Neighborhoods We Live In

Living in the Moorlands neighborhood of Clayton is great! It’s removed from the business of the city, but still close enough to commute via bike or train. It is quieter than Central West End and a great place to walk around whenever you want some fresh air. There are also a couple convenient MetroLink stops (Clayton and Forsyth) that are a 10-minute ride from the med school stop.

DeBaliviere is great. My partner and I share a spacious two-bedroom apartment with new appliances and (partial) wood floors for about half the price of what we’d pay for a smaller, dingier apartment in the Central West End (CWE). The neighborhood is homey and quiet, but we also have many businesses within walking distance (a yoga studio, gym, several restaurants/coffee shops, convenience stores, etc.). It’s a bit further from campus, but my commute is actually shorter than many who walk to class: seven-minute walk to the MetroLink, ride one stop (~one minute), drop off on campus. If you’re worried about riding late at night, WUSM has a free nighttime shuttle that will take you directly to your place. I could Uber to/from the CWE twice a day and still save money. We’re also just one MetroLink stop from the Delmar Loop which is a super fun area. 10/10, would recommend!

South City, like its name suggests, encompasses the southern half of St. Louis city, with some saying the northern border is I-44, which is close to the medical school. There are many neighborhoods within South City, notably those around Tower Grove Park, Soulard, Dutchtown, Carondelet, St. Louis Hills, and mine, Princeton Heights. Despite all the neighborhoods being united under “South City,” each neighborhood is unique for its history and character. Tower Grove and Shaw are trendy neighborhoods with unique restaurants and boutiques. Carondelet used to be its own city before being annexed by St. Louis during the Civil War; Holly Hills surrounds the lovely Carondelet park. Soulard is famous for its Mardi Gras celebrations.

I love the southwest section of St. Louis city. Princeton Heights is approximately 5.5 miles from WUSM and is both safe and residential. I live next to Wilmore Park, which has a disc golf course and two ponds, and am not far from Carondelet Park. I also live next to the River des Peres Greenway, a bike trail that runs from Shrewsbury to Jefferson Barracks. Nearby, there are several convenient Schnucks and gyms, plus Target and Lowe’s. Several people in my neighborhood have lived here for 50 years or more, inheriting their houses from their parents. There are plenty of safe areas to buy/rent and many gems (like Ted Drewes) throughout South City.

The Central West End (CWE) is the neighborhood directly adjacent to the medical campus, so walking to the FLTC from most apartments in this area takes only 10-15 minutes. There are a ton of good restaurants, cozy coffee shops, gyms, a library, a movie theatre, and a too-conveniently located Whole Foods (it’s both a blessing and a curse), among many other things. The CWE tends to be on the louder side because of the proximity to the hospitals, but if you want a quiet escape Forest Park is literally just around the corner!

I knew I wanted to feel like I was actually leaving school at the end of a long day of classes. That’s one of the reasons why I ended up choosing to live in the Grove, located within walking distance just south of the medical school campus. It’s connected to the Central West End (CWE) by several pedestrian bridges. It’s less urban-feeling with a more residential vibe than the CWE, although recently the neighborhood has been growing in population. The streets are very walkable, and there’s a main strip (Manchester) that has so many great restaurant options (including international food!), local music venues, and bars. If you’re visiting the area, I must oblige you to stop by The Gramophone for one of their many irresistible sandwiches. (I’m salivating as we speak!) For LGBTQ+ identifying people, there are several gay bars in the Grove where several of us medical students have been known to cut a rug. Additionally, I’ve been lucky to meet and befriend many great people in this neighborhood. Moving to a new city and not knowing who you live around can be isolating, but in the Grove, you don’t have to feel alone! If you’re looking for a neighborhood with slightly cheaper living arrangements than the CWE and still a ton of the same amenities in walking distance of campus, I suggest you give the Grove a look!

Tower Grove and Shaw are St. Louis neighborhoods are about 10-15 minutes away from campus by car. I decided to live in Tower Grove because I wanted to buy a house in my budget while still living within walking distance from restaurants and bars. Although they feel more urban than many of the neighborhoods west of campus, you can still enjoy picturesque Tower Grove Park, with its weekly farmers’ market and nearby Missouri Botanical Gardens. South Grand is the most pedestrian-friendly street in the area and has plenty of delicious restaurants, coffee shops, and boutiques to explore.