Conservative St. Louis (Kansas City, Springfield, St. Joseph: fit in, real estate, low crime)

[Rawlings]

I'm a religious conservative and will be potentially relocating my family from Denver to St. Louis. We're looking for a safe, suburban, conservative part of the metro area that, at least somewhat, resembles what you'd find in Denver.

I'm a mid to high income earner and can afford a home between 300 and 400 K. I'd like an area with great parks and schools (private and public--especially parochial). What is Florissant like?

Finally, what is the lifestyle and culture like in St. Louis? It is more like an eastern city or is it fundamentally midwestern? On the whole, do you think it's more conservative or liberal?

(I work in politics so that matters to me).

Thanks for all your help.

[northbayeric]

Hi there Rawlings! I have lived in Santa Rosa, CA for the past 20 years after having grown up in Florissant and Hazelwood, MO. I've been back to visit the St. Louis area three times since 2003, and my wife and I are keenly interested in moving back to Missouri too. We both share your conservative views and want to find an old-fashioned, family-friendly town. For us, we're confident St. Joseph is going to be the place for us.

The St. Louis area is a very mixed bag depending on what part of the metro area you're at. Before I continue much further, I would counsel you to follow Moderator Ozarks21's advice and give Springfield and the surrounding area a good look before you totally commit yourself to one location in Missouri. With your real estate budget, I would highly recommend for the St. Louis area the cities of Ballwin, Manchester, Ellisville, Fenton (my own personal favorite) and Eureka--essentially the heart of Rep. Todd Akin's congressional district. Chesterfield and Town and Country are very wealthy areas. Wildwood has a lot of new development but might be getting a little far away from the city of St. Louis. Ballwin and Fenton are both very low crime areas, and Fenton is nicknamed the "City of Parks." Eureka, part of Ballwin and most of Fenton are in the Rockwood School District, which has an outstanding reputation--and I'm not aware that it tries to steer its students in a liberal direction the way so many other schools do. The Parkway School District should be almost as good as Rockwood.

St. Charles County has really grown during the past 15 years. O'Fallon and St. Peters have nice neighborhoods, but I think the I-44 corridor west of I-270 is more scenic than I-70 in St. Charles County.

Florissant is the most ideal city in North St. Louis County. Most houses are under $150K and it still has a low crime rate. But when I grew up there in the 1970s and 1980s, it was moderate, blue-collar Democrat and I think it has trended leftward since then. Briefly, keep looking. I don't know if I agree with other posters that the whole St. Louis area has an Eastern feel to it. The city itself as well as University City and Clayton definitely feel more Eastern than Springfield or Kansas City, though.

On the whole, I'd say the St. Louis area is about right down the middle. Subtract St. Charles and Jefferson Counties and it leans a little leftward. I would really look at the I-44 area west of 270 as well as Manchester Rd. through Ballwin, Manchester and Ellisville. And don't rule out Springfield. Hope this helps; all the best to you and your family!

[Gigee]

Florissant, eh? Doesn't sound like a good fit to me. Please consider the St. Peters, St. Charles, O'Fallon, New Town area. St. Dominic is an excellent parochial school; my sister went there.

It is definitely a conservative suburban area, which is why I don't live there I consider myself liberal, but I've discovered that what I really mean, is that I'm liberal for the mid-west. Travelling made me realize how conservative I really am! So I would say, St. Louis metro area as a whole is..um..split down the middle with a right lean. We are however, probably the most liberal in the state.

[riptoman]

Florissant isn't what you want. If you want a high income conservative religious area with some of the best schools in the nation, you need to be in Ballwin. I'd agree with the above the STL is probably the most liberal in the state of MO, but that's not saying much. It's maybe 60/40 favoring conservatives.

[skeeter85]

Florissant is not what you are looking for at all. West County is where you will want to be. I would say the metro area as a whole leans a bit to the left, but areas such as West County, St. Charles, and O'Fallon lean heavily to the the right.

[CellarBelle]

I live in Edwardsville, IL - just across the river. I moved here from a very conservative area of Texas, and myself and family have adjusted quite well. I'm a fan of conservative politics (card-carrying member of Edwardsville Repulican Women), and I'd be happy to tell you what it is like in the Edwardsville area as a mom and wife. I love it here and fit in nicely. Just post or send me an email.

[klwilson]

CellarBelle,

My family is moving to Edwardsville, IL in two weeks from Tampa, FL, and I am a little nervous. I don't know much about the town, but I was there this last weekend and it looks like a nice, safe community to live in. I have two young children (6yrs old and 18months) and would love to get any info you have on activities for children (dance classes for my 6yr old and maybe a gymboree-type class for my 18 month old son). I also love to play tennis and would love to get involved with a women's league out there. Any info that you could give me would be great and much appreciated.

Thanks for your help!

[CellarBelle]

I'd be happy to tell you what I know about Edwardsville! I love it here - send an email to me at jenniferteske@charter.net. I'll give you the scoop. I have a 7 year old and 9 year old, and we are active in the community. I moved here 4 years ago, so I know how it is to be new in the area. Send me an email, and I'll go into more for you.

[CellarBelle]

Hi again! I just visited with a friend of mine. She is in a women's tennis league through the City of Edwardsville. She tells me they are starting the next "round" next week. Here is the website for registering:

http://www.cityofedwardsville.com/index.asp?Type=SUPERFORMS&SEC={888DADD6-224A-46C5-A794-73FB7E9C88EF}&DE=

If that doesn't work, just go to www.cityofedwardsville.com and search on "tennis league" - or call the Parks and Rec office.

Hope that helps!
jen

[ajf131]

Originally Posted by riptoman

Florissant isn't what you want. If you want a high income conservative religious area with some of the best schools in the nation, you need to be in Ballwin. I'd agree with the above the STL is probably the most liberal in the state of MO, but that's not saying much. It's maybe 60/40 favoring conservatives.

60/40 favoring conservatives? I think you mean the reverse. St. Louis is not a majority conservative city. If that were the case Bush and Blunt would have gotten the majority of votes. St. Louis is definitely more of a blue city I'd argue than a red one. Since I've been alive St. Louis has never favored conservatives by a majority.