The Gateway to the West, as the 300,000+ residents refer to their fair city, is an increasingly beautiful, appealing place to park your residence and settle in. The city has affordable housing in tons of neighborhoods you’ll love exploring, with parks, zoos, museums and activity centers galore, plus tons of art galleries and amusements and amazing dining. The toasted ravioli isn’t all this city has to offer!
Of course, if you’re not sure what the best neighborhoods in St. Louis are right for your personal needs, our list below should help you figure that out pretty quickly — at least on where to start that apartment search!
1. Central West End
The Central West End is a neighborhood that’s perfect for both young professionals and singles. It’s an ideal location between St. Louis University and Forest Park. In addition, there’s access to several reputable high schools and places of higher education.
The commercial area of this neighborhood has a lot to offer, such as restaurants and walkable shopping locations, live music venues, pubs, nightclubs, and bars. There are so many fun things to do that you won’t get bored.
2. Downtown
Downtown St. Louis is a great place to live for many reasons, the No. 1 reason being its easy access to all the important stuff happening in the city. While there are some prominent tourist attractions that everyone knows about, like the Gateway Arch, there’s still plenty of other things that residents can do.
Another great reason to pick downtown is that you have so many available housing options. There’s almost an endless variety of condos and loft apartments. Often, these are in refurbished buildings with enough character to set them apart.
3. Lafayette Square
Lafayette Square is just south of Downtown and one of the best neighborhoods in St. Louis. Compared to the Downtown area, Lafayette has a slower speed. There are quiet streets lined with townhomes that fit snuggly in between any number of grand Victorian homes.
The center of this area is Lafayette Park, a 30-acre green space, used by locals for dog walking, jogging, and strolls and is where many annual events occur, including regular concerts, food festivals, and movie nights. It’s the perfect place to call your own in the midst of a friendly community.
4. Soulard
Soulard is the place to live if you’re the kind of person who loves the nightlife. Soulard has a wide variety of restaurants, bars, and yearly festivals that will help keep you entertained. In addition, the annual Soulard Mardi Gras is one of the most significant events of its kind in the United States.
Besides parties, there’s a lot of variation in the housing offered. The housing styles include alley houses, brick rows, Victorians, and more for reasonable prices. In addition, this location provides easy access to the downtown area, right off I-55.
5. Debaliviere Place
Debaliviere Place is an excellent neighborhood for renters who want to live in more upscale condos and apartments. There are also several single-family houses alongside apartments in the older high-rise buildings. This neighborhood is an excellent choice for any students who attend nearby Washington University.
Debaliviere is also a short distance from both Central West End and Forest Park and all the attractions those two areas offer, so you’ll have easy access to Forest Park, the St. Louis Zoo, many museums, and lots of green space.
6. Tower Grove
Tower Grove is an excellent choice for those looking for a place with easy walking access to various amenities. One of the best neighborhoods in St. Louis has a mixture of residential and commercial areas, so you can find a wide range of choices for dining, shopping, and drinking. The food selection is worldwide and includes choices like Ethiopian, Vietnamese, and Moroccan food.
In the center of Tower Grove is its namesake park. This Park plays host to a wide range of yearly events, including concerts and other festivals. It makes the perfect center for a family-friendly community.
7. Forest Park
Forest Park is a trendy place to live with many attractive qualities. First is the namesake park, which has a trolley that people can use to see several local attractions. The Park is home to several museums, outdoor music venues, and locations for exhibiting art. Its best-known feature is the free St. Louis Zoo, which houses over 12,000 animals and 500 different species. This zoo is world-famous for the care it gives animals and the zoo’s contributions to wildlife conservation.
If those aren’t enough, there are a plethora of places to eat and shop. In addition, you can walk the nature trial, which includes a 75-foot tall waterfall. The part also provides areas for boating, handball, and tennis.
8. Benton Park
Benton Park is on St. Louis’ southside and west of Soulard. The neighborhood goes back to 1866, when the city originally founded it as a cemetery. An artificial lake and rustic bridge still serve as reminders of the past.
The unique attractions of the area, outside the great shopping and dining, is the expansive network of underground caverns that attract beer makers to the area. When the brewing industry exploded, German architects moved to the site and helped construct several beautiful buildings still standing. This red-brick architecture found in Benton Park adds to the already attractive neighborhood for young professionals.
9. The Hill
The Hill neighborhood offers a unique experience within St. Louis for those who love Italian culture and cuisine. In addition, the Hill is very friendly towards those who like to walk with various stores, restaurants, and bars within a reasonable distance.
One of the best neighborhoods in St. Louis is marked by having all its fire hydrants painted with the Italian flag. As you explore this neighborhood, you’ll discover many high-quality eateries delivering an authentic Italian dining experience. Gitto’s and Mama’s are two of the more popular places to eat.
10. Grand Center
For those wanting a cultural center, Grand Center might be the place for you. This area is home to the famous Fox Theater, which regularly showcases comedy shows, plays, and musicals. The St. Louis Symphony makes their home at the local Powell Hall, a former vaudeville house. In addition, there are regular art walks and open galleries for the public to view the latest art.
This cultural hot spot also offers plenty of places to go after seeing a show. There’s easy access to several shops and restaurants, all within walking distance. And with the affordable rent and high walkability, the neighborhood is the perfect spot for young singles, couples, or professionals looking for the good life without the extra cost.
11. St. Louis Hills
The St. Louis Hills neighborhood offers several competitively-priced homes of various sizes to meet the different needs of singles and small families. While it doesn’t have the most accessible access to shops via walking, there are still a good number of bars, shops, and restaurants that you can enjoy.
One of St. Louis’ most famous frozen custard locations, Ted Drewes, is here. This restaurant has been operating here for 80 years. Enjoy!
12. Hi-Pointe
For those looking for a primarily residential area, Highway-Pointe (or simply “Hi-Pointe”) has some great features. It’s admittedly not the most walkable of all neighborhoods in St. Louis, but there are many great things to see and do within a quick drive from home. There are coffee shops, the Hi-Pointe Theater, and the Hi-Pointe Drive-in restaurant. Other nearby locations that add to the appeal of living here include the St. Louis Zoo and the St. Louis Museum, making this one of the best neighborhoods in St. Louis.
13. Dutchtown
Dutchtown isn’t St. Louis’ largest neighborhood. However, it does have the highest population. As a result, this neighborhood offers a wide variety of shopping places, all easily accessible by walking. In addition, this community provides a wide range of highly-rated restaurants to experience.
This district has several high-quality schools that make for an additional incentive for moving here. St. Alexius, an excellent and renowned hospital, is also here, meaning this is a great neighborhood for medical care workers — easy access!
14. Northampton
The Northampton neighborhood offers reasonably-priced apartments for singles and small families. In addition, it’s a neighborhood known for having some of the best school programs in the area. These high-ranking schools cover every level of education.
A short distance away from this neighborhood is the Hampton Village Shopping Center, which has numerous shops and restaurants that cater to various tastes.
15. Southwest Garden
The Southwest Garden neighborhood offers a lot to do for its residents. The neighborhood itself is right across from the always beautiful Missouri Botanical Garden. In addition, there are a few quality places to eat and shop just a walk away.
Several regional companies have local offices in this area, as well, and there’s Sublette Park, a popular destination for days with good weather.
St. Louis has tons of amazing neighborhoods, many of which are easy to walk and explore on your days off. So, if you’re looking for the best apartments for rent in St. Louis, these are where it’s at — from super budget-friendly to the poshest parts of town. Whatever you’re looking for, it’s here in one of the best neighborhoods in St. Louis!
The rent information included in this article is based on a median calculation of multifamily rental property inventory on Apartment Guide and Rent. as of November 2021 and is for illustrative purposes only. This information does not constitute a pricing guarantee or financial advice related to the rental market.
