I made the move.
Agree with you completely! What area in STL did you move to from FL?
Critique from a St. Louis resident, complaints about the climate was not the number one issue on this list.🥵🥶
How do you mean that?
@@LivingStLouis the high humidity all year round causes the hot and cold season to be miserable with a few weeks on the shoulder each spring and autumn when it is comfortable outside
We have become our own meteorologist...
@@LivingStLouis Yeah if you work outside or even want to go outside for recreational activities, good luck lol. Even when the weather is "nice" by STL standards the humidity is horrendous. I think this part of Missouri is really pretty, I just wish it wasn't constantly trying to be a swamp! xD
St Louis is the hottest place in the summer and the coldest in the winter
The prejudice regarding what high school you went to is definitely a huge problem. Especially when it's happening at the workplace.
Agree, definitely a big problem depending on how it's asked
Thank you for the nice video. SIU Carbondale alumna here, and I moved back five years ago to take advantage of cheap college town rent. It's easy to get to StL from here just as it was in my undergrad days. Recently, I traveled to Florida from Lambert (or whatever they call it now) and decided to save parking and fuel by parking at Shiloh and riding Metrolink in. It was a little tedious but worth it, and I could see they had lots of nice bike trails on the IL side. Union Station, the basilica, the zoo, and Busch are my favorite places in the area. It was shocking to see how massive Wentzville has become because when I was a late-teen undergrad (showing my age here), it was a little podunky place where we would stop at this little food stand on our way to K.C. Your video was spot-on just as other commenters have said. There are many pluses but also some really scary aspects as well (racial tensions, anyone?), but of course one could say the same about EVERY middle-sized to large U.S. city.
Definitely some good points, thank you for sharing your experience! STL does have its good sides and ugly sides that people feel strongly about. I try my best to give a balanced take. I've gotten a lot of feedback and some of these things are so driven by personal preference that they might be a complete deal breaker to one person but a minor inconvenience to someone else.
Love your channel by the way and your balanced approach. Keep the videos coming! I look forward to them and learn a lot about the area. 👍
Thank you for watching and for the positive feedback! Definitely will continue with the videos. Is there anything missing from the channel that would be helpful to hear more about?
I'll echo this, I love your channel! I just really enjoy learning a lot about different parts in the metro area and to see what's going on. Keep them coming!!! I'm a few years out from buying a house or a condo or anything but if I ever need to you'll be the realtor group to pick :)
@@austinbeinder Thank you so much for watching! I'm really glad to hear your feedback and super glad the videos are helpful. If there's anything we can ever do to help we're here for ya! :)
Moved here from Chicago. Was so excited that I can get !ANYWHERE! (by car) within 30 minutes. But I've tried to meet new people, only to be asked where I went to high school, and since it wasn't in/near StL, I literally had people turn their backs on me. Like I didn't even register. I couldn't be categorized, and therefore I didn't exist. I heard this was 'like a small town', that 'everyone is friendly'. But man, I've never felt so immediately shunned as I have here.
I’m so sorry that happened. Absolutely shameful of the people that did that to you.
wow! that makes me sad to hear you say. I was just going to comment on the video to rebut his comments about "where did you go to high school" because I thought he made us sound standoffish and isolating. I am a South County native living in West County and "some of my best friends are 'outsiders'". Our biggest problem is that we do have such deep roots that many of us know so many people from the neighborhood, high school, college, work, church, clubs, that we are just not looking to widen our circle, but even still I sure thought all my fellow travelers would be friendly and gracious and make a newcomer feel welcome. Also, do not underestimate the inferiority complex we have towards our neighbor to the north!
At any rate, I sure hope you find those reactions going forward to be the exception rather than the rule and I hope you come to love your new home...
That's the St Louis Special!! If you go to college in Columbia and Mizzou, and you meet someone from STL, all they will want to talk about was which private highschool they went to and why that makes them cooler than other STL people. Anyone outside of STL doesn't give a shit. If you don't have a highschool story to join in the gossip then yes, they just turn around and ignore you. Had it happen countless times when chatting up ladies at the bars in Columbia that were from STL. The rest of Missouri thinks STL and it's residents are pathetic jokes and we make fun of them endlessly.
@@The-Logic-Wizard 😥
As someone who also moved here from Chicago I totally agree. The only people I actually talked to were the people I served with in the reserves. My neighbors wave hi but not much else
And for for the public transport my family in Colorado thought we were lying when we say we don’t have a bus in st Charles county. Really think it would be good for st Charles county.
Yep it's tough for people who rely on it since there are parts of the STL area completely disconnected from public transit
St Charles is a different city - as they loooove to tell me 🙄
@@fleurdelis1227 yeah different as in less crime and not bandos on every street.
@@7791Ddifferent as in racist
I appreciate your balanced content regarding St. Louis. It is rare from what I've read and watched.
In my perspective, St. Louis does not exude a small-town ambiance; however, its potential varies based on the specific area and the transient population it attracts. The absence of congestion in day-to-day activities, such as traffic and parking issues, might inadvertently create an impression of a slower pace, which may not accurately reflect the city's overall dynamism.
Navigating the transit landscape poses a complex challenge. Commuting from suburb to suburb sans a car is nearly impractical. Suburb to city commutes tend to be longer than optimal, while city-to-city travel is relatively more manageable. Effective utilization of the limited transit system requires careful planning, and though it may necessitate intentional effort, it can prove beneficial when strategically employed.
i agree with you very much. The public transit is certainly nuanced depending on where one is traveling from and to. And you're right, I I'd say it really depends on where someone lives for the "small town mentality" because some of the parts of STL that attract a more global demographic might feel the exact opposite, whereas suburbs that are farther away and disconnected from the city might feel much more small-town than the city itself.
Honest question - do you think the STL city population is going to continue to decline with the new apartment builds, single family rehabs, and riverfront plans?
STL is an area we're considering to relocate to in a few years. We're also considering Chicago and maybe Louisville.
Chicago definitely has a different vibe and the high rises and lakefront are sweet....but STL has a lot to love too with architecture, parks, sports, cool hiking and golf - and it's more affordable. Its like loving two people for different reasons ...lol.
It's tough to say... Based on the last few decades, it looks like the projection is a continued decrease in population overall. However, the interesting thing is that from 2000 to 2020, yes the city as a whole saw a net loss of people, but the central corridor consistently grew in population. It's many of the neighborhoods in north city and south city that saw a constant decrease in population, while the neighborhoods right in the middle of the city are seeing an increase in growth. Lots of the central neighborhoods between Downtown all the way to Central West End are the areas seeing a lot of new apartments, commercial space, attractions, etc. Some examples are Steelcote Square, Armory, Foundry, Riverfront.
This page from the city's website has a helpful map to visualize where positive and negative population growth is happening: www.stlouis-mo.gov/government/departments/planning/research/documents/preliminary-population-change-maps.cfm
You honestly can't go wrong with either city.
I have lived in St Louis and Chicago. They couldn't be different but just as livable.
Not familiar with Louisville like the other two but I love the charm and people.
Good luck with your decision.
@@LivingStLouis thanks for the info. Good to see the city map does anticipate some growth in city limits in certain neighborhoods. The developments you mentioned are definitely bright spots. Its those and a few others planned that make STL city look appealing.
Absolutely! @@HX79 Despite the decreasing population I think some of the big developments do paint St. Louis in a positive light and I am very much looking forward to seeing how they add to the city's growth
I live in STL county and enjoy it here. Overall, I think the area has a lot to offer. While I can recommend a move to the county, I would be hard pressed to recommend a move to the city. My opinion, and it might not be a popular one, is that the city has been one party rule for as long as I can remember. Same political mindset, same results.
Worst thing in St. Louis is the weather. It is extreme on both ends highs and lows and humidity. No one is moving here because the weather is horrible. There’s no tourism here because the weather is horrible. Did I mention the weather? Don’t move here you will regret it. His comments are accurate
It's not just St.Louis weather it's Missouri weather ingeneral.
STL has four real seasons. Some hate it and some love it. I love it and miss it since I left.
Lol the weather definitely is a polarizing part of STL, and you're absolutely right it varies between both extremes sometimes in the same day / week
"If you don't like the Missouri weather, wait five minutes. It will change."
you gotta admit though, we do spring and fall pretty darn well!
another fair, balanced and helpful video. always enjoy them!
@stloucat thank you for watching it!!
Ive lived in st louis for over 20 years. I prefer the country.
But the food was good.
Great asian places and good soul food
Living in Ballwin Mo, it’s very safe and very little crime. We are also 40 mins from the city tho
Tower Grove and Soulard safe areas ?, they are in St Louis city right ?
Yep.
Absolutely luv your insight, thank you ✌🏽
Thank you Hardy!! Hope all is well with you!
If one does not want to pay PPT, what service should be dismissed
I enjoy living here and it’s nice to see an explanation of the cities flaws without going off saying how it’s a shitty cesspool like so many assume.
Currently my biggest frustration has to be the transit system. Ever since I was little trying to take the metro or a bus was a pain in the ass and it feels like it hasn’t been improved much since the early 2000’s. Which is a shame because I would love to catch a bus or train but walking an extra 5 miles after that seems like such a chore
Is it safe for a visitor specifically around Busch stadium?
After a game when people are walking with u you’ll probably be good as long as you don’t take wrong turns into weird alleys. Make sure to park close you don’t want to walk a billion blocks. Overall yeah.
How much yall buying homes for and where
What do you mean?
Ive been to st.Louis.......otw to Chicago frim texas ........I gotta say.....THE LAND IS BEAUTIFUL 😍 THE TREES ARE MAJESTIC ♥️ (And there not all pines).
It looks..... "NORTHERN"..... don't go for the city.......Go for the landscape
Your takes are authentic and the audio is spot on. The jumpcuts are the reason why I only gave this a like and not a subscribe. You're good, be great!
How do you mean that with the jump cuts? Is the pace too quick?
I'm referring to the numerous edits that are invisible on the audio but visually obvious. More footage over your narration can hide this but the content was great and accurate. I mean no offense and look forward to future posts.
@@DeeSnutz-qg6id Yes I agree, thanks for the feedback. I hide jumpcuts if the face change makes the video weird, but other than that I don't try to cover them up I think that style of editing to keep a quick pace is common on UA-cam
If you are moving here for a city job you must move into the city the city will give you 6 months to find a place. My suggestion is the only two good zip codes 63109 & 63139 .
What about the 63108 that is the CWE Central West End you will pay a steep price by moving there.
The house or the apartment is going to be very expensive that only the beginning of your adventures.
I don’t like going east of the 270. (Well maybe a little ways) I refuse to go into St Louis City other than on the freeway going by. It’s just not worth the chance something bad will happen. Sadly, my desire to go to St Louis County is fading fast.
What part of town are you in?
Crime is the number one issue. I’m not from here, but been living here since 2014. I own a loft off Washington, there are many positive things about St. Louis and Missouri as a whole. However, the crime is too much. I moved here in my early 30’s, and am now in my 40’s, I have a decent paying job, and I’m just waiting for the right opportunity to leave. The crime has gotten worse, and I just don’t see it changing in the next 10-15 years.
The traffic! Some part of STL are fine, but especially the 270 area is AWFUL. I'd say avoid it, but unfortunately it's of the major highways. If you live west/south of the city proper, which as highlighted in this video is statistically more likely, you will probably have to battle 270 haha.
That's fair. I always seem to hit traffic on 64/40 right in the middle of Brentwood
We used to have extremely good public transportation and a beautiful walkable city. This was over a century ago. Cars demolished many historic buildings and increased sprawl, killing our city. So sad.
Yeah everyone in st Charles stays in st Charles lol. I love stl after living in Florida my whole family moved back after living in Florida for 4 years.
Recently moved here from Chicago and spent some time in NorCal. I think that top to bottom, Fed to local, left to right, these are by far the worst elected officials possible. That is the fault of the electorate. Don't just vote, vote intelligently. Demand some level of competence from these people.
Would you say that I should be worried about the crime around the SLU campus if I intend to get in one of its grad programs?
To be honest it really depends on your preference and what level you're comfortable with. I highly recommend looking at the STL PD crime map around SLU or areas you're considering living here to get a sense of what each area looks like: www.slmpd.org/crime_mapping.shtml
There are instances of crime around Midtown but it is mostly safe. This is coming from someone who lives in STL and is attending SLU next year. SLU has pretty good security and there is usually police around there too. Also lots of activity around campus so that tends to deter crime too.
Yes, a little. I was a grad student at SLU for 7 years. It gets pretty sketchy after dark. South Grand was a popular neighborhood for grad students. I moved to Maplewood and commuted - not the worst commute, but any driving in STL is pretty horrible between heavy traffic and 20+ different township police forces writing tickets.
I'm going to guess by the omission of Madison/St. Clair/Monroe counties your real estate company doesn't deal in the IL Metro-East.
Correct, that's exactly why at the beginning of the video I said we work on the Missouri side
Another thing about crime statistics is they count people who dont live there. 285,000 population, but a million workers a day. So all those million + workers in there 9-5 will add their issues to the list. 2 commuters from Wentzville get in a road rage incident on i-70 passed Grand, guess what, 2 crimes added per St Louis proper’s 285,000 people, zero added to Wentzville.
There are so many reasons a city can skew less safe than it is.
Certainly the Delmar divide has left North StL in poverty and ruin, but most of even the city proper is very safe. Even Downtown.
But let’s say we invested (as we should) in more and better transit and housing and businesses in the city and closed the Delmar Divide making North StL safe and affluent.
The crime rate would still skew from commuters.
It’s a Catch 22 with being your own county.
I live in Milwaukee on the East Side near Lake Michigan, and I love it here but not as much as I loved the year I lived in St Louis. I have a car (van) but I am getting older and would like to have the option to live in a city with light rail/ monorail / subway as LA/Long Beach, San Francisco, Chicago and New York City has. I lived in all those cities, and it just gives a person more options. Milwaukee does not have light rail except for a "touristy" line that only snakes from the Lower East Side of Milwaukee through downtown and ends by the Intermodel Transit Hub with Amtrak trains and Greyhound and other buses.
The city of St Louis is half the size of the city of Milwaukee and although we are growing even more to about 600K it still feels St Louis has more to offer. We don't have a personal property tax but our real estate taxes in the city and many other towns in the county are high. Wisconsin has a higher income tax rate as well and of course we are much colder sooner and longer in the winter season.
We have great cultural amenities: I.E. Symphony, Opera, Ballet, theatre companies and small independent movie theaters. We have many festivals on the Lakefront from Summerfest, Festa Italiana, African World Festival, Fiesta Mexicana, Gay Pride, Irish Fest and major sport teams in basketball, hockey and baseball with the Green Bay Packers and Chicago Bears within driving distance north and south respectively.
With all this being said I look forward to returning to St Louis and live there until I retire in Las Vegas or Long Beach in 10 years.
I thank you for such an informational channel on everything St Louis. I also loved the quaintness of St Charles and the cobblestone streets remind me of Germany when our family lived there twice growing up as a military family.
Thanks for watching and sharing your experience! I hope when you come back St. Louis is just as great as it was when you lived here, or hopefully even better than it was.
What about the metro east?
From Missouri. Not Saint Louis. You are considered to be in Saint Louis the second you’re in Eureka. There is no reason to go further into Saint Louis than Eureka.
Lmao ur funny man
Hillbilly
I don't recommend moving to anywhere near St. Louis, especially within the city limits or north county. Poorly ran, rotting, decaying. Huge lack of enforcement. Really sad.
right and the taxes and utility bills are soaking up every last dollar with no end to the increases...out of control
Spent my teens in Valley Park (suburb, SW of downtown). VP has changed significantly since I left; Hwy 141 has been 4-laned through the town so the traffic and noise are very different. I used to walk to school, crossing 141 in the process. I wouldn't want to try that, now.
My beloved and I met in St Louis. We go back there on a regular basis; we were there for the weekend a couple weeks ago. Both of us have respiratory issues after a weekend there. So long as most of the power comes from Labadie, and downtown is in the pollution plume from same, that can be a real issue. The Labadie power plant is one of the most polluting coal-burning powerplants in the entire country so, no, this isn't some "snowflake" issue. The EPA is looking at clamping down on it, possibly even closing it. If that happens, the St Louis metro might become a much more livable place.
We love it there but ... we just can't live there until they improve the air pollution.
Chesterfield is further north of Labadie, as is Wentzville, St Charles, etc. Those areas are less-frequently in the pollution plume from the powerplant so they don't suffer as badly. We can spend the weekend in Chesterfield and not have respiratory issues.
Can we agree there is a color thing going on here? The evidence is astounding . Inner city vs. the surrounding counties. Missouri is a racist state to its core. Let’s not sugar coat it
The color thing has been here for a long time
I'm from here i keep moving away and coming back.
The news stations don't help with the color thing. The news will show pie charts of black and white thing at least every 4 months.
100% true. You can still see the shadows of redlined areas when looking at current maps showing data like average household income, household highest education attainment, property values, property tax revenue, school district funding, school district outcomes...
ST LOUIS is racist to it's core. And some other parts of Missouri also. Not all of it though, Kansas City is very nice. STL is segregated harshly from old racist Irish and German immigrants. Kansas City had the Irish mob install a highway around the whole city to connect everything. Very unlike STL.
@@The-Logic-Wizard don’t act like Kansas City didn’t redline in the 20th century😂😂 KC is just as bad and has similar crime stats to STL. The city pays a lot of tribute and recognition to those communities that were destroyed/redlined. KC just has shittier amenities and culture🤷♂️
if you want to come to stl move to dog town area. Not bad location. Good access area. Crime better then other areas. I mean cars on the side of the road are just targets regardless of where you are.
I lived in country area and have more break in to my cars then I had in city area. So it just random and depends on the persons in the area at the time really.
West County rules!! I grew up in Kirkwood
Kirkwood is a good one!!
glad you addressed this. I just got a fresh comment addressing an old comment i made on one of your videos. it was about crime in STL.
Thanks for continuing to watch the videos! I appreciate it
What about the additional 1% income tax? Why is crime #3 on your list when STL is usually top 1 or 2 for homicide? I'm not sure I follow your statement that the data is skewed. Can you elaborate?
The list was made in no particular order. When I say the data is skewed, the crime rankings are typically analyzing St. Louis City proper, which is 10% of the metro population, meaning the numbers aren't about any other 12 parts of the STL metro area like STL County, St Charles county, etc. which make up the remaining 90% of the population of the metropolitan area
His answer doesn't really explain it. Crime data in the US are compiled by counties, so most metro areas are balanced by lower crime suburban communities. Since STL doesn't exist in a county, it has no "cushion" of the suburbs so it appears more crime- ridden than other areas, like Chicago (ie Cook County)
@@Galadhatan yah pretty much
I'm sure adding North County would only double the crime stats. That would be balanced a little if you add in west and south County, but not much. My area of north county just had its first side show last weekend. Gunfire, injured cops, suspect shot, all in the confines of the "safe" suburbs.
I've lived in the city for 22 years. I'm from the county. The crime problem is mostly hype. Stay frostie
The only thing I would have added is the population spread that happened in the late 80s through the mid 90s that many St. Louis natives refer to as White Flight where housing availability, ARM mortgages and a solid percentage of white people fled from not only the city but also STL county across the river due to the influx of non whites into those communities with the added benefit of living in homes that they would not have been able to buy without that state of lending. There are a ton of research papers and solid data to back up the phenomena.
Moved to the metro area a year ago. Purposefully moved to Jefferson County and we liked Missouri a lot, just not super comfortable with the city itself. Barely went there since we moved.
I've always hated the way the crime rate is calculated. To your point, it's a bit misleading. Most of the crime takes place in small pockets in the city, but the data doesn't reflect that. Most of the metro area has extremely low crime rates and is very safe.
You're right, it's not always reflective of the entire city.
Sounds like the metro rail system is not that great, does anyone use it ?
Edwardsville, O'Fallon, and, in my opinion, Belleville are good places to live on the IL side.
I’ve had a gun pointed at me five different times when I visit the city. One time was on the highway in North County. I’ve also been physically assaulted in the loop and have had homeless threaten to jab me with dirty needles. Mind the fact I’m a shy introvert to begin with and these crimes just haphazardly occur. It’s super sad when city people tell me I’m scared of nothing and watch too much of the news. It feels so isolating and scary. I don’t even watch the news 😅
A couple years ago I worked with a poor guy who moved here from Iowa. He made the foolish mistake of thinking he could actually have packages delivered and park a vehicle with a catalytic converter in front of his apartment.
The roads are Mad Max. I'm honestly not worried about a random strong arm robbery or carjacking, though they do exist. I'm far more scared of the reckless driving by armed people who WILL do that stuff on the highway. Was that just 2 weeks ago the guy followed the woman off the exit on 170 and blasted her for "cutting him off?"
And yeah, I often get "go back to Chesterfield, racist maga guy." Um, I live in a part of Norco that has had countless shootings this year, I've even heard some of the ones that made the news. One occurred next door to me. But yeah, we're just overreacting.
The scooters were suppose to help with getting around. But you know how that is. They cost money. So they used, but not really as much as you would want.
That's fair. Also hard to find depending on where you go...
I am from the Los Angeles area for over 30 years. Lived in the Hollywood and Long Beach off and on. Even parts at the beginning of being gentrified. I have loved L.A from day 1. I always will. Even though it was a rough neighborhood in the late 80s, to it being gentrified in the late 90s/ 2000s and progressed back to kinda of what people think is dangerous now after Covid. I don't see it. I don't see it as bad as it was back in the 80s, and I loved the place then. I love it, but the affordability is crazy. My parents live across the bridge in the Alton area. They moved back there after bringing us kids to California. I could not bear living in a small town again. Wouldn't dream of it. I want to move back to STL after 30 plus years. I need city life, hustle and bustle and I have a kiddo. Would someone from the L.A area think this crime talk is way over blown? Because I feel like currently people are saying the same about L.A. I feel my family and friends who never left the area keep telling me how crazy it is in St. Louis. LOL But I'm like have you ever lived in Hollywood? Then they tell me it is too dangerous there too. Any advice would be awesome. Looking in Benton Park, Soulard, Tower Grove and even checked out some wonderful old houses in Old North St. Louis.
The roads are absolutely horrible and the smell in a certain pat of the city is unbearable.
What smell do you mean?
St. Louis City proper is a pit. You have to move out to the surrounding counties for the good stuff.
I've lived here for 20 years. The "where'd you go to high school" question has come up less than 3 times.
That's interesting to know. What area do you live in?
@@LivingStLouis Creve Coeur and Maryland Heights. It's come up twice at various jobs I've had and I think both times it was brought up as a spoof of the concept.
Oh gotcha! Maybe people are starting to move away from asking it. I notice I get asked a lot in certain contexts or when talking to people from specific parts of town, but outside that I don't hear it
45 years, maybe been asked once?
I hear it in my area of Ballwin every once in a while. I did a couple years of face to face costumer care and service. People just like knowing who you are and like general background stuff
St. Louis is crime ridden don't move here unless you're willing to gamble with your life.
Pretty spot on
Thanks for the video. Glad I found you on here. Born and raised in this area, moved to Chicago for quite some time, and am now back here. I’d argue that people might as well just cross public transit off their list of pros if they’re moving here. Honestly just take it off the list completely lol because the Metro is a sorry excuse for public transit. They need a track running north to south for it to be viable and this city is so racist they will never ever do it lol. Ugh oh St Louis… how I love and hate you so much
That's fair! I feel like the metro is useful in very specific situations depending on where you're coming from / going. If there happen to be stops that make it convenient, then great, but it's definitely not something you can always rely on especially if you're going outside the city limits
99th! Says it was uploaded 4 minutes ago. Y'all are quick!!!
Wait what?
@@LivingStLouis man, YT is crazy. So I was posting that to a video I watched after yours, but apparently, the comments section was for your video! That explains how 98 people left comments on a four-minute old video, at least!
@@skramzy6628 Oh boy! Haha that's too funny. I wish my videos got that much traction in 4 minutes
You avoid STL public transit for the same reason you don't stay in downtown after dark.
Anything better than Lafayette, Louisiana 😂😂😂. Thinking about moving there in the next decade.
Here's a novel idea, quite electing Democrat year after year after year, give the stray catch a short or the mail man. You have been doing Democrat since 1949,try something else and see 😮
1. That wasn't Saint Louis in that last map. Jeffco is not St louis no shade.
2. We do not have too many abandoned areas.
3. It's not a small town mentality it's called redlining and racism😂😂😂 i was born in 1997 & enrolled in a desegregation program.
4. We got the Kia boys off the street😂
5. For you to be a realtor in St. Louis your so real for that
I live in St Louis county & St Louis city has so much crime people are not visiting. The mayor is a joke & people are leaving bc of her poor decisions.
So you touched on it but I want to get into a little more detail on it. The statistics about us being the most or one of the most dangerous cities in the country is not accurate and never has been. Yes the city has had it's fair share of problems and decline like any American city but we are not, nor have ever been the most dangerous city in America. That divide between the city and county skews the data far more than people realize. Please stop perpetuating these lies/misinformation. I know you're not trying to smear the city here but I think it's important that when we talk about the crime and problems we have here that we make sure to talk accurately about it and be sure to thoroughly explain why the data is misrepresentative of the truth. Multiple economic studies have found that this is literally hurting our region by discouraging people from moving to or investing here. Here's the truth and as a St. Louis area native and resident of downtown for the last 6 years I can confirm that our city is as safe as any other and there are plenty of wonderful things left. I can also confirm that we are beginning to turn it around and grow again.
ua-cam.com/video/PS4IxDP66xw/v-deo.html
Yes you're correct and that is something I've touched on in other videos more in-depth, just not in this one!
St.Louis needs a nfl team and theme park
Haha fair enough
St Louis is trash and is a 2005 lifestyle where they are way behind times. The People are rude as hell and sadly they don’t even know what that is. I’m from California and lived there for a year. Trash. Glad I was able to save a lot of money and take those money. So thank you for that 😂
U just gotta keep ur head on a swivel😂
Hah
I refuse to acknowledge St. Charles as part of St. Louis!!
How bout the metro east?
Gutkowski Creek
Eat Imos best pizza ever
Gotta love their cheese
Walking
Young people don't want to stay in such a racist area.
I hate it here 😅
How come??
@@LivingStLouis I feel like there’s not much to do (I’m originally from NY). Also, the people are pretty unfriendly so it’s difficult to make friends.
I'm really sorry to hear that - I can imagine it was a big adjustment from NY so I'm sure STL really can't come close in a lot of ways
9$ Area is racist AF. Many Black people, who grew up in the STL and has gotten college degrees or above, have moved out of the area for green pastures, since many businesses in the area of refuse to provide them the high paying opportunities they have qualified for. Instead, those businesses have given those type of jobs to while applicants with much lesser qualifications…
It's a racist city too
Living St. Louis is the name of a popular series on the local PBS station. You really ought to change the name of your channel. Using this name is misleading clickbait.
I’ve had the name for 4 years 💁♂️ I’m content with the existing name of my UA-cam channel.
Agree. Living St Louis is already a thing on channel 9. 🤷♂️
@@hustler3of4culture3 that’s great for them; we are allowed to have the same UA-cam channel name regardless of the TV station
In the past, 1970s'...was difficult in many of the same areas, that have not improved. But, STL has activities, education & sports a high priority (with the help of the industries in STL). Many places on the East Coast, the South & Memphis, have a much higher crime rate, and little to none activities except during Sport seasons (College Football, Minor league Baseball)...STL weather changes quite often, but at least you have 4 seasons. Not the best, but definitely not the worst....In my opinion