Where to buy a home STL County Low Taxes Good Schools (Florissant: crime, house)

[Sundevil13]

SO and I recently moved to UCity and quickly realized taxes and schools here are abysmal (no kids at the moment).

I'm looking for suggestions on what municipality to look for a permanent home in.

My must haves:

1) Top performing public schools (Clayton, Brentwood, Ladue, PW Central, PW West)

2) Prefer to be no more than 20-25 minutes from downtown / airport.

3) Budget - under $600k

4) Taxes - a municipality with no additional taxes would be great, otherwise one with very low.

5) I'd like an area where police are respected and not being defunded, and where crime is low.

6) 2-3 car garage is a must / also willing to buy a teardown and build new.

Thanks!

[billiken]

Since you asked about municipalities with no additional taxes, here's the list from St Louis County for 2020 - some of these fall in Parkway or Rockwood districts (Ballwin, Chesterfield, Des Peres, Fenton, Town & Country, Wildwood, parts of Maryland Heights):
C-93 BALLWIN
C-2* BELLA VILLA
C-102 CHAMP
C-105* CHESTERFIELD
C-17* DES PERES
C-21* FENTON
C-24* FLORISSANT
C-106 GREEN PARK
C-104 MARYLAND HEIGHTS
C-83* TOWN & COUNTRY
C-65* WILBUR PARK
C-107 WILDWOOD

I'd start with Des Peres or Town & Country. Parkway or Kirkwood schools, maaaybe able get get downtown & airport in 25 mins in rush hour, $600k is feasible if you're OK with an older home, no muni taxes, Parkway or Kirkwood district taxes are lower than Clayton, Brentwood SD and with the combo of Ladue School + Muni tax, lower than Ladue. There's just about nothing on the market there right now, though.

[STL74]

I can't help on the taxes...I live in Ladue, so...

In your budget, you can add Rockwood (Marquette or Lafayette HS) to your list. It would add a little time on the airport commute though. Also consider Lindbergh school district.

You'll probably have the best luck focusing on Parkway West/Central and Rockwood Lafayette/Marquette and maybe Lindbergh. Eureka HS might also work, but really adds on that commute.

Clayton/Brentwood/Ladue I think...taxes higher and very very unlikely to get the house you want at the price.

U City has a good elementary school in the district, but definitely looking at private school for MS/HS. Everyone I know in U City does private MS/HS but some do use Flynn Park for elementary.