where in st. louis city is it safe for a young mom and young son to move? (O'Fallon: transplants)

[lconley0902]

I am a 22 yr. old young single mother of a two yr. old boy. I have lived in Ofallon most of my life and i am so ready to get out of the suburbs but im not sure if that is the best idea for for my son. I do not want him to go to a city school, ever, so i know that i will move back up to the suburbs when it is time for him to go to school, but unitl then i figured it is cheaper in the city and i have friends that live in south city and they love it but they are also single people with no kids. I was just wondering if this would be bad idea and other peoples comments. I only make about 25,000 yearly so the prices would be awesome for me to live there for a couple of years and save up for a house. My family is dead set against this because they are afraid of the city and that is how they basically raised me but i dont want to do that to my son because i actaully really enjoy the city and what it had to always offer....

[Brickmama]

Southwest city is a good bet as well as Dogtown or Tower Grove South. Give them a look since a lot of families with kids live in those areas.

[STLCardsBlues1989]

Some good advice above. This should probably be in the St. Louis forum, though.

Here's a little video about Downtown also.
KMOV Local News - Video On Demand | KMOV.com | St. Louis, MO (http://www.kmov.com/video/localnews-index.html?nvid=349828 - broken link)

But I'm not sure how many kids live Downtown.

[SouthCityGal]

I've lived in the Southwest part of the city my whole life. I have young three kids, I love it, and I know tons of families all over South St. Louis. I hate the stereotype that the city is dangerous. There are parts that are dangerous (further East and North, imho), but the same can be said for parts of the county, too. The best thing about the city is that you live in a neighborhood, not a subdivision! There are many affordable neighborhoods where you can walk to stores, parks, restaurants, schools, etc. I wouldn't even let the public school option bother you for now. If you decide to stay in the city, check out the magnet school program. Kennard School in South City is highly regarded, and it's free (you do have to apply and your child has to test into it). The zip codes closest to it are 63139 and 63109.

The downside to your move might be the commute back to O'Fallon, if you think you'll be going back and forth a lot. If that's not an issue, have your city friends recommend neighborhoods for you. Other than the zips I mentioned, there is 63116 (Holly Hills, near the large and beautiful Carondelet Park). All of these places have a variety of home styles and incomes. I would contact a realtor, too, for more in depth neighborhood info. There are a lot of realtors out there who specialize in South and Central parts of the city. The other areas mentioned like Dogtown (not Downtown) and Tower Grove are also nice and affordable. They are more diverse, too.

Think of all the wonderful things you can do with your child if you were closer to the city. You especially can't beat the free zoo and museums! Reply back if I can be of further help.

[anr_black]

If you drive through any of the neighborhoods listed above (63109, 63139), you'll see lots of kids playing in yards and out and about with the parents. Another city advantage is being able to take the stroller and walk to fun stuff with your son. We have 2 kids, one who's school age, and although we're relatively recent transplants, there are lots of families that put down roots here for good. If you only have 1 or 2 kids, you might even break even with private school costs, as homes and taxes are generally cheaper than in the burbs. Southampton, Holly Hills, St. Louis Hills, Lindenwood Park, The Hill, Clifton Heights, Dogtown...all good areas. I think you'd like it here! Good luck!

ETA: I also think that as a single mom, it'll be easier for you to make friends with other moms than living in the county. In my experience people/neighbors in the city are very friendly and "stick together" to look out for each others homes and keep the neighborhood a great place to live. Some of my closest friends here I've met by striking up a conversation while pushing the stroller down the street or at a playground

[momgag]

Originally Posted by anr_black

Southampton, Holly Hills, St. Louis Hills, Lindenwood Park, The Hill, Clifton Heights, Dogtown...all good areas.

Could someone translate these neighborhoods into ZIP codes, please?

[TGS]

Originally Posted by momgag

Could someone translate these neighborhoods into ZIP codes, please?

All of 63109, 63139, and the part of 63110 west of Kingshighway.