Are you sick of being a city slicker?
Do you long for life in suburban Missouri? Where you can drive an overly-large vehicle to the store for groceries and schlep the kids around to practices and appointments without worrying about a parking space.
We do, too.
If you wanted to move out to the suburbs of Jefferson City, where would you go? And how would you decide on the ranking factors to help you pick which Missouri suburb was best?
No worries. We got it all figured out here using Saturday Night Science.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table
These are the 10 best suburbs in the Show Me State
Glendale is the place to be when it comes to being a soccer mom in suburban Missouri.
So if you’re thinking of packing up your mini van and making a move to a quiet place to live in Missouri, we’ve got you covered.
Keep on reading for a detailed methodology. Or, check out the best places to live in Missouri and the best places to raise a family in Missouri.
Best Suburbs In Missouri For 2024
/10
Population: 6,131
Median Income: $157,750
Average Home Price: $505,640
More on Glendale: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
Glendale is located 7 miles west of St. Louis.
/10
Population: 8,934
Median Income: $250,001
Average Home Price: $1,110,693
More on Ladue: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
Ladue is located 7 miles west of St. Louis.
/10
Population: 17,212
Median Income: $125,829
Average Home Price: $754,588
More on Clayton: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
Clayton is located 4 miles west of St. Louis.
/10
Population: 9,140
Median Income: $214,810
Average Home Price: $595,231
More on Des Peres: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
Des Peres is located 11 miles west of St. Louis.
/10
Population: 5,584
Median Income: $130,139
Average Home Price: $427,594
More on Cottleville: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
Cottleville is located 23 miles west of St. Louis.
/10
Population: 30,948
Median Income: $118,647
Average Home Price: $379,084
More on Ballwin: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
Ballwin is located 16 miles west of St. Louis.
/10
Population: 23,838
Median Income: $105,930
Average Home Price: $388,329
More on Webster Groves: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
Webster Groves is located 6 miles west of St. Louis.
/10
Population: 11,575
Median Income: $231,382
Average Home Price: $963,818
More on Town And Country: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
Town And Country is located 12 miles west of St. Louis.
/10
Population: 18,679
Median Income: $115,120
Average Home Price: $536,873
More on Creve Coeur: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
Creve Coeur is located 10 miles west of St. Louis.
/10
Population: 49,645
Median Income: $137,052
Average Home Price: $498,560
More on Chesterfield: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
Chesterfield is located 18 miles west of St. Louis.
Methodology:How we crunched the suburb numbers for the Show Me State
We have to use Saturday Night Science and look at several metrics to give you the best suburbs in Missouri. We want to measure the type of place around major cities that people arguing at a bar would say makes it the “best suburb.”
First, we had to define a suburb. Using U.S. Census data produced for the state of Missouri, we looked at every town with at least 5,000 residents, and within 30 miles of a city that’s over 200,000 people.
In other words, suburbs.
We paid particular attention to the following criteria:
- Median Home Values
- Median Income
- Population Density (Higher is Better)
- Unemployment Rates
- Commute Time
- Education Levels
- Health Insurance Coverage
- Poverty Rates
We ranked each suburb in Missouri across these criteria from one to 64, with one being the best.
We then took the average rank across all criteria, with the town posting the lowest overall score being crowned the winner of the title “Best Suburb To Live In Missouri.”
The result is some of the safest, quietest, and ideal places to live in Missouri.
Read on to see why Glendale is the ‘burb with the most, while Jennings is probably not the best place to live in Missouri.
Summary: There You Have It – The Best Suburbs In Missouri
If you’re measuring the locations in Missouri where there are lots to do, and everyone wants to live, this is an accurate list.
The best suburbs in Missouri are Glendale, Ladue, Clayton, Des Peres, Cottleville, Ballwin, Webster Groves, Town and Country, Creve Coeur, and Chesterfield.
Here’s a look at the worst suburbs in Missouri according to the data:
- Jennings
- Bellefontaine Neighbors
- Berkeley
For more Missouri reading, check out:
- Best Places To Live In Missouri
- Cheapest Places To Live In Missouri
- Most Dangerous Cities in Missouri
- Richest Cities In Missouri
- Safest Places In Missouri
- Worst Places To Live In Missouri
- Most Expensive Places To Live In Missouri
The Best Suburbs In Missouri
| Rank | City | Population | Median Income | Median Home Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Glendale | 6,131 | $157,750 | $505,640 |
| 2 | Ladue | 8,934 | $250,001 | $1,110,693 |
| 3 | Clayton | 17,212 | $125,829 | $754,588 |
| 4 | Des Peres | 9,140 | $214,810 | $595,231 |
| 5 | Cottleville | 5,584 | $130,139 | $427,594 |
| 6 | Ballwin | 30,948 | $118,647 | $379,084 |
| 7 | Webster Groves | 23,838 | $105,930 | $388,329 |
| 8 | Town And Country | 11,575 | $231,382 | $963,818 |
| 9 | Creve Coeur | 18,679 | $115,120 | $536,873 |
| 10 | Chesterfield | 49,645 | $137,052 | $498,560 |
| 11 | Kirkwood | 29,309 | $107,905 | $414,629 |
| 12 | Dardenne Prairie | 12,903 | $140,844 | $438,717 |
| 13 | Olivette | 8,431 | $102,630 | $440,935 |
| 14 | Parkville | 7,669 | $166,563 | $574,364 |
| 15 | Lake St. Louis | 17,088 | $114,230 | $398,486 |
| 16 | Crestwood | 12,315 | $111,791 | $306,853 |
| 17 | Manchester | 18,240 | $89,153 | $332,927 |
| 18 | Sunset Hills | 9,121 | $126,199 | $538,666 |
| 19 | Brentwood | 8,173 | $89,688 | $253,415 |
| 20 | O’fallon | 91,825 | $104,863 | $343,861 |
| 21 | Richmond Heights | 9,186 | $94,384 | $353,272 |
| 22 | Greenwood | 6,038 | $103,560 | $327,682 |
| 23 | Weldon Spring | 5,320 | $143,389 | $549,244 |
| 24 | Shrewsbury | 6,352 | $82,681 | $267,379 |
| 25 | Kearney | 10,491 | $99,969 | $379,573 |
| 26 | Ellisville | 9,914 | $104,360 | $360,277 |
| 27 | Eureka | 12,008 | $104,697 | $364,147 |
| 28 | St. Charles | 70,687 | $83,589 | $295,372 |
| 29 | Lee’s Summit | 101,728 | $103,447 | $347,310 |
| 30 | St. Peters | 57,692 | $88,708 | $289,759 |
| 31 | Smithville | 10,416 | $95,122 | $354,373 |
| 32 | Grain Valley | 15,688 | $82,364 | $323,497 |
| 33 | Wildwood | 35,276 | $147,508 | $513,120 |
| 34 | Raymore | 23,232 | $96,536 | $328,747 |
| 35 | Maplewood | 8,205 | $58,448 | $243,461 |
| 36 | Maryland Heights | 28,099 | $82,232 | $234,669 |
| 37 | Blue Springs | 58,720 | $82,965 | $283,645 |
| 38 | Pleasant Hill | 8,822 | $88,408 | $320,437 |
| 39 | Liberty | 30,299 | $91,512 | $303,673 |
| 40 | Arnold | 20,840 | $72,317 | $241,114 |
| 41 | Peculiar | 5,675 | $91,783 | $329,307 |
| 42 | Gladstone | 26,964 | $68,633 | $246,002 |
| 43 | St. Ann | 12,917 | $48,081 | $136,175 |
| 44 | Oak Grove | 8,304 | $71,006 | $271,763 |
| 45 | Pacific | 7,239 | $52,155 | $210,666 |
| 46 | Florissant | 52,167 | $64,178 | $176,193 |
| 47 | Festus | 12,772 | $65,942 | $259,258 |
| 48 | Belton | 24,241 | $68,030 | $236,726 |
| 49 | Pevely | 6,012 | $68,141 | $238,053 |
| 50 | Raytown | 29,772 | $64,542 | $191,914 |
| 51 | St. John | 6,583 | $52,000 | $117,212 |
| 52 | Excelsior Springs | 10,546 | $74,196 | $202,892 |
| 53 | Bridgeton | 11,422 | $69,982 | $250,506 |
| 54 | Valley Park | 6,848 | $63,478 | $260,081 |
| 55 | Overland | 15,838 | $51,749 | $130,030 |
| 56 | Harrisonville | 10,024 | $57,607 | $253,584 |
| 57 | Ferguson | 18,546 | $47,410 | $104,371 |
| 58 | Hazelwood | 25,345 | $55,111 | $150,689 |
| 59 | Independence | 122,218 | $57,415 | $189,173 |
| 60 | Grandview | 25,921 | $51,048 | $203,316 |
| 61 | Black Jack | 6,632 | $63,617 | $192,665 |
| 62 | Berkeley | 8,232 | $37,757 | $76,521 |
| 63 | Bellefontaine Neighbors | 10,637 | $46,115 | $92,443 |
| 64 | Jennings | 12,996 | $32,462 | $58,011 |