Neighborhoods

Most people live in the CWE, but if you want to venture out for a little more space, the Richmond Heights, Maplewood, and Brentwood areas are very nice family neighborhoods with many apartments, townhouses, and small houses. My wife and I live in a house and we love the area. I take the bus (free bus pass provided by the school) and it is super convenient. Plus, we are close to many grocery stores (Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods), the St. Louis Galleria mall, Target, and Ted Drewes . . . enough said!

The Central West End is the area of St. Louis that the WUSM campus is situated in and it is where many medical students (including myself), residents, and doctors live. It’s a great area for medical students to live in because of the proximity to the medical campus (my daily walk is less than 10 minutes), the affordability of living expenditures, and the fun/trendy/young vibe of the neighborhood.

Speaking of fun, the Central West End has a lot of it! The neighborhood is known for its many amazing restaurants, cute shops, fun bars, and the annual CWE Halloween street party. I love seeing classmates in the neighborhood and being able to pop out of my apartment for coffee or brunch with my WUSM Big Sib. Beyond the amenities inside the neighborhood itself, the CWE is located directly across the street from St. Louis’ incredible Forest Park (almost twice the size of New York’s Central Park). From my CWE apartment, all I have to do is to cross the street to escape into a world of natural beauty. I often go on runs through the park when the weather is nice, and I can’t even count the number of random weekend walks I’ve taken through Forest Park.

DeMun is a small, historic neighborhood within the city of Clayton, right outside of St. Louis city. The houses were all built in the early 1920s, so the architecture is very charming and unique. The buildings vary between single-family homes, duplexes, and smaller apartment buildings. No high rises in this area! The neighborhood has a good mix of students, young professionals, and families. There is a beautiful seminary in the heart of this neighborhood, which provides ample space for exploring and going on walks. The main street in DeMun has a Kaldi’s, a Clementine’s Creamery, and many other yummy restaurants —all within walking distance. DeMun is in close proximity to the WashU Danforth Campus, where medical students have access to the gym and study spaces. It is also close to the west side of Forest Park, and it’s a short drive to the Delmar Loop and the shopping centers in Brentwood. The apartments in DeMun are much bigger than the apartments in the Central West End and slightly less expensive (for the most part). The only downside to living in DeMun is that commuting to school by car is necessary (technically, it’s a 20- to 25-minute bike ride through Forest Park, but who’s really going to do that in winter). Overall, I have loved my experience living in DeMun and would highly recommend it!

Forest Park Southeast is the neighborhood just south of the WUSM campus. There is a convenient pedestrian footbridge that you can take from the Core/Forest Park entrance to get across the I-64 highway, making Forest Park Southeast just minutes away from WUSM by foot. The area is mostly residential, with a lot of families in the area and only a couple of our classmates. Living spaces here are usually larger, since they are actual homes, but they have less availability. Aventura is just down the street as well, but otherwise it is a pretty quiet area. There is a dog park and a lot of neighborhood activities occur in the area. Everyone is friendly and it makes for a great place to live if you can find someone to rent a home or condo from.

The Grove is a vibrant and eclectic commercial district within the neighborhood, on Manchester Avenue. It’s about a 10-minute walk from the highway bridge, and it contains an abundance of restaurants, bars, and shops. Urban Chestnut is a popular brewery here for hanging out, and the social spaces down the street make it a convenient place for a night out. Since 2009, there has been an effort for renewal in the area and it is a currently a highly diverse place to take a stroll through, with many LGBTQ businesses.

While most of my classmates live north in the CWE, this is a great option if you’re looking for somewhere quieter and more residential, but with proximity to a bustling area. Regardless, WUSM campus is just a skip across I-64!

Skinker/DeBaliviere is awesome! I live in a six-unit apartment unit, and my roommate is also in the MSTP program. We have so much space; literally my current room is twice the size of my room in Boston (and I pay almost half the rent that I did before). We have a deck, sun roof, and large open-floor plan. Admittedly, DeBaliviere is not as close to school as the apartment complexes in the Central West End. However, it only takes seven minutes to walk to the MetroLink station, which is one stop away from the med campus. Alternatively, there is a bus stop two houses away from me, and the bus takes about 15 minutes to get to campus. If you like the chill, spacious life, then DeBaliviere could be for you!

When you join the incoming M1 Facebook group, you will quickly realize that almost all of your classmates want to live in the Central West End. If that’s for you, go for it, but don’t be afraid to explore options outside of CWE. I liked Shaw because I wanted to live alone, have a pet, and have more than a few square feet to live in without going broke. Living outside of the CWE means that when I go home for the day, I can leave my school-related stress behind me. As an added bonus, I can chat with my neighbors, see kids playing in the street, and get Trick-or-Treaters on Halloween!