Last Updated on: 31st October 2023, 03:41 pm
Considering a move to the St. Louis area? West County St Louis is one of the best places to live outside the city limits. West County refers to the western suburbs of St. Louis and it’s known for its affluence, highly rated schools, entertainment destinations, and outdoor recreation. West St Louis County is a family-oriented area with many amenities geared toward kids and close-knit neighborhoods with a strong sense of community.
Here’s a look at the many great communities in West County St Louis and the many attractions in the area.
Table of Contents
Where Is West County St Louis?
St. Louis County is usually divided into several regions:
- Mid County is the region between I-70, I-44, and I-270 and the St. Louis county-city line
- North County is north of I-70 and I-44
- South County is south of I-44
- West County is west of I-270
The popular definition of “West County” has changed over the years as the St. Louis suburbs have developed. Today, Creve Coeur is sometimes West County and sometimes Mid-County depending on who you ask. Other regions are also sometimes used:
- Far West County (Wildwood and Eureka)
- Northwest County (Maryland Heights and Bridgeton)
- Southwest County (Kirkwood and Valley Park)
Largest West St Louis County Cities
There are ten cities in West St. Louis County with at least 8,000 people, but even the largest city has just 50,000 residents.
Chesterfield
- Population: 49,999
- Median household income: $124,551
- Median home price: $517,500
The largest city in West County STL and 14th largest among cities in Missouri, Chesterfield is only 25 minutes outside downtown St. Louis. This idyllic suburb is popular with families thanks to its great parks, top-rated schools, and entertainment options – not to mention easy access to St. Louis.
Chesterfield has some of the best entertainment destinations in West County St Louis. The District of St. Louis is an action-packed entertainment complex home to several attractions:
- Topgolf, a high-tech driving range with a lounge and games
- Main Event, a family-friendly entertainment center with a restaurant, arcade games, billiards, bowling, and a gravity rope course
- The Factory, a huge new performance venue designed specifically for live music performances
Enjoy the outdoors? Central Park is one of the best parks in West St Louis County for families. The sprawling park is centered around a picturesque lake and offers everything from walking paths and a playground to sculptures and the Chesterfield Family Aquatic Center. Faust Park offers another tucked away Chesterfield attraction: the Sophia M. Sachs Butterfly House with outdoor gardens and thousands of butterflies.
Learn more about what makes Chesterfield, MO a great place to live with our complete guide!
Wildwood
- Population: 35,417
- Median household income: $140,685
- Median home price: $554,000
If you love the outdoors, Wildwood is definitely one of the best cities in West County MO to visit or call home. This affluent West County city is a haven for enjoying the great outdoors with fantastic trails like the Al Foster Memorial Trail and Missouri Greenway and county, state, and city parks like Rockwoods Reservation and the picturesque Babler State Park. Wildwood is a great destination for camping, swimming, horseback riding, and hiking but it also boasts a walkable shopping district with many local businesses.
The Wildwood Town Center is the highlight of the community. The town center has been a major project for the city for more than two decades with a master plan that has created a mixed-use development for residents to work, live, and play. The latest addition is a village green space that will be home to an observation tower, water play and playground area, pavilion, public event space, and the relocated 19th century Essen Log Cabin.
Find out why living in Wildwood may be perfect for you!
Ballwin
- Population: 31,103
- Median household income: $107,806
- Median home price: $400,000
Whether you’re visiting or moving to Ballwin MO, you’ll find plenty to live. It’s one of the most desirable communities in West County Missouri for families thanks to its award-winning schools, great parks, and opportunities for recreation and athletics. All four high schools in the city’s Rockwood School District are ranked in the top 27 in the state and the top 16% nationwide.
The city is known for its many athletic programs for children and adults. The Ballwin Athletic Association offers softball and baseball programs while the Westglen Swim Club has a recreational summer swim league, programs, and lessons for members. Residents can take advantage of The Pointe at Ballwin Commons, a large community rec center with a fitness center, indoor pool, youth activities, and a play center. The city has many other facilities for athletics including the Balls-n-Strikes Ballwin, an indoor softball and baseball training facility, the Ballwin Golf Course and Events Center, and the Meadowbrook Country Club. Ballwin is home to Castlewood State Park, one of the most visited parks in St Louis West County and considered one of the top mountain biking destinations in the region.
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Maryland Heights
- Population: 28,284
- Median household income: $78,982
- Median home price: $255,000
Maryland Heights is one of the most exciting St Louis West County destinations – and one of the most affordable places to live in the area! Maryland Heights is also one of many communities that doesn’t always fit into the traditional definition of West County St. Louis. Partially located inside I-270 (Mid County), many people consider the city part of West County but Maryland Heights itself usually considers itself as part of Northwest County.
Maryland Heights offers a great quality of life for families, retirees, and singles with some of the top St. Louis West destinations:
- Dave & Buster’s St Louis
- Ryze Adventure Park – St Louis, an outdoor adventure park with ziplining, an obstacle ropes course, and mini golf
- Hollywood Casino & Hotel St. Louis, a casino with 120,000 SQ FT of slot machines and table games
- Hollywood Casino Amphitheater, an outdoor concert venue
- Go Ape Zipline and Adventure Park, an adventure park with a treetop rope course and ziplining
- Saint Louis Music Park, a 4,500-seat outdoor concert venue
Creve Coeur Lake Memorial Park is the top summer destination in West County Missouri. With everything from playgrounds, disc golf, and a spray park to trails, tennis courts, and a 320-acre lake with beaches, it’s the largest park in the St. Louis County Parks system.
The city offers other great amenities for residents and visitors alike including the Maryland Heights Community Center (MHCC), the heart of the community, and Creve Coeur Airport, home to the Historic Aircraft Restoration Museum.
Creve Coeur
- Population: 18,834
- Median household income: $100,810
- Median home price: $445,500
Less than 20 minutes outside downtown St. Louis is the thriving city of Creve Coeur. Partially inside I-270 in the Mid County area, Creve Coeur has transformed from a quiet farming community to a bustling city known for its strong economy and jobs in agri-food tech, life sciences, and medical services in the 39 North Agtech Innovation District. Learn more about what makes Creve Coeur one of the best places to live in West County Missouri!
Manchester
- Population: 18,333
- Median household income: $82,875
- Median home price: $310,000
Manchester is one of the largest St Louis West suburbs and mostly residential with many subdivisions, apartment buildings, and schools. The main commercial area, Manchester Plaza, is at the intersection of Route 100 and Route 141 and features the popular Pan-Asia Supermarket. Manchester is a great place to live in West St Louis County for renters with many options to choose from and easy access to surrounding communities like Ballwin and Town and Country.
Eureka
- Population: 11,646
- Median household income: $112,622
- Median home price: $435,000
Partially located in Jefferson County and sometimes considered part of Far West County, Eureka is one of the top tourist destinations in St Louis County MO and one of the best places to live in West County for families. This small suburb is packed with amenities and fun activities. It’s best known as the home of Six Flags St. Louis but there’s more to see and do.
Hidden Valley Ski Resort is a popular destination for locals and visitors alike. The largest winter resort in Missouri, the resort has sixteen 1,000’ lanes, a dedicated tubing hill, and lessons for kids and adults. The accredited Endangered Wolf Center protects and reintroduces critically endangered wolves and foxes to the wild with tours available and Route 66 State Park on the Meramec River is a great place to spend the day with the whole family.
Find out more about what living in Eureka, MO is really like!
Town and Country
- Population: 11,640
- Median household income: $211,429
- Median home price: $660,500
Town and Country is a small West County city and the most affluent city in Missouri. Home to the Missouri Baptist Medical Center (MoBap), a major employer and hospital that’s served the region for over 120 years, Town and Country is a great place to live with great amenities and easy access to the city. You’re just 16 miles from downtown St. Louis yet have everything you need right in town.
There are seven shopping centers in Town and Country like the pedestrian-friendly Town & Country Crossing. Families love the local Myseum, a children’s museum and indoor playground, in the Lamp & Lantern Village shopping center.
Learn what living in Town and Country is like with our complete guide to the city!
Ellisville
- Population: 9,985
- Median household income: $89,951
- Median home price: $380,000
The small city of Ellisville is an outer-ring St. Louis suburb in the St Louis West County area. Bordered by Ballwin, Wildwood, and Clarkson Valley, Ellisville is a charming, quiet community popular with families and seniors. About 38% of the population is 60 and older with a median age of 45, but many families also call Ellisville home thanks to the highly rated Rockwood School District. The city has plenty of commercial development along Route 340 (Olive Blvd) and Route 100 (Manchester Rd) with shopping and attractions like Ellisville Square, West County Lanes, and Dogwood Social House Ellisville, a sports bar with arcade games, axe throwing, bowling, and billiards.
Des Peres
- Population: 8,373
- Median household income: $194,286
- Median home price: $730,500
One of the smallest cities in the West County MO area, Des Peres is best known as the home of the West County Center mall. Along with shopping, this affluent city offers plenty of attractions like the Marcus Des Peres Cinema and the dog-friendly Des Peres Park with lighted tennis courts, two large playgrounds, a fishing lake, and a picnic pavilion. St. Luke’s Des Peres Hospital is a major employer in the city.
Other St Louis West County Towns & Cities
There are many other smaller suburbs and communities that make up the West St. Louis County area. Like some of the cities above, some of these communities are part of the traditionally defined West County area while others are sometimes considered part of Far West County, Northwest County, or even North County.
The city of Pacific, Missouri, home to more than 7,400 people, is mostly in Franklin County but extends into southwest St. Louis County. It’s geographically part of West County St. Louis and often lumped together with Eureka as part of “Far West” County.
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Valley Park is a popular tourist destination in West County STL. Home to almost 6,900 people, Valley Park is best known for its parks, fishing, hiking, and wildlife viewing. Lone Elk Park is a fun place to visit to see elk, bison, and other wildlife with morning feeding times and a wild bird sanctuary. Simpson Park boasts a 72-acre lake with a boat ramp, fishing dock, trails, and a playground while Meramec Landing offers access to the Meramec River with a boat ramp.
Earth City is a small, unincorporated commercial area north of Maryland Heights often considered part of Northwest County. It’s just across the river from St. Charles and a large employment center for the area as a major UPS hub and the headquarters of Save-a-Lot.
Other cities and communities in West County MO:
- Frontenac (population: 3,612)
- Clarkson Valley (pop. 2,609)
- Twin Oaks (pop. 695)
- Sherman
- Keyes Summit
- Country Life Acres
West St Louis County Map
With its beautiful parks, world-class recreation and entertainment, and highly rated schools, West County MO has something for everyone! Are you ready to make one of these charming cities your home? Give Federal Companies a call for a free moving quote from our 5-star West County St Louis movers today!