Urban living in St. Louis is fantastic, but there’s no denying the fact that crime is higher in the city. Many families, especially the millennial generation, love city living, but there are also some fantastic benefits to moving into the suburbs.
For one thing, crime rates are lower in most of the St. Louis suburbs, when compared with the city. In this article, we’ll discuss how crime statistics in the city of St. Louis compare with stats in a few surrounding suburb cities, but first, why does this matter?
Millennials Are Moving to St. Louis.
The millennial generation is finally coming to grips with living in the ‘burbs!’ This is particularly important to St. Louis because this age group has been migrating to St. Louis in droves since 2014.
Drawn by job opportunities and the low cost of living, educated millennials now make up 12.8 percent of St. Louis’ adult population.
While this generation has previously been known for urban living, real estate speculators estimate this generation is going to be drawn out of the city and into the suburbs, just like their parents. So, which suburbs are they going to pick?
Crime in the City of St. Louis
As we’ve already discussed in previous articles, St. Louis gets a bad rap when it comes to crime statistics and national lists, because these reports often have as much to do with geography as actual crime. St. Louis ranks much lower when statistics include the Greater St. Louis Metropolitan area.
If you come across any of the many reports that rank St. Louis as one of the top 10 most dangerous cities in America, try to review them objectively. A crime reporting source that takes surrounding suburbs into consideration only ranks St. Louis as the 95th most dangerous city in America.
St. Louis Crime Statistics
While the city may be safer than it’s typically portrayed in the media, there’s no candy-coating the fact that St. Louis has its dangers and that crime is in fact a problem. Here are some of the crime statistics associated with the City of St. Louis:
St Louis City
- 1 in 56 Chance of Violent Crime (Violent Crime: Includes Murder, Rape, Robbery, Assault)
- 1 in 15 Chance of Property Crime (Property Crime: Includes Burglary, Theft, Vehicle Theft)
Crime in Top St. Louis Suburbs and Outlying Cities
Crime rates are considerably lower in many of the surrounding cities and neighborhoods of St. Louis, but crime rates are particularly lower in these top STL neighborhoods. Here are 14 of the safest neighborhoods and outlying suburb cities around St. Louis:
Town & Country
- 1 in 3,669 Chance of Violent Crime
- 1 in 74 Chance of Property Crime
Ballwin
- 1 in 3,392 Chance of Violent Crime
- 1 in 125 Chance of Property Crime
Ladue
- 1 in 2,148 Chance of Violent Crime
- 1 in 75 Chance of Property Crime
Chesterfield
- 1 in 1,368 Chance of Violent Crime
- 1 in 59 Chance of Property Crime
Kirkwood
- 1 in 1,108 Chance of Violent Crime
- 1 in 56 Chance of Property Crime
Creve Coeur
- 1 in 1,052 Chance of Violent Crime
- 1 in 72 Chance of Property Crime
Webster Groves
- 1 in 1,011 Chance of Violent Crime
- 1 in 101 Chance of Property Crime
Clayton
- 1 in 690 Chance of Violent Crime
- 1 in 57 Chance of Property Crime
Frontenac
- 1 in 593 Chance of Violent Crime
- 1 in 44 Chance of Property Crime
St. Peters
- 1 in 581 Chance of Violent Crime
- 1 in 46 Chance of Property Crime
Huntleigh
- 1 in 499 Chance of Violent Crime
- 1 in 87 Chance of Property Crime
Country Life Acres
- 1 in 499 Chance of Violent Crime
- 1 in 87 Chance of Property Crime
Westwood
- 1 in 499 Chance of Violent Crime
- 1 in 87 Chance of Property Crime
Wildwood
- 1 in 466 Chance of Violent Crime
- 1 in 82 Chance of Property Crime
Picking the Right St. Louis House
If you’re looking for a new house, here are a few security factors that you might want to take into consideration:
- Houses at the ends of a block are less likely to get burglarized than those in the middle
- Landscaping that provides cover for burglars could be an enticing factor
- Lots of access points also means lots of ways for a burglar to get into the house
- Larger homes with signs of wealth are more likely to attract burglars
- Houses without burglar alarms, good lighting, or cameras make easier targets
Staying Safe in a St. Louis Neighborhood
Ultimately, neighborhoods that work together to report crime, take steps to deter criminals, and look out for one another will help make St. Louis a safer place to live. For those looking for a safer alternative right away, consider moving to one of the safer St. Louis suburb cities.
Contact Butler Durrell Security to learn more about setting up an electronic security system, home automation, or monitored fire detection equipment.
