Welcome to City-Data.com Forum!
U.S. CitiesCity-Data Forum Index
Go Back   City-Data Forum > U.S. Forums > Missouri > St. Louis
 [Register]
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
View detailed profile (Advanced) or search
site with Google Custom Search

Search Forums  (Advanced)
Reply Start New Thread
 
Old 07-01-2017, 07:43 AM
 
7,107 posts, read 8,889,434 times
Reputation: 6405

Advertisements

Saint Louis made the top 10 cities for college graduates. Do you agree?

https://smartasset.com/mortgage/the-...-grads-in-2017
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message

 
Old 07-01-2017, 07:16 PM
 
3,823 posts, read 3,267,160 times
Reputation: 2610
Quote:
Originally Posted by mjtinmemphis View Post
Saint Louis made the top 10 cities for college graduates. Do you agree?

https://smartasset.com/mortgage/the-...-grads-in-2017
Well it is cheap for rent and other things and such in the St. Louis metro area.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 07-02-2017, 11:46 PM
 
3,823 posts, read 3,267,160 times
Reputation: 2610
Quote:
Originally Posted by BeSmartOnDelmar View Post
Correlated with the St. Louis salaries that are significantly lower than other progressive, cosmopolitan and safer cities that grads want to live.

I tried STL when pursuing my Masters at SLU. Lived in the loop. Made some great friends and enjoyed the social outings at the simple, quaint (if not intellectually meaningful) haunts in UCity. My car was only broken into once while living in the Loop over three years, and I consider myself lucky .

Then I received the usual pathetic STL offers (low pay, reminded "Hey, We Got Cheap Housing" when I replied "your Utilities, taxes and grocery costs are higher than the national average." No thanks, took a position in Austin for $45K higher, and in a much more progressive, active, and friendlier environment.

STL still has a lot of rough spots and may not be the best place for graduates. Low housing cost? Great, but remember "you get what you pay for." like the locals bitching about $20 XL pizzas (which always amused me):

St. Louis finishes high
Well I'm talking St. Louis County, St. Charles and Jefferson County. I'd never live in the city.

Austin is the San Fran of the Southwest, Texas. I would not want to live there. At least in St. Louis county a short few minute drive over the Meramec and you're deep into Trump territory and in good shape.

St. Louis pays much better than Florida for jobs btw and a lot cheaper for everything. Housing, insurance, car insurance, electric, gas. I live in what is considered the cheaper county in SW FL and everything cost a lot more down here especially housing and insurance and pay is lower here on the west coast.

Same with real estate tax down here in FL is a lot higher in most counties too.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 07-03-2017, 11:30 PM
 
3,823 posts, read 3,267,160 times
Reputation: 2610
Quote:
Originally Posted by MusicianRippedOffInSTL View Post
Speaking as a member of a band that just got robbed - all I can say is (1) hide everything in your locked car and (2) carry a licensed weapon with you at all times withing STL parameters.
Missouri has no license to own a firearm AND you do not need a license to carry a concealed firearm in Missouri. Only thing a license does is allow you to open carry in the few cities you can't open carry in.

You can carry concealed in Missouri without a permit.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 07-03-2017, 11:54 PM
 
Location: Saint Louis, MO
138 posts, read 149,838 times
Reputation: 247
Quote:
Originally Posted by BeSmartOnDelmar View Post
Correlated with the St. Louis salaries that are significantly lower than other progressive, cosmopolitan and safer cities that grads want to live.

I tried STL when pursuing my Masters at SLU. Lived in the loop. Made some great friends and enjoyed the social outings at the simple, quaint (if not intellectually meaningful) haunts in UCity. My car was only broken into once while living in the Loop over three years, and I consider myself lucky .

Then I received the usual pathetic STL offers (low pay, reminded "Hey, We Got Cheap Housing" when I replied "your Utilities, taxes and grocery costs are higher than the national average." No thanks, took a position in Austin for $45K higher, and in a much more progressive, active, and friendlier environment.

STL still has a lot of rough spots and may not be the best place for graduates. Low housing cost? Great, but remember "you get what you pay for." like the locals bitching about $20 XL pizzas (which always amused me):

St. Louis finishes high
If the job in Austin paid $45K more per year, it's simply because that job paid $45K more per year. It has nothing to do with high wages in Austin and low wages in St. Louis. I'll be the first to admit, Austin is attracting more white collar professionals; however, the median household income is nearly the same in the two cities. And Austin has higher housing costs. So, yes, your dollar will stretch further in St. Louis. Groceries and utility costs are marginally above average, not enough to probably even notice for an average person. I guarantee Austin has higher electric bills in the summer from the heat. Missouri's taxes are average. They're neither high nor low in any category. Texas has no income tax, which is pretty cool. But you made it about wages, and the fact is that median income is roughly the same in both cities. Your situation is anecdotal. STL has its rough spots, of course, but I would take the Central West End any day over anything Austin has to offer. Austin just recently blossomed. STL is a classic American city. Austin is the most overrated city in America. Go enjoy your... wait, the city has no amenities. Don't get me wrong, I too have been thinking of leaving STL simply for a change of scenery. I am the first to admit my city has its share of issues. But I will defend my city against this nonsense.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 07-04-2017, 01:45 AM
 
3,823 posts, read 3,267,160 times
Reputation: 2610
Quote:
Originally Posted by ryanfze55 View Post
If the job in Austin paid $45K more per year, it's simply because that job paid $45K more per year. It has nothing to do with high wages in Austin and low wages in St. Louis. I'll be the first to admit, Austin is attracting more white collar professionals; however, the median household income is nearly the same in the two cities. And Austin has higher housing costs. So, yes, your dollar will stretch further in St. Louis. Groceries and utility costs are marginally above average, not enough to probably even notice for an average person. I guarantee Austin has higher electric bills in the summer from the heat. Missouri's taxes are average. They're neither high nor low in any category. Texas has no income tax, which is pretty cool. But you made it about wages, and the fact is that median income is roughly the same in both cities. Your situation is anecdotal. STL has its rough spots, of course, but I would take the Central West End any day over anything Austin has to offer. Austin just recently blossomed. STL is a classic American city. Austin is the most overrated city in America. Go enjoy your... wait, the city has no amenities. Don't get me wrong, I too have been thinking of leaving STL simply for a change of scenery. I am the first to admit my city has its share of issues. But I will defend my city against this nonsense.
I hate state income tax, but states that don't have income taxes make it up in other ways. Here in Florida while there is no income tax, they more than make up for it. To register a car down here is a lot of money and so is getting your drivers license too. Also property taxes here in Florida are a lot higher than Missouri and we got toll roads everywhere in Florida.

Missourians voted down raising taxes for gas can you imagine if they proposed installing toll roads along highway 60, 270, 55, 67 the outrage?

Overall with the higher property taxes, car registration, higher auto insurance, higher home owners insurance, higher electric bills it was a lot cheaper for us in St. Louis than it is living down here. Food also cost a bit more down here as well. I hear the complaints all the time about rising cost here in FL and people wanting to move somewhere cheaper.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 07-04-2017, 07:01 AM
 
7,107 posts, read 8,889,434 times
Reputation: 6405
45k is a huge difference in salary. I use to work as a recruiter and didn't see that type of gap unless there was a huge demand for a skill set or a Jackson Ms to Honolulu Hi type of move.

St. Louis doesn't work for everyone. Austin is a fine city from what I've heard. Many young people like that type of place.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 07-04-2017, 09:15 AM
 
515 posts, read 376,333 times
Reputation: 1678
If you have a decent paying job lined up, I would have to agree that St. Louis would be a great place. A decent job market (We have good jobs and moved here for DH's job), affordable housing, diverse neighborhoods and architecture, and great city amenities are attractive and why we are here. I think that the county is a great place to raise a family too.


My only real complaint about St. Louis are hot/humid summers.


We are in our late 50s, early 60s now so started looking around to see if we want to stay put or move elsewhere when DH retires. Places like Denver CO, Fort Collins CO, Bozeman MT while very attractive if you like mountains like we do are quite imbalanced when it comes to salaries in the area and housing costs, and I ruled these out due to high housing and poor job market for DS in case he moves out with us. I think the telecommute option has made some western cities, previously hidden gems, really expensive now and not worth it for many.


Besides St. Louis the only two other cities on my short list now to check out are Colorado Springs and Boise (nearer to the mountains and a drier climate plus some city amenities, an ok job market, etc.). I have to say, though, that looking if anything has just made me appreciate how good we really have it in St. Louis in a close in suburb, something that having lived here since 1989 I think I really took for granted. I like older neighborhoods and diverse architecture too. These newer western cities have a very limited supply of that and what they do have is priced very high, so moving west to get the home amenities I would want at the price point I would want means a less walkable and more cookie cutter neighborhood. In St. Louis (if you like big trees, older but somewhat updated housing that isn't horribly expensive) a charming neighborhood is much more affordable.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 07-04-2017, 09:21 AM
 
Location: Saint Louis, MO
138 posts, read 149,838 times
Reputation: 247
Quote:
Originally Posted by mjtinmemphis View Post
45k is a huge difference in salary. I use to work as a recruiter and didn't see that type of gap unless there was a huge demand for a skill set or a Jackson Ms to Honolulu Hi type of move.

St. Louis doesn't work for everyone. Austin is a fine city from what I've heard. Many young people like that type of place.
No place works for everybody. All I know is I work in a mid level position for one of the largest companies in the world, and they pay the same wage for the same job in St. Louis and Austin. So there is no inherent "higher wage" in Austin than in STL for the exact same job. So I was only pointing out that the post was misleading. Now, what Austin may have is more better paying jobs than STL. There are definitely more good tech jobs in Austin. In my industry, however, Austin seems to be lacking a bit. So that might help perpetuate my negative perceptions. If you can find a good paying job in STL, you can take advantage of the low cost of living and live quite well. The central corridor is filled with well paid professionals. BeSmartonDelmar's post has a strong presence of confirmation bias.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 07-04-2017, 08:17 PM
 
Location: St. Louis, MO
4,009 posts, read 6,831,122 times
Reputation: 4607
I've not been to Austin but have heard that it's fun, vibrant and growing, so I'm not dissing it at all...

But I don't think a $45k salary difference is standard. I looked it up, and one average my husband would earn about $2000/year more, and if I were to go back to work, I'd earn $3000/year more. As Austin appears slightly more expensive, it would cancel out the slightly higher cost of living but that's about it.

Definitely not enough incentive for us to move!
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.

Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.


Reply
Please update this thread with any new information or opinions. This open thread is still read by thousands of people, so we encourage all additional points of view.

Quick Reply
Message:


Settings
X
Data:
Loading data...
Based on 2000-2020 data
Loading data...

123
Hide US histogram


Over $104,000 in prizes was already given out to active posters on our forum and additional giveaways are planned!

Go Back   City-Data Forum > U.S. Forums > Missouri > St. Louis

All times are GMT -6.

© 2005-2024, Advameg, Inc. · Please obey Forum Rules · Terms of Use and Privacy Policy · Bug Bounty

City-Data.com - Contact Us - Archive 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37 - Top