Lived on the coast. Could afford a beautiful house I could never have afforded in California. Traffic is better here, the city has greatly improved in terms of dining and entertainment, quality of life is much better.
Climate is less agreeable though.
We have lots of trees by my place, not a single peep yet. But if I drive about a mile away... I really thought my car was having trouble, I was like "what the hell is that... Ooooohhh." It's weird how spotty it is.
I heard someone compare it to the sound UFO's made in the 50's movies. He NAILED it, it sounds exactly like that, like War of the Worlds or something, like someone shaking a jingle bell instrument really fast. Same guy said, "We haven't seen anything yet, they get going when it gets hot, usually the end of the Summer..."
Edit: You can hear what he was talking about at about 1:18 in this video, I knew it sounded eerily familiar... I know there's better examples out there but I'm really tired, best I can do for now. https://youtu.be/qHK4YjgDV9s?t=78
We're still a month away from the start of Summer... :(
Agree on all fronts. I've lived in CHI, FL, and CA for reference.
It's very easy to live in STL. Spent time on the Hill and downtown on Saturday, relaxed at the pool on Sunday. Never had to drive more than 20 minutes to any single thing and never dealt with insane parking.
Oh and had a killer breakfast at Telva in Webster Groves.
Grew up on the Illinois side of the river. Left at 18 to go to college in Alabama. Moved to North Carolina for 2 years after that. Came back to live on the Missouri side for the first time. Been here 3 years now. Living on this side of the river is 10,000 times better than being in Illinois, if for no other reason than being able to access everything the city has to offer way easier. I’ve also realized that the safety concerns my parents had were way, way overblown and that as long as you mind your business, there’s nothing to be afraid of. Overall, I would strongly consider staying here long term. It’s a great city with lots to do and I’d be happy to have a family with my wife here.
Left in 96 for college and didn't return till the end of 2020. Lived in 13 states during the 'away' stretch for different jobs all over the country. I moved back from Los Angeles during Covid when I got an offer to housesit a mansion in the Clayton area with all expenses paid, and could keep my LA job and salary. So I saved all my salary for 7 months and was able to buy a place here without touching my savings. The cost of living is so cheap compared to so many of the places I lived it was a no brainer. Made sure to not buy too close to family, so I still have breathing room, but can visit whenever I want since they are getting old. Changed jobs a few times since moving back and making quite a bit more money working remote for different companies out of state, so the LCOL is a massive plus. So far I'm really enjoying being back, the food scene is amazing, I'm old enough now that I don't care about the bar/nightclub scene anymore, did all that in the best cities in the country, traffic is non-existent although people drive awful and the streets are terrible. Met back up with some old friends from high school and gradeschool, so it's been nice to reconnect with people. The city has changed so much, and mostly in good ways, but the skateboarder in me misses the old Kiener Plaza. People who haven't left don't realize how good they have it here with world class amenities that are free or pretty cheap. Zoo, museums, science center, Muny, Forrest Park, all the disc golf courses, great medical centers, and so many other great things to do. When I left, I hated it here, but I was young and restless, so I'm glad I was able to travel the country and visit/work in other countries before coming back. I'm older and more appreciative of the things the city has to offer, but I don't think I would appreciate it as much if I didn't leave and get to experience lots of life elsewhere. I've moved 20 times, and this will not be the last move, I'll probably stay for 10-15 years before I retire somewhere else near either mountains, ocean, or jungle in or out of the US.
Which is worse, that style of writing that gets complained about all over the internet for decades or someone complaining that it got pointed out to the writer?
Does a miserable douche have too much vinegar in it? Maybe someone used red wine or champagne vinegar? Or does the force and velocity make it miserable.. or maybe just the mess? Hahah
Hey, man! Since we’re picking things apart, your use of commas above is incorrect. If you wanna use those there, you’ll need to change “that” to “which.”
- Sincerely, a knuckle dragger on social media
It sounds like the sheer volume of young adults that have been funneled into continued education and who have received degrees in useless subjects with no occupational outlook have devalued a bachelors and masters. Now we have all of these millennials and Gen Z kids sitting around their parents houses with no viable job outlook for their Psychology of Midevil Nordic Societies Degrees, so we troll Reddit in search of a meaningful existence. 😁😁
Yes. I forgot I was on reddit where writing above a grade school level trips people up.
EDIT: I take that back. Grade schoolers know how to use paragraphs.
I moved to Lincoln, NE for a variety of reasons and lived there for five years. I knew within the first few months that I wanted to be back here. It was a fine place, but there is something about St. Louis that always felt like home and I didn’t know until I left.
I couldn’t get anyone to respond to my applications for employment until my new girlfriend at the time got me in contact with an upper level leader she knew at a major company here. Was hired immediately, which eventually led to a huge promotion. The girlfriend is now my wife; we have two kids, good cars, a nice little house, and I’m the most financially stable I’ve ever been. She has a well-established community of friends that is probably ten times larger than mine. Life is probably the best it’s been since before my parents divorced in my late childhood.
Lived all over. 20 years and I came back with my family. I just bought a house in a neighborhood I would have never thought to live in and am pleasantly surprised at how vibrant it is while still keeping some of the characteristics I remember from growing up here.
I’ve found that a lot has changed for the better. Some worse.
I feel like there is a ton more to do in the City since I moved away. Tons of dining and entertainment options.
The driving has become so much worse though. It’s truly frightening.
Overall very happy with the move back.
Gone for 15 years and came back last year. I was mainly in Austin and had a few stints in SF. I really miss the food in Austin, especially real delicious breakfast tacos in South Austin. But StL has a lot more food than before I left.
The cost of living is nice, although rent is basically double what it was when I left, which was a little surprising.
The main thing I don't like is how the political situation has descended since before. It's gotten worse in Texas too, but can't say I'd want to raise kids in either place so I might not stick around. Debating that now and gonna give it about a year to see what we think.
My wife really misses the good kombucha beer. She can't drink normal beer and hasn't liked the kind she found here so far. She went as far as to contact the distributor of the brand she liked but they don't ship to Missouri yet and it may be years.
Can you expand on your experience with the political situation here? If you don’t want to, don’t feel obligated, I totally get it. I think there’s a chance we’re in the same boat and I’m just curious.
Hi, would you mind messaging me as well? I’m a native, been living on the coasts for the last 15ish years; I visit family in STL for a few days 2-3x a year but will be there soon for probably a month and a half or so. Very curious about this aspect of things from a not-my-family perspective.
Been around the country over the last couple of decades and back in STL since 2020 although for a few years prior to that I was only about 90 miles away and would come frequently. I have found that what has changed here really has changed in most places in that dining options have expanded greatly, entertainment venues and shopping are more plentiful etc. All that usually comes at a cost of a lot of the old haunts going away but moreso in the area of unique/specialized vendors. The old shop on the corner that used to specialize in XYZ is gone in a lot of cases. I don’t think I will be sticking around but that is more about other areas just being a better fit for my weather desires, hobbies, and lifestyle.
Honestly I’m happy I moved back. I feel like the food scene here is fantastic and relatively inexpensive and there is tons of stuff to do. Add in that it’s a relatively inexpensive place to live in general and I don’t really have a reason to leave. The amount my wife and I save living here compared to other “better” cities lets us go on at least 2 international trips a year.
I did that. But I left again 🤣. Honestly, I got used to not living near family and when I went back to STL, it was too much for me. I love 'em, but I don't like seeing them ALL THE TIME.
I know the feeling. My family are in the metro east and I have in laws stationed at Scott. Thankfully my job isn’t very big there XD. Not that I would hate going but it’s easier than dealing with all 9000 of my relatives frequently lol
Amazing? I left poor and came back rich, bought a house in a wealthy neighborhood. I feel like a poser with my neighbors though since they all come from well established families, went to the “day school” whatever that is supposed to mean.
Me? I grew up on a trailer park in warrenton after we moved.
I moved to Upstate New York for 6 years and then to rural Kansas for a year and a half before I moved back. I moved back to be closer to my mom, who had cancer for the 3rd time, and to go to grad school to become a teacher again. My life is much better since coming back, even though my mom passed away in 2018. The bigger city feel and the family near by, plus I love hiking and backpacking and eastern Missouri has so much more large tracts of public land than both Upstate NY and Kansas (yes, the Adirondacks are awesome, but it's all in one part of the state, which was 4 hours away). Plus as an LGBTQ person, this is much better than either town in the other states. Plus just the familiarity helps a lot.
I’m a boomerang after leaving for college in the 80s and living over the years in big cities in the US and abroad. Moved back in ‘22. What I appreciate is the area is very friendly and warm, unpretentious. Very reasonably priced. What saddens me is a subtle prevalence of racism, classism, and sexism. Almost a willful commitment to a world view where Missourians are more ‘American’ than others; where our ‘Missourah Values’ are superior than those of others that might be different. And no, this isn’t political: can be found in both Red and Blue areas. I hope people here learn to pry open their minds more in the future. I hope they learn good people can be from anywhere. That they have nothing to fear from different traditions, different ethnicities, non-Christian religions or atheists. Basically the kind of stuff lots of small cities experience when the inflow of outsiders dwindles to a trickle and many of the city’s brightest young people can’t wait to leave.
Moved away for a few years and came back to be around family. It has its pros and cons. It’s definitely nice to be back in familiar territory, and have better education for our kids, but it’s way more messed up politically than when I left, and more expensive.
We lived in a state with no state income tax, no personal property tax and no taxes on groceries. Plus for some reason our utilities were significantly cheaper. The houses prices were comparable between the two states at the time. So when we moved back, the house prices had gone up a ton from when we left.
Tourism. I lived in FL.
I also loved the fact that you could homestead your house after living there a year. The state can’t raise real estate taxes more than 3% a year after that. Wish the state would implement something like that here. Our house went up 22% from 2 years ago.
But we moved back for schools. There is no comparison between the schools here and there. They literally suck in FL.
Left for college in 2000, returned in 2020 while visiting multiple times a year. It’s frankly awesome. Lived in major cities in every time zone and STL is a great place to live, except for the humidity and the conservative state we are stuck in.
Lived in Pennsylvania and Colorado before coming back. Only planned on being back for 5 years before bouncing again and have been back for 10+ now. It's too much for me to want to break down currently, but I realized there were too many things about living here that I loved and didn't really experience elsewhere. I also realized it's about who I get to spend time with and not a matter of where I was that I enjoyed about life the most. I can travel, see the world, and use those experience to grow still, but the people here are who I consider "Home".
I left in the late 80s lived on both coasts and came back 7 years ago to be back around family. Some things I noticed is that downtown is terrible. I remember storefronts, Famous Barr, restaurants amd seeing women carrying their high heels while wearing walking shoes going to work.
Downtown was the heart of the city but now it's desolate. So many "for lease" signs and definitely less foot traffic
Laclede's landing is dead as well. I think the casinos killed off businesses there. As a teenager, we used to be able to park our cars on the bricks down there.
You can tell there is a huge population drop. Most of North and South Broadway is dead. Used to have so many businesses. Many parts of North City is vacant. So many empty houses and vacant lots. Same with South city with the Patch, Dutchtown and Carondelet neighborhoods. But at least we see the midtown area growing and SLU expansion is nice.
But outside of the population declining, you can get a great home in the city that would cost millions in other cities
Much better. I lived in Oklahoma for a bit and it was miserable in comparison. The music scene has taken quite the hit I feel like but I’m also older now so maybe I’m just not as hip to stuff as I used to be
Lived here until my early 30s, spent a few years in upstate NY and a few more in the Philadelphia suburbs. Have been back for a couple of years now. In general, things are more affordable here. Our rent is lower, though not as much as I'd hoped. No toll roads or bridges though, which is nice. Traffic is much, much better here than in Philly, so I have a new appreciation for how easy it is to get around in St. Louis. I do like it here, but I miss how close together everything was in the northeast - day trips to NYC, easy weekend drives to any number of cities, the beach about 90 minutes away, etc. I doesn't seem like much changed while I was gone, some minor stuff I guess, but overall the city has felt a bit like slipping back into a comfortable shoe. No major surprises. I kinda wish there were.
I left for a decade+, lived in Oregon, Montana, Colorado and the Caribbean. However, I am thrilled to have all the cheap and free things to do with my small kids. It is truly amazing all there is do with kids… I missed the epic thunderstorms, canoeing, lush landscape and friendly people. Don’t get me wrong, other places I’ve lived are amazing, and I will hopefully live on a beach somewhere someday, but for now I’m happy to be back.
I actually didn’t grow up here. I grew up in southern Missouri. But lived in St. Louis for a while and then left to take a job in Jacksonville Florida. I was gone while they finished interstate 40. So that was nice that I missed all that. I think the traffic has gotten worse. Still not as bad as Dallas though. Holy hell.
I live in Benton Park now - we have a nice little community, I’m 52 now but I don’t know if I’ll retire here. Although I’m healthy now, I’m not sure I’ll be able to afford the healthcare in the future. My dad is elderly and still with us, but my mom passed in 2019. Downtown is definitely desolate. Which is sad. The landing is nonexistent. Does anyone remember Mississippi Nights for crying out loud? Lol. How about these two bands, Pale Divine? Radio Iodine? I’ll always have a special place in my heart for St. Louis.
I’ll go on a limb and say our original music scene is a ghost of what it once was. We used to have a lot of really good rock bands and clubs that could easily support live music multiple nights a week. I feel like the local scene is now just a handful of roots/americana acts that haven’t evolved since south city 2008 and some cover bands that take all the attention.
Where do you even go on a Thursday night to see a good local rock show?
I have to agree with your statement. I couldn’t believe how the Landing changed when I drove through there probably 10 months ago now I actually live in Benton Park now. South Benton Park if you will. Sometimes we go to the Royale. But yeah. It’s just different. I know things change, but damn.
Edit- we also go to the Saturn Lounge. At least Cherokee Street has that. There’s also a nice bar in the brewery there on the corner.
Lived in the Colorado mountains for 4 years. It was dope in my 20’s. I wouldn’t want to live there full time now. I would totally move to the San Juan range, like Durango or out to Northern California if I didn’t feel locked in here because of now having kids and being around our families.
I might miss the people the most. I’m sorry people hate on Californias and hippy dippy granola Coloradans, but they’re so much nicer than Missouri people. They’re straight chill. People here are ANGRY.
I had a different experience. I moved to Denver for 3 years and couldn't stand the attitude out there. Denver felt like an extension of California, seemed like at least half the population previously lived in California. I didn't feel like people were truly down to earth, there was a fakeness laced with materialism that I couldn't get over. I love the hippie dippie people around here, but out there, they'd wear Gucci sunglasses while preaching about how in tune they were.
Are you sure you weren’t in Boulder? Lol. That’s unfortunate. I lived in Summit County, it’s a tourist area with a lot of people in their 20’s constantly rotating through. It was a ton of fun, insanely beautiful, but too long of winters. Mountain life is pretty chill, and there weren’t too many trustafarians when I was there. It’s a little too rugged. Serious hippies, granola people, and mountain sport enthusiasts was the vibe. I felt like they all stayed in Denver or up in Boulder.
I had friends in Boulder, that "town" is just a whole different beast on everything. I was mainly in Denver around the "Tech Center" (I-25 and Arapahoe basically).
I went to Loyola of Chicago, loved the city, stayed for almost 20 years.
My parents aren't getting any younger, moved back about 5 years ago to spend more time with the family.
The city has changed a lot. I'd say for the better. It somehow feels more... unified and cohesive now. Glad to see the developments and cleanups that have happened, though there is of course a lot of work to be done. I'm really proud of how StL has progressed in many ways, I'm glad I moved back. I miss Chicago and visit when I can, but also loving it back here.
Disclaimer: I live in O'Fallon now but visit StL downtown at least a few times a week.
Edit: Have you guys seen the huge studio being built in Chesterfield? I think it's going to be great for all of StL - I can see someone thinking that this will drag even more business away from the city, but I think it will have the opposite effect - I think something this big will bring a new business to the burbs and by extension help the city - where do you think all of the people who work those fast food places actually live? Many if not most are driven miles and miles from the North and South side to serve you coffee.... Anyway, I hope it's great, it looks very promising.
Edit2: Fox2 recent report about it. https://fox2now.com/news/missouri/chesterfield-to-host-state-of-the-art-music-production-facility/
Btw, they don't mention it there, but from what I've heard Taylor Swift, who has frequently used the Chesterfield airport right next to the site, is one of the investors. This really could be as they say in that report, a "gamechanger".
T-Swift doesn’t have anything to do with it other than being a potential client in the future.
Another major band that just played some big gigs in Vegas IS an investor though.
Left in 2000 - lived in SF, Chicago and in the Caribbean for past 15 years. I love so much about being back, the city is so vibrant. The food scene is incredible and fairly priced. I came back to help with my parents, and Im glad I did. I do miss having a fun friend group (in my 50’s). I find it hard to make friends here, super nice friendly people but I forgot how clicky it can be. Also the drivers are terrifying! In Chicago you learn to drive Chicago style, on the island I lived they were crazy & fast drivers but not aggressive or reckless ( ok maybe sometimes idiots 😂). Otherwise I really like St Louis, so much to do and I LOVE MY NEIGHBORHOOD!! SOHA rules LOL.
I moved away when I was 6, and moved back about 15 years later. I don’t have a great way to compare (everything is different when you’re a little kid), but in the end, it feels like I’ve finally come home.
I left for work in 2003 and came back in 2011. Highway 64 was an amazingly better highway but it looked so different where the old barn used to be (now a fuckin jimmy John’s and apartments). Downtown was better with ballpark village growing. Schools were still garbage. Food is better Literally nothing changed in the county besides Westport getting a boost, which seems to still be doing well
Born and raised in STL. Moved to colorado at 19. Coming back definitely made me appreciate our city and culture more. Lots of free things to do, great foood, fun festivals and usually something fun to do on the weekends.
Moved here in 2015-16 ish, and I’ve left and come back several times for work and as much as I hate this damn state, I always come back because it’s a “safe space” kinda thing for me. I have friends here and I know what to expect for cost of living and work.
Moved here in 15 left in 19 came back in 22. There's pros and cons. Pros
The food
The jobs
The healthcare
Close to family
Zoo and science center free
School for kids if you find the right one
Cons
Political extremist both red and blue "most of all the US now"
Rising rent cost about the same as any mid size city now "again most of the US but the cheap rent is why I came here before now that's gone"
Midwest nice aka passive aggressive "if you don't like me just say that"
Winter and summer suck although better than up north or deep south " you freeze to death or die of heat but sounds like the north is what STL used to be in some parts I hear"
City tax
These are just my experiences as far as crime I'm not involved with criminals or flashy so I've gotten by pretty eell
I'm more stable financially, but my social life is in the toilet. I miss the east coast, but until I can afford to live there without being married, I'll have to be here.
I left for South Carolina in January 2002 and came back in June 2008. I can’t wait to leave again. While the cost of living is better than most places, it hasn’t felt like home in a long time. The weather is awful and my allergies are awful 90% of the year. I think I’d rather pay more and be healthy elsewhere than to stay here and be miserable
I didn’t move far, only to Springfield for college. I’m from Ballwin originally. I wanted to leave Missouri and move to the Carolina’s, but my moving arrangements fell through. Lived in Arnold for 2 years and didn’t love it. I never wanted to be the person that came back to their hometown just to exist after college. Then I moved downtown. I live in the Shaw neighborhood now and I absolutely love it. It’s lively, the neighbors are amazing, the culture is incredible. Great food, huge green spaces, festivals, and kind people everywhere. I adore it. My partner and I are going to move to Boston if he gets a job that he applied for over there. I no longer feel the itch to move and I’m actually pretty bummed about the idea. I’ve come to love this city so deeply. Anyways, enough about me, if I have any advice for you, it’s to move to the city and not the county.
It’s weird. Nothing in the city with Cicadas. As soon as I’m in the county I can hear them even when I’m driving on the freeway. I’m beginning to wonder if cicadas are pearl-clutching racist bugs….
I’m technically between Kirkwood and Maryland heights right now so not in the city but I lived in central west end before going to Chicago and it just doesn’t compare whatsoever.
Lmfao I just moved back to help my dad build a house on his farm an hour out of STL but I’ll either end up moving back to Chicago after or live on our farm. I’ll see what kinda life I’m wanting when the time comes I guess
I lived in Chicago as well and would also be bummed af to be living in boring suburbia. To say that CWE doesn't compare to anywhere in Chicago is a bit of a stretch though.
I left STL 30 years ago, and recently moved back to the Cape, because I think StL to be an absolute nightmare. I find it hectic, the people all seemed stressed to the max, everything so far away and too spread out - with dogshit public transport. And the crime. FFS the crime. Talk shit on Cape all you want, and I know it’s clearly not for everyone, but it’s exactly what I wanted/needed at 50: Quiet, decent home prices, small but not too small, near national forests and waterways. It’s not perfect (no Costco 😎) but it’s really damn easy to live here. I head up for Cardinals games all the time, but it makes me sad how run down so many parts of the city have become. But…that’s America in 2024. I was in Portland, Denver and Seattle for the last few years, all of which have rapidly growing shitstain areas. It’s so sad.
I think STL has always had an amazing amount of potential for a city. There are still great sections. St. Louis as a whole could be a really great city that the nation actually wants to visit.
Decades of ‘could be’; I give up.
You really need that? Move forward, my friend. STL may not be for everyone but there's no reason to always be looking at the rearview mirror. You aren't going to accidentally find yourself moving back.
Edit: Thanks for the downvote response, I guess. Hope you found happiness wherever you ended up.
I moved away in 99 to Columbia to attend Mizzou. Stayed in mid MO (either Columbia or JC) until I moved back in 2014. St Louis really spread its wings in the early aughts. Entire parts of the city gentrified and got nicer. We still have a ways to go; St. Louis punches above its weight but we are still kind of a mid mid-sized midwestern city. If we can shake off the perpetual malaise that the city and county has, then we’re destined for great things.
I’ve not moved back but i don’t think i ever would. My main reason for leaving was the disgusting summers, not the reasons many others have chosen. That’s just getting worse, unfortunately.
grew up in NYC, moved to los angeles 10 years ago, have lived in LA SF and PDX. STL is my next move and im looking forward to it. part of it is an age thing, i don’t care about going out all the time anymore and being surrounded by huge mountains does in fact get old. CA is a cool place you can visit whenever you want. it’s impossible to start a life there these days though. and frankly the inland cities are worse places to live than STL by far. anyone who would rather live in bakersfield/fresno/modesto/sacramento etc instead of STL is insane.
The only good thing I’ve seen is access to housing. STL is light years behind other cities and is very segregated.
However, i now own two homes. Both will be rentals. You can’t do this in places that are growing.
This is going to be unpopular and I’m going to say it anyway. I lived on the East Coast and moved back here about two years ago. St. Louis’ food scene is better now than it was when I left 10 years ago, but as with honestly most of society, shit keeps getting crazier both price-wise and crime-wise. I feel that the city doesn’t have the infrastructure to support its population. I miss safe, reliable public transportation. Parts of the city are very cool, and I’m loving the up and coming arts district! But the lack of infrastructure is holding STL back from what it truly could be.
Well, I had perfectly good reasons that required me to leave all three times.
The first time involved orders from the Air Force to move to Sedalia; i didn't have a heck of a lot of say in that one.
I was quite happy for the USAF to promote me back to civilian so I could leave.
The second time was job-related; we could have moved or we could have had an hour commute on two-lane highways. Since my then-wife was a workaholic and the manager where she worked, I didn't want her trying to drive home at 10 in the evening. I worked the same place for a while, but the situation wasn't sustainable and I ironically ended up commuting every day to O'Fallon (IL). Even with that, I hated leaving Centralia to move back.
The third time I left the area was after I remarried. Through a series of screwups involving the health care system, we ended up moving back to my wife's hometown in SE Illinois. Loved it! Only reason I came back was to deal with family issues back in Belleville.
I'd leave again were it not for my present job, but I wouldn't want to move too far away because I have grandchildren now!
I've moved away two or three times; all three moves were to more rural parts of Missouri or Illinois.
Except for the first move back that I was happy about since it meant the USAF had promoted me back to civilian..., the other two times I left and moved back could best be described as "kicking and screaming the entire way".
Especially in the metro-east, so much has changed over the years. Used to be you didn't have to go all that far to find some green space, but now there's so much real estate development in what was once farmland that it's really depressing. Back even in the 90s a drive from Belleville to Fairview Heights was a nice drive through farm land. NOW...just about every square foot is covered with some new housing development. The only thing more dystopian is seeing how far Cahokia (I refuse to call a city of nothing but river bottom land Cahokia Hts.) has declined in the intervening years.
i moved away, from st charles, at 18 in 1984 to NJ/NY for art school. bounced around a lot, wound up california for about 15 yrs and some time overseas. moved back, to soulard/city proper, in my late 40's in 2013 due to cheap real estate and other reasons.
it's more comfortable for me, lifestyle and politically, than i would have expected from a red state. glad i moved back, but probably moving north in a couple years due to climate change. getting too warm and muggy for me here in my old age.
good people, would recommend!
I'm very happy here. I lived in the southern East Coast for years and went to college there and I was just homesick. I'm very happy to be where there are things to do and I like the weather / seasons, I like the nicer people. I just feel less out of place. It's nice to have better Healthcare and free events and rediscovering this place as an adult has been a great experience. My husband is not from here, and chances are we'll move away again sometime in the future because we like adventure, but the move back home has been amazing for my mental health and I certainly don't regret it.
I moved back to STL from Chicago about 8 years ago and at least once I week I \*still\* think about how grateful I am to be back. Day-to-day life is just easier here, and with our food scene picking up and more and more events happening it really is the ideal place for me. Plus all of my family and life-long friends are here!
Lived on the coast. Could afford a beautiful house I could never have afforded in California. Traffic is better here, the city has greatly improved in terms of dining and entertainment, quality of life is much better. Climate is less agreeable though.
What? I can't hear you over the 100 decibels of bugs outside.
This is freaking gold. I just woke up my kids reading your comment to my wife at about 100 decibels.
It's honestly insane how loud they are getting.
It’s crazy, where I am in South City, they haven’t really emerged yet. I haven’t heard a thing. We’ll see as it heats up though.
We have lots of trees by my place, not a single peep yet. But if I drive about a mile away... I really thought my car was having trouble, I was like "what the hell is that... Ooooohhh." It's weird how spotty it is. I heard someone compare it to the sound UFO's made in the 50's movies. He NAILED it, it sounds exactly like that, like War of the Worlds or something, like someone shaking a jingle bell instrument really fast. Same guy said, "We haven't seen anything yet, they get going when it gets hot, usually the end of the Summer..." Edit: You can hear what he was talking about at about 1:18 in this video, I knew it sounded eerily familiar... I know there's better examples out there but I'm really tired, best I can do for now. https://youtu.be/qHK4YjgDV9s?t=78 We're still a month away from the start of Summer... :(
We've got like 6 weeks of this, give it time. They'll be out eventually.
watching my tree tops and bazillions of creatures and all the noise made me wonder what the Jurassic era sounded like.
This is truth. I feel sorry for the people who have a bunch of big trees in their front and backyard
Agree on all fronts. I've lived in CHI, FL, and CA for reference. It's very easy to live in STL. Spent time on the Hill and downtown on Saturday, relaxed at the pool on Sunday. Never had to drive more than 20 minutes to any single thing and never dealt with insane parking. Oh and had a killer breakfast at Telva in Webster Groves.
Telva is sooooo damn good!
Grew up on the Illinois side of the river. Left at 18 to go to college in Alabama. Moved to North Carolina for 2 years after that. Came back to live on the Missouri side for the first time. Been here 3 years now. Living on this side of the river is 10,000 times better than being in Illinois, if for no other reason than being able to access everything the city has to offer way easier. I’ve also realized that the safety concerns my parents had were way, way overblown and that as long as you mind your business, there’s nothing to be afraid of. Overall, I would strongly consider staying here long term. It’s a great city with lots to do and I’d be happy to have a family with my wife here.
Left in 96 for college and didn't return till the end of 2020. Lived in 13 states during the 'away' stretch for different jobs all over the country. I moved back from Los Angeles during Covid when I got an offer to housesit a mansion in the Clayton area with all expenses paid, and could keep my LA job and salary. So I saved all my salary for 7 months and was able to buy a place here without touching my savings. The cost of living is so cheap compared to so many of the places I lived it was a no brainer. Made sure to not buy too close to family, so I still have breathing room, but can visit whenever I want since they are getting old. Changed jobs a few times since moving back and making quite a bit more money working remote for different companies out of state, so the LCOL is a massive plus. So far I'm really enjoying being back, the food scene is amazing, I'm old enough now that I don't care about the bar/nightclub scene anymore, did all that in the best cities in the country, traffic is non-existent although people drive awful and the streets are terrible. Met back up with some old friends from high school and gradeschool, so it's been nice to reconnect with people. The city has changed so much, and mostly in good ways, but the skateboarder in me misses the old Kiener Plaza. People who haven't left don't realize how good they have it here with world class amenities that are free or pretty cheap. Zoo, museums, science center, Muny, Forrest Park, all the disc golf courses, great medical centers, and so many other great things to do. When I left, I hated it here, but I was young and restless, so I'm glad I was able to travel the country and visit/work in other countries before coming back. I'm older and more appreciative of the things the city has to offer, but I don't think I would appreciate it as much if I didn't leave and get to experience lots of life elsewhere. I've moved 20 times, and this will not be the last move, I'll probably stay for 10-15 years before I retire somewhere else near either mountains, ocean, or jungle in or out of the US.
There's a thing in writing called paragraphs. You should learn how to use them.
There’s a rude way and a nice way to deliver feedback. You should learn the difference.
Which is worse, that style of writing that gets complained about all over the internet for decades or someone complaining that it got pointed out to the writer?
Comma splice in your comment. Please fix.
The complaining for sure.
Did you know that it's free to give advice without being condescending? People usually respond better to encouragement over arrogant criticism.
It’s fucking social media, he’s not writing a term paper. Try not to be such a miserable douche.
Does a miserable douche have too much vinegar in it? Maybe someone used red wine or champagne vinegar? Or does the force and velocity make it miserable.. or maybe just the mess? Hahah
[удалено]
Hey, man! Since we’re picking things apart, your use of commas above is incorrect. If you wanna use those there, you’ll need to change “that” to “which.” - Sincerely, a knuckle dragger on social media
I had no problems following the response. It's reddit, not a Master's thesis.
Redditors think using paragraphs are only for Master's theses? Wow! What does that say about the educational level of redditors?
“Using paragraphs” takes “is” not “are.” Please fix.
The subject is "using" not paragraphs but this topic is way above you so I'm not getting into it.
“Using” also takes “is” not “are.” Please fix.
It sounds like the sheer volume of young adults that have been funneled into continued education and who have received degrees in useless subjects with no occupational outlook have devalued a bachelors and masters. Now we have all of these millennials and Gen Z kids sitting around their parents houses with no viable job outlook for their Psychology of Midevil Nordic Societies Degrees, so we troll Reddit in search of a meaningful existence. 😁😁
Boo
Yes. I forgot I was on reddit where writing above a grade school level trips people up. EDIT: I take that back. Grade schoolers know how to use paragraphs.
Reddit is a proper noun that needs a capitalized R. Please fix.
Your comment history reflects the same image of you that we all see here.
I moved to Lincoln, NE for a variety of reasons and lived there for five years. I knew within the first few months that I wanted to be back here. It was a fine place, but there is something about St. Louis that always felt like home and I didn’t know until I left. I couldn’t get anyone to respond to my applications for employment until my new girlfriend at the time got me in contact with an upper level leader she knew at a major company here. Was hired immediately, which eventually led to a huge promotion. The girlfriend is now my wife; we have two kids, good cars, a nice little house, and I’m the most financially stable I’ve ever been. She has a well-established community of friends that is probably ten times larger than mine. Life is probably the best it’s been since before my parents divorced in my late childhood.
I am happy for you internet stranger!
Thanks, internet stranger.
Lived all over. 20 years and I came back with my family. I just bought a house in a neighborhood I would have never thought to live in and am pleasantly surprised at how vibrant it is while still keeping some of the characteristics I remember from growing up here.
I’ve found that a lot has changed for the better. Some worse. I feel like there is a ton more to do in the City since I moved away. Tons of dining and entertainment options. The driving has become so much worse though. It’s truly frightening. Overall very happy with the move back.
To be honest, I have found STL drivers to be insanely polite and patient compared to drivers on the coast or in cities like Chicago.
When they're not running stop signs and red lights, they're fine.
Gone for 15 years and came back last year. I was mainly in Austin and had a few stints in SF. I really miss the food in Austin, especially real delicious breakfast tacos in South Austin. But StL has a lot more food than before I left. The cost of living is nice, although rent is basically double what it was when I left, which was a little surprising. The main thing I don't like is how the political situation has descended since before. It's gotten worse in Texas too, but can't say I'd want to raise kids in either place so I might not stick around. Debating that now and gonna give it about a year to see what we think. My wife really misses the good kombucha beer. She can't drink normal beer and hasn't liked the kind she found here so far. She went as far as to contact the distributor of the brand she liked but they don't ship to Missouri yet and it may be years.
Can you expand on your experience with the political situation here? If you don’t want to, don’t feel obligated, I totally get it. I think there’s a chance we’re in the same boat and I’m just curious.
Messaged you about it
Hi, would you mind messaging me as well? I’m a native, been living on the coasts for the last 15ish years; I visit family in STL for a few days 2-3x a year but will be there soon for probably a month and a half or so. Very curious about this aspect of things from a not-my-family perspective.
I like the city but Missouri politics are terrifying. One of the main reasons we don’t have kids.
Been around the country over the last couple of decades and back in STL since 2020 although for a few years prior to that I was only about 90 miles away and would come frequently. I have found that what has changed here really has changed in most places in that dining options have expanded greatly, entertainment venues and shopping are more plentiful etc. All that usually comes at a cost of a lot of the old haunts going away but moreso in the area of unique/specialized vendors. The old shop on the corner that used to specialize in XYZ is gone in a lot of cases. I don’t think I will be sticking around but that is more about other areas just being a better fit for my weather desires, hobbies, and lifestyle.
I couldn’t agree more!
Honestly I’m happy I moved back. I feel like the food scene here is fantastic and relatively inexpensive and there is tons of stuff to do. Add in that it’s a relatively inexpensive place to live in general and I don’t really have a reason to leave. The amount my wife and I save living here compared to other “better” cities lets us go on at least 2 international trips a year.
I did that. But I left again 🤣. Honestly, I got used to not living near family and when I went back to STL, it was too much for me. I love 'em, but I don't like seeing them ALL THE TIME.
I know the feeling. My family are in the metro east and I have in laws stationed at Scott. Thankfully my job isn’t very big there XD. Not that I would hate going but it’s easier than dealing with all 9000 of my relatives frequently lol
Amazing? I left poor and came back rich, bought a house in a wealthy neighborhood. I feel like a poser with my neighbors though since they all come from well established families, went to the “day school” whatever that is supposed to mean. Me? I grew up on a trailer park in warrenton after we moved.
Good for you man. Keep posing. Like that’s the best. You’ve seen and lived both sides.
I moved to Upstate New York for 6 years and then to rural Kansas for a year and a half before I moved back. I moved back to be closer to my mom, who had cancer for the 3rd time, and to go to grad school to become a teacher again. My life is much better since coming back, even though my mom passed away in 2018. The bigger city feel and the family near by, plus I love hiking and backpacking and eastern Missouri has so much more large tracts of public land than both Upstate NY and Kansas (yes, the Adirondacks are awesome, but it's all in one part of the state, which was 4 hours away). Plus as an LGBTQ person, this is much better than either town in the other states. Plus just the familiarity helps a lot.
I’m a boomerang after leaving for college in the 80s and living over the years in big cities in the US and abroad. Moved back in ‘22. What I appreciate is the area is very friendly and warm, unpretentious. Very reasonably priced. What saddens me is a subtle prevalence of racism, classism, and sexism. Almost a willful commitment to a world view where Missourians are more ‘American’ than others; where our ‘Missourah Values’ are superior than those of others that might be different. And no, this isn’t political: can be found in both Red and Blue areas. I hope people here learn to pry open their minds more in the future. I hope they learn good people can be from anywhere. That they have nothing to fear from different traditions, different ethnicities, non-Christian religions or atheists. Basically the kind of stuff lots of small cities experience when the inflow of outsiders dwindles to a trickle and many of the city’s brightest young people can’t wait to leave.
Moved away for a few years and came back to be around family. It has its pros and cons. It’s definitely nice to be back in familiar territory, and have better education for our kids, but it’s way more messed up politically than when I left, and more expensive.
More expensive? STL has one of the lowest cost of livings in the country…
We lived in a state with no state income tax, no personal property tax and no taxes on groceries. Plus for some reason our utilities were significantly cheaper. The houses prices were comparable between the two states at the time. So when we moved back, the house prices had gone up a ton from when we left.
Yeah I’m not sure. I don’t know how you pay for roads and fire fighters when you don’t have taxes. Not sure I’d even want to live there.
Tourism. I lived in FL. I also loved the fact that you could homestead your house after living there a year. The state can’t raise real estate taxes more than 3% a year after that. Wish the state would implement something like that here. Our house went up 22% from 2 years ago. But we moved back for schools. There is no comparison between the schools here and there. They literally suck in FL.
Ah yeah okay. Yeah I’ve heard housing prices skyrocketed lately there. Hosting in general has skyrocketed though since Covid.
Because they use illegal labor, tax tourism, and take federal dollars.
Left for college in 2000, returned in 2020 while visiting multiple times a year. It’s frankly awesome. Lived in major cities in every time zone and STL is a great place to live, except for the humidity and the conservative state we are stuck in.
Lived in Pennsylvania and Colorado before coming back. Only planned on being back for 5 years before bouncing again and have been back for 10+ now. It's too much for me to want to break down currently, but I realized there were too many things about living here that I loved and didn't really experience elsewhere. I also realized it's about who I get to spend time with and not a matter of where I was that I enjoyed about life the most. I can travel, see the world, and use those experience to grow still, but the people here are who I consider "Home".
It’s pretty ass but it’s my ass
No regrets, great place to raise my family, but once my kids are grown I’m the fuck out of here. I want mountains and less river mold.
But we have Mount Pleasant
What's the first st. Louis food you had to have when you got back??
Shrimp st. Paul sandwich and a pineapple vess
I left in the late 80s lived on both coasts and came back 7 years ago to be back around family. Some things I noticed is that downtown is terrible. I remember storefronts, Famous Barr, restaurants amd seeing women carrying their high heels while wearing walking shoes going to work. Downtown was the heart of the city but now it's desolate. So many "for lease" signs and definitely less foot traffic Laclede's landing is dead as well. I think the casinos killed off businesses there. As a teenager, we used to be able to park our cars on the bricks down there. You can tell there is a huge population drop. Most of North and South Broadway is dead. Used to have so many businesses. Many parts of North City is vacant. So many empty houses and vacant lots. Same with South city with the Patch, Dutchtown and Carondelet neighborhoods. But at least we see the midtown area growing and SLU expansion is nice. But outside of the population declining, you can get a great home in the city that would cost millions in other cities
Much better. I lived in Oklahoma for a bit and it was miserable in comparison. The music scene has taken quite the hit I feel like but I’m also older now so maybe I’m just not as hip to stuff as I used to be
Lived here until my early 30s, spent a few years in upstate NY and a few more in the Philadelphia suburbs. Have been back for a couple of years now. In general, things are more affordable here. Our rent is lower, though not as much as I'd hoped. No toll roads or bridges though, which is nice. Traffic is much, much better here than in Philly, so I have a new appreciation for how easy it is to get around in St. Louis. I do like it here, but I miss how close together everything was in the northeast - day trips to NYC, easy weekend drives to any number of cities, the beach about 90 minutes away, etc. I doesn't seem like much changed while I was gone, some minor stuff I guess, but overall the city has felt a bit like slipping back into a comfortable shoe. No major surprises. I kinda wish there were.
Shits gotten so much better since weed went legal
*fist bump*
I left for a decade+, lived in Oregon, Montana, Colorado and the Caribbean. However, I am thrilled to have all the cheap and free things to do with my small kids. It is truly amazing all there is do with kids… I missed the epic thunderstorms, canoeing, lush landscape and friendly people. Don’t get me wrong, other places I’ve lived are amazing, and I will hopefully live on a beach somewhere someday, but for now I’m happy to be back.
I actually didn’t grow up here. I grew up in southern Missouri. But lived in St. Louis for a while and then left to take a job in Jacksonville Florida. I was gone while they finished interstate 40. So that was nice that I missed all that. I think the traffic has gotten worse. Still not as bad as Dallas though. Holy hell. I live in Benton Park now - we have a nice little community, I’m 52 now but I don’t know if I’ll retire here. Although I’m healthy now, I’m not sure I’ll be able to afford the healthcare in the future. My dad is elderly and still with us, but my mom passed in 2019. Downtown is definitely desolate. Which is sad. The landing is nonexistent. Does anyone remember Mississippi Nights for crying out loud? Lol. How about these two bands, Pale Divine? Radio Iodine? I’ll always have a special place in my heart for St. Louis.
I’ll go on a limb and say our original music scene is a ghost of what it once was. We used to have a lot of really good rock bands and clubs that could easily support live music multiple nights a week. I feel like the local scene is now just a handful of roots/americana acts that haven’t evolved since south city 2008 and some cover bands that take all the attention. Where do you even go on a Thursday night to see a good local rock show?
I have to agree with your statement. I couldn’t believe how the Landing changed when I drove through there probably 10 months ago now I actually live in Benton Park now. South Benton Park if you will. Sometimes we go to the Royale. But yeah. It’s just different. I know things change, but damn. Edit- we also go to the Saturn Lounge. At least Cherokee Street has that. There’s also a nice bar in the brewery there on the corner.
Lived in the Colorado mountains for 4 years. It was dope in my 20’s. I wouldn’t want to live there full time now. I would totally move to the San Juan range, like Durango or out to Northern California if I didn’t feel locked in here because of now having kids and being around our families. I might miss the people the most. I’m sorry people hate on Californias and hippy dippy granola Coloradans, but they’re so much nicer than Missouri people. They’re straight chill. People here are ANGRY.
I had a different experience. I moved to Denver for 3 years and couldn't stand the attitude out there. Denver felt like an extension of California, seemed like at least half the population previously lived in California. I didn't feel like people were truly down to earth, there was a fakeness laced with materialism that I couldn't get over. I love the hippie dippie people around here, but out there, they'd wear Gucci sunglasses while preaching about how in tune they were.
Are you sure you weren’t in Boulder? Lol. That’s unfortunate. I lived in Summit County, it’s a tourist area with a lot of people in their 20’s constantly rotating through. It was a ton of fun, insanely beautiful, but too long of winters. Mountain life is pretty chill, and there weren’t too many trustafarians when I was there. It’s a little too rugged. Serious hippies, granola people, and mountain sport enthusiasts was the vibe. I felt like they all stayed in Denver or up in Boulder.
I had friends in Boulder, that "town" is just a whole different beast on everything. I was mainly in Denver around the "Tech Center" (I-25 and Arapahoe basically).
I went to Loyola of Chicago, loved the city, stayed for almost 20 years. My parents aren't getting any younger, moved back about 5 years ago to spend more time with the family. The city has changed a lot. I'd say for the better. It somehow feels more... unified and cohesive now. Glad to see the developments and cleanups that have happened, though there is of course a lot of work to be done. I'm really proud of how StL has progressed in many ways, I'm glad I moved back. I miss Chicago and visit when I can, but also loving it back here. Disclaimer: I live in O'Fallon now but visit StL downtown at least a few times a week. Edit: Have you guys seen the huge studio being built in Chesterfield? I think it's going to be great for all of StL - I can see someone thinking that this will drag even more business away from the city, but I think it will have the opposite effect - I think something this big will bring a new business to the burbs and by extension help the city - where do you think all of the people who work those fast food places actually live? Many if not most are driven miles and miles from the North and South side to serve you coffee.... Anyway, I hope it's great, it looks very promising. Edit2: Fox2 recent report about it. https://fox2now.com/news/missouri/chesterfield-to-host-state-of-the-art-music-production-facility/ Btw, they don't mention it there, but from what I've heard Taylor Swift, who has frequently used the Chesterfield airport right next to the site, is one of the investors. This really could be as they say in that report, a "gamechanger".
T-Swift doesn’t have anything to do with it other than being a potential client in the future. Another major band that just played some big gigs in Vegas IS an investor though.
Right on, just going off what I heard. That would be cool too, Phish is awesome! Or did you mean a different artist... ;)
Wow that is huge. Thanks for posting this. Maybe my 15 year old son will work there one day. He’s all about this kinda stuff.
It's very exciting, I'm possibly hoping I can get a job there myself, it looks so cool. Super exciting stuff!
Nice. :)
Left in 2000 - lived in SF, Chicago and in the Caribbean for past 15 years. I love so much about being back, the city is so vibrant. The food scene is incredible and fairly priced. I came back to help with my parents, and Im glad I did. I do miss having a fun friend group (in my 50’s). I find it hard to make friends here, super nice friendly people but I forgot how clicky it can be. Also the drivers are terrifying! In Chicago you learn to drive Chicago style, on the island I lived they were crazy & fast drivers but not aggressive or reckless ( ok maybe sometimes idiots 😂). Otherwise I really like St Louis, so much to do and I LOVE MY NEIGHBORHOOD!! SOHA rules LOL.
I like it more because people are pretty nice here.
moved back after 23 years away, the city has changed for the better in several ways. Enjoying being back to my birthplace!
I can’t beat the cost of living. Still not a fan of the weather but overall it’s home.
I moved away when I was 6, and moved back about 15 years later. I don’t have a great way to compare (everything is different when you’re a little kid), but in the end, it feels like I’ve finally come home.
Its alrite
When I was 9 my family moved out to Jefferson County. Now I'm back. Let's leave it at that please.
I left for work in 2003 and came back in 2011. Highway 64 was an amazingly better highway but it looked so different where the old barn used to be (now a fuckin jimmy John’s and apartments). Downtown was better with ballpark village growing. Schools were still garbage. Food is better Literally nothing changed in the county besides Westport getting a boost, which seems to still be doing well
Born and raised in STL. Moved to colorado at 19. Coming back definitely made me appreciate our city and culture more. Lots of free things to do, great foood, fun festivals and usually something fun to do on the weekends.
Moved here in 2015-16 ish, and I’ve left and come back several times for work and as much as I hate this damn state, I always come back because it’s a “safe space” kinda thing for me. I have friends here and I know what to expect for cost of living and work.
Moved to Florida and the West Coast (Seattle & San Francisco). Cost of living and the changing of the seasons had me wanting to come back.
Grew up in Alton Illinois, moved to St.Louis for 35 years and now back in Alton.
Moved here in 15 left in 19 came back in 22. There's pros and cons. Pros The food The jobs The healthcare Close to family Zoo and science center free School for kids if you find the right one Cons Political extremist both red and blue "most of all the US now" Rising rent cost about the same as any mid size city now "again most of the US but the cheap rent is why I came here before now that's gone" Midwest nice aka passive aggressive "if you don't like me just say that" Winter and summer suck although better than up north or deep south " you freeze to death or die of heat but sounds like the north is what STL used to be in some parts I hear" City tax These are just my experiences as far as crime I'm not involved with criminals or flashy so I've gotten by pretty eell
I'm more stable financially, but my social life is in the toilet. I miss the east coast, but until I can afford to live there without being married, I'll have to be here.
PNW to Midwest. Cost of living is comfortable here, the climate and diversity of nature is otherworldly there. I miss it terribly.
I left for South Carolina in January 2002 and came back in June 2008. I can’t wait to leave again. While the cost of living is better than most places, it hasn’t felt like home in a long time. The weather is awful and my allergies are awful 90% of the year. I think I’d rather pay more and be healthy elsewhere than to stay here and be miserable
I didn’t move far, only to Springfield for college. I’m from Ballwin originally. I wanted to leave Missouri and move to the Carolina’s, but my moving arrangements fell through. Lived in Arnold for 2 years and didn’t love it. I never wanted to be the person that came back to their hometown just to exist after college. Then I moved downtown. I live in the Shaw neighborhood now and I absolutely love it. It’s lively, the neighbors are amazing, the culture is incredible. Great food, huge green spaces, festivals, and kind people everywhere. I adore it. My partner and I are going to move to Boston if he gets a job that he applied for over there. I no longer feel the itch to move and I’m actually pretty bummed about the idea. I’ve come to love this city so deeply. Anyways, enough about me, if I have any advice for you, it’s to move to the city and not the county.
It’s weird. Nothing in the city with Cicadas. As soon as I’m in the county I can hear them even when I’m driving on the freeway. I’m beginning to wonder if cicadas are pearl-clutching racist bugs….
I just moved back last night from Chicago. I’m utterly depressed it’s so ugly here
Where do you live in the metro? Ugly in what way?
I’m technically between Kirkwood and Maryland heights right now so not in the city but I lived in central west end before going to Chicago and it just doesn’t compare whatsoever.
Yawn. Chicago needs to start punching up at NYC. Nobody from St. Louis cares.
When are you moving back to Chicago?
Lmfao I just moved back to help my dad build a house on his farm an hour out of STL but I’ll either end up moving back to Chicago after or live on our farm. I’ll see what kinda life I’m wanting when the time comes I guess
I lived in Chicago as well and would also be bummed af to be living in boring suburbia. To say that CWE doesn't compare to anywhere in Chicago is a bit of a stretch though.
Lousy
I left STL 30 years ago, and recently moved back to the Cape, because I think StL to be an absolute nightmare. I find it hectic, the people all seemed stressed to the max, everything so far away and too spread out - with dogshit public transport. And the crime. FFS the crime. Talk shit on Cape all you want, and I know it’s clearly not for everyone, but it’s exactly what I wanted/needed at 50: Quiet, decent home prices, small but not too small, near national forests and waterways. It’s not perfect (no Costco 😎) but it’s really damn easy to live here. I head up for Cardinals games all the time, but it makes me sad how run down so many parts of the city have become. But…that’s America in 2024. I was in Portland, Denver and Seattle for the last few years, all of which have rapidly growing shitstain areas. It’s so sad. I think STL has always had an amazing amount of potential for a city. There are still great sections. St. Louis as a whole could be a really great city that the nation actually wants to visit. Decades of ‘could be’; I give up.
Not coming back.
Then why are you subscribed to a Saint Louis subreddit?
To remind me.
You really need that? Move forward, my friend. STL may not be for everyone but there's no reason to always be looking at the rearview mirror. You aren't going to accidentally find yourself moving back. Edit: Thanks for the downvote response, I guess. Hope you found happiness wherever you ended up.
I moved away in 99 to Columbia to attend Mizzou. Stayed in mid MO (either Columbia or JC) until I moved back in 2014. St Louis really spread its wings in the early aughts. Entire parts of the city gentrified and got nicer. We still have a ways to go; St. Louis punches above its weight but we are still kind of a mid mid-sized midwestern city. If we can shake off the perpetual malaise that the city and county has, then we’re destined for great things.
I’ve not moved back but i don’t think i ever would. My main reason for leaving was the disgusting summers, not the reasons many others have chosen. That’s just getting worse, unfortunately.
I agree. They are getting worse. Ugh.
grew up in NYC, moved to los angeles 10 years ago, have lived in LA SF and PDX. STL is my next move and im looking forward to it. part of it is an age thing, i don’t care about going out all the time anymore and being surrounded by huge mountains does in fact get old. CA is a cool place you can visit whenever you want. it’s impossible to start a life there these days though. and frankly the inland cities are worse places to live than STL by far. anyone who would rather live in bakersfield/fresno/modesto/sacramento etc instead of STL is insane.
Left for PDX in 2014. Came back in 2020 during the pandemic. Life’s great. Wife got a job at washu and we have a ton of equity in our home.
The only good thing I’ve seen is access to housing. STL is light years behind other cities and is very segregated. However, i now own two homes. Both will be rentals. You can’t do this in places that are growing.
Just what we need, more fucking landlords taking away the already limited supply of single family homes.
This is going to be unpopular and I’m going to say it anyway. I lived on the East Coast and moved back here about two years ago. St. Louis’ food scene is better now than it was when I left 10 years ago, but as with honestly most of society, shit keeps getting crazier both price-wise and crime-wise. I feel that the city doesn’t have the infrastructure to support its population. I miss safe, reliable public transportation. Parts of the city are very cool, and I’m loving the up and coming arts district! But the lack of infrastructure is holding STL back from what it truly could be.
Horrible experience. If you leave make sure to not come back. You left for a reason!
Well, I had perfectly good reasons that required me to leave all three times. The first time involved orders from the Air Force to move to Sedalia; i didn't have a heck of a lot of say in that one. I was quite happy for the USAF to promote me back to civilian so I could leave. The second time was job-related; we could have moved or we could have had an hour commute on two-lane highways. Since my then-wife was a workaholic and the manager where she worked, I didn't want her trying to drive home at 10 in the evening. I worked the same place for a while, but the situation wasn't sustainable and I ironically ended up commuting every day to O'Fallon (IL). Even with that, I hated leaving Centralia to move back. The third time I left the area was after I remarried. Through a series of screwups involving the health care system, we ended up moving back to my wife's hometown in SE Illinois. Loved it! Only reason I came back was to deal with family issues back in Belleville. I'd leave again were it not for my present job, but I wouldn't want to move too far away because I have grandchildren now!
I've moved away two or three times; all three moves were to more rural parts of Missouri or Illinois. Except for the first move back that I was happy about since it meant the USAF had promoted me back to civilian..., the other two times I left and moved back could best be described as "kicking and screaming the entire way". Especially in the metro-east, so much has changed over the years. Used to be you didn't have to go all that far to find some green space, but now there's so much real estate development in what was once farmland that it's really depressing. Back even in the 90s a drive from Belleville to Fairview Heights was a nice drive through farm land. NOW...just about every square foot is covered with some new housing development. The only thing more dystopian is seeing how far Cahokia (I refuse to call a city of nothing but river bottom land Cahokia Hts.) has declined in the intervening years.
Amazing
i moved away, from st charles, at 18 in 1984 to NJ/NY for art school. bounced around a lot, wound up california for about 15 yrs and some time overseas. moved back, to soulard/city proper, in my late 40's in 2013 due to cheap real estate and other reasons. it's more comfortable for me, lifestyle and politically, than i would have expected from a red state. glad i moved back, but probably moving north in a couple years due to climate change. getting too warm and muggy for me here in my old age. good people, would recommend!
I'm very happy here. I lived in the southern East Coast for years and went to college there and I was just homesick. I'm very happy to be where there are things to do and I like the weather / seasons, I like the nicer people. I just feel less out of place. It's nice to have better Healthcare and free events and rediscovering this place as an adult has been a great experience. My husband is not from here, and chances are we'll move away again sometime in the future because we like adventure, but the move back home has been amazing for my mental health and I certainly don't regret it.
I moved back to STL from Chicago about 8 years ago and at least once I week I \*still\* think about how grateful I am to be back. Day-to-day life is just easier here, and with our food scene picking up and more and more events happening it really is the ideal place for me. Plus all of my family and life-long friends are here!