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Relocating to St. Louis

Voted one of the world's greatest places by Time magazine, one of the best cities to visit by Bloomberg and the No. 1 city to launch your career by LinkedIn, the city of St. Louis is having a moment in the limelight. But we've always known the St. Louis region is a great place to live and work. If you're relocating to work at Saint Louis University, we invite you to get to know STL, the Lou, the 314 or, as we like to call it, home.

People walking through SLU's Grand Boulevard gateway on a summer day
 

Saint Louis University wants your transition to be as smooth as possible. As a service to relocating employees, our Human Resources team has assembled this relocation guide to give you all the information you may need when considering a move to the beautiful St. Louis area. Here you will find information about living in St. Louis, and more specific information about how SLU helps you make an easy, cost-effective move to the area.

Learn About St. Louis

Living in St. Louis

Child Care Resources

The following are the three childcare resources in St Louis.

Child Care Aware of Missouri

Child Care Aware of Missouri is not a direct care provider but a resource to help you find the best child care for your family.

Hours of Operation
9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday 

Contact Information
1000 Executive Parkway Dr., Suite 103
St. Louis, MO 63141
Phone: 314-535-1458 or 800-200-9017
Fax: 314-754-0330
TTY: Dial 711 or 800-735-2966 if you are deaf or hearing impaired for MO Relay TTY services

William L . Clay Sr. Early Childhood Development/Parent Education Center at Harris-Stowe State University

The William L. Clay Sr. Early Childhood Development/Parent Education Center at Harris-Stowe State University is a safe, healthy and comprehensive child-development facility providing full-day learning experiences for children 6 weeks to 5 years of age.

This magnificent program is designed to encourage the social, emotional, physical and cognitive development of a diverse population of children while embracing their needs and interests to explore, discover, experiment and examine their world through play. Located right next to SLU's campus, it is used by many members of the SLU community. Saint Louis University faculty and staff receive a 10% discount.

Contact Information
10 N. Compton Ave.
St. Louis, MO 63108
314-340-5066 or 314-340-5055

University City Children's Center

University City Children's Center is a provider in St. Louis County offering a unique blend of education practices and standards, which includes the LUME Approach, Missouri Accreditation-approved Creative Curriculum, and developmentally appropriate practices established by the National Association for the Education of Young Children.

Contact Information
6646 Vernon Avenue
University City, MO 63130
Phone: 314-726-0148
Fax: 314-721-0939

Climate

The climate of the St. Louis area is like the character of the region: balanced. St. Louis enjoys the advantages of four full seasons:

  • Spring arrives generally in mid-March.
  • Fall is equal to anything to be found in New England but longer, sometimes extending into November.
  • Summers are warm and sometimes hot and humid. The average July high is around 88 degrees.
  • Winters are relatively short and mild, with cold spells often interrupted by milder temperatures and just enough snowfall to satisfy children and romantics. The average January low is 23.

St. Louis Weather Averages

  • Rain: 38 inches
  • Snow: 18 inches
  • Sunny Days: 202
Cost of Living

The St. Louis metropolitan area enjoys an affordable cost of living below the U.S. metro average.

The Cost of Living Index (COLI) Calculator allows you to compare the cost of living in St. Louis to almost any other region in the country. Enter a base salary for any other metro area, and the calculator will determine how much you'd need to earn for a comparable standard of living in St. Louis.

Cultural Events

St. Louis is a cornucopia of culture and art. In addition to the three museums, theatre and concert venue on SLU's campus, you'll find a city dotted with ways to spend your afternoons and evenings. Check out the nearby Grand Center Arts District, home to the city's world-class symphony and the historic Fox Theatre. To the south of SLU's campus, you'll find The Grove, a neighborhood that celebrates the LGBTQ+ community. Plus, don't miss The Black Rep, a theatre dedicated to the work of Black playwrights, culture, and music.

Explore St. Louis

Education

St. Louis is a large area, and you will find everything you need in terms of education. Each school district has its own tax base and talking points, honors and distinctions. Rated objectively, public schools in our market area generally fall in the "good" to "quite good" categories.

Parochial schools, especially at the elementary level, have enthusiastic support throughout the St. Louis area. Finally, our St. Louis boasts a wide range of very fine private schools. The overall result is a region blessed with educational options of unusual breadth and depth.

K-12 schools in St. Louis city and county offer public, private, Montessori, special-education and charter school options. The St. Louis area also includes educational opportunities for a diverse range of needs and abilities, including the Central Institute for the Deaf, Miriam School for diverse learning styles and neurological needs, and state-of-the-art STEM public schools.

View St. Louis Area Schools and District Directory

Read U.S. News and World Report's Best High Schools

Grocery Stores

The following is a list of notable grocery chains in the St. Louis area.

In addition to general grocery stores, St. Louis also boasts an abundance of shops that supply products for a range of international cuisines.

Movers

The following preferred moving companies offer special negotiated rates for Saint Louis University and are able to accommodate international, intrastate and interstate moves. For moves estimated at $10,000 or above, three competitive bids are required in order to process the purchase order.

Please send electronic copies of the estimates to Business Services (marylynn.thompson@slu.edu). Business Services must review and approve all estimates before the final mover is selected.

United Van Lines
A-Mrazek Moving & Storage
545 Leffingwell Ave.
St. Louis, MO 63122
Contact: Maggie Bird - m_bird@a-mrazek.com
Phone (O) 314-822-4200 (C) 314-358-6177
Fax 314-822-8297

Mayflower Transit
Dodge Moving & Storage Co.
13390 Lakefront Drive
Earth City, MO 63045
Contact: Kabrina Snipes - ksnipes@dodgemoving.com
Phone (O) 314-373-8127 (C) 636-219-5155 Text 314-310-1061


North American
Van Lines Cord Moving and Storage
4101 Rider Trail North
Earth City, MO 63045
Contact: Gary Paul at gary.paul@cordmoving.com
Phone 314-595-0523
Fax 314-291-6127

Wheaton World Wide Moving
Hazzard Moving & Storage
3728 Market St.
St. Louis, MO 63110
Contact: Dave Marty at davemarty@hazzardmoving.com
Phone 314-535-9300
Fax 314-772-9303

Neighborhoods and Communities

The city of St. Louis is framed by over 90 towns and municipalities. This is a selective list of growing communities, each with something unique to offer.

About Neighborhoods in St. Louis

Parks and Outdoor Spaces

With beautiful Forest Park as its centerpiece, the St. Louis area is widely recognized as one of the greenest regions in the country.

Forest Park

St. Louis offers more than 100 park areas, however, the crown jewel remains Forest Park. The showcase of the 1904 World's Fair, Forest Park today is one of the nation's largest metropolitan parks, covering almost 1,300 acres (more than 500 acres larger than New York's Central Park). It houses some of St. Louis' premier attractions, including the Saint Louis Zoo, the Saint Louis Art Museum, the Missouri History Museum, the Saint Louis Science Center, the Jewel Box conservatory, the Muny musical theatre, two golf courses, tennis courts, a six-mile running trail, dozens of ball fields, and much more. Perhaps the best part is that many of these are completely free.

Tower Grove Park

Tower Grove Park in South St. Louis is the finest example of a Victorian Park remaining in the United States. It has been designated a National Historic Landmark  —one of only six municipal parks to achieve that status — and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Henry Shaw, founder of the Missouri Botanical Garden, gave the 289-acre park to the city in 1868. Shaw designed and personally oversaw the park's development, including the planting of more than 8,000 trees and shrubs he imported from around the world.

Jefferson National Expansion Memorial

The most recognizable symbol of St. Louis can be found downtown. The Gateway Arch sits next to the Mississippi River as part of the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial. The memorial, operated by the U.S. National Park Service, also includes the Museum of Westward Expansion, and St. Louis' Old Courthouse. 

Great Rivers Greenway

Runners, walkers, bikers and fans of other forms of exercise can enjoy the Great Rivers Greenway District, which operates 128 miles of paths and trails throughout the City of St. Louis, St. Louis County and St. Charles County. The district is constantly developing new trails and routes, which will result in the River Ring, a 600-mile web of more than 45 greenways.

Outside of City Limits

In addition, the Greater St. Louis area is surrounded by a wealth of state parks in both Illinois and Missouri. These resources offer numerous activities -including camping, hiking, fishing, canoeing, kayaking, spelunking, swimming, picnicking, and equestrian and bicycle riding -in beautiful destinations that are all just a short road trip away.

Learn About Parks and Greenways in St. Louis

Sports

St. Louis is a recognized world-class sports city home to the St. Louis Blues and St. Louis Cardinals major sports franchises along with many other popular teams including the Saint Louis University Billikens, the XFL's St. Louis Battlehawks and the Gateway Grizzlies (minor league baseball). In 2023, the city debuted St. Louis CITY, a Major League Soccer franchise.

St. Louis is home to great athletic venues, including:

  • Busch Stadium, a retro-style ballpark, opened in 2006 just in time to host the Cardinals' World Series victory that same year.
  • Enterprise Center, a 19,000-seat arena that is home to the Blues and numerous other events, including professional wrestling and concerts.
  • Saint Louis University’s Chaifetz Arena with more than 10,000 seats is home to the Billikens NCAA Division I basketball, concerts and other events.
Temporary Housing

Temporary housing is a great option for employees on a temporary assignment, house hunting in St. Louis, or starting work before their house or apartment is ready for move-in.  The following companies offer temporary housing in St. Louis and have provided an overview of their services.

Arch Interim Housing
897 Fee Fee Road
St. Louis, MO 63043
https://archinterimhousing.com
1-866-921-5888 At a glance, temporary and corporate housing providers may look very similar.

VIP Corporate Housing
18421 Edison
St. Louis, MO 63005
www.vipcorporatehousing.com
636-519-1555 or: 888-249-5719

Marriott
Mia Turner Sumpter, Sales Executive
800 Washington Avenue
St. Louis, MO 63101
847-840-2073
mia.turnersumpter@marriott.com

Utilities

The St. Louis region has very competitive electric rates when compared to national averages.

Principal Electric Power Suppliers

Ameren Missouri (Serves Missouri)
1901 Chouteau Ave.
St. Louis, MO 63103
314-621-3222
www.ameren.com

Ameren Illinois (Serves Illinois)
300 Liberty
St. Peoria, IL 61602
309-677-5271
www.ameren.com

Other Electric Power Suppliers

Clinton County Electric Cooperative (Serves Clinton County)
475 North Main St. Breese, IL 62230
618-526-7282
www.cceci.com

Cuivre River Electric Cooperative (Serves parts of Lincoln, Warren and St. Charles Counties)
1112 East Cherry
Troy, MO 63379
636-528-8261
www.cuivre.com

Monroe County Electric Co-Operative (Serves Monroe County)
6312 State Route 3
Waterloo, IL 62298
618-939-7171
www.mcec.org

Southwestern Electric Cooperative (Serves parts of Bond, Clinton, Madison and St. Clair Counties)
525 US Route 40
Greenville, IL 62246
800-637-8667
www.sweci.com

Water and Sewer

City of St. Louis Water (Serves the City of St. Louis)
1640 S. Kingshighway
St. Louis, MO 63110
314-633-9000
www.stlwater.com

Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District
2350 Market St.
St. Louis, MO 63103-2555
314-768-6260
www.stlmsd.com

Missouri American Water (Serves St. Louis and St. Charles Counties)
727 Craig Road
St. Louis, MO 63141
866-430-0820
www.amwater.com/moaw

Illinois-American Water Co. (Serves Madison and St. Clair Counties)
300 North Water Works Drive
Belleville, IL 62223
800-422-2782
www.amwater.com/ilaw/

Natural Gas Providers

Ameren Illinois (Serves the Illinois portion of the region)
300 Liberty
St. Peoria, IL 61602
309-677-5271
www.ameren.com

Spire Energy (Serves the Missouri portion of the region)
720 Olive St.
St. Louis, MO 63101
314-621-6960
www.spireenergy.com

Telecommunications

St. Louis has exceptional internet backbone and fiber capacity from over 40 national and regional carriers.

View Average Speeds

Worship

St. Louis hosts vibrant religious communities including Christian, Jewish, Muslim and Hindu houses of worship, among others. Explore the many faith traditions represented at SLU and area houses of worship. Explore the many faith traditions represented at SLU or view a growing list of congregations that serve the Black/African American community in St. Louis and the region.

Resources for International Relocations

The International Faculty and Staff Association (IFSA) of Saint Louis University assists international staff and faculty with work-related (e.g. immigration, SLU resources) and personal affairs (e.g. doctor,  housing), and organizes networking opportunities to celebrate the cultural diversity of our community.

IFSA Mission

  • To pursue a nurturing and supportive environment for individuals from around the world so that they can successfully work and thrive at Saint Louis University.
  • To enhance diversity in the SLU community and to celebrate the richness of a multicultural environment both on campus and in the local community.
  • To foster fairness and social justice for the multicultural environment that surrounds the University.
  • To emphasize the importance of raising awareness of varying intellectual perspectives, developing cultural sensitivity, and working collaboratively with individuals from the University as well as other non-SLU organizations.

IFSA Goals

  • To foster diversity, dialogue and cooperation across cultures, nationalities, races and ethnicities
  • To create a forum for faculty and staff who have multicultural interests
  • To provide networking opportunities, social exchange, and resources
  • To promote the welfare of faculty and staff who share an international background
  • To appreciate the cultural diversity of faculty and staff who share an international background
  • To collaborate with other institutions, both locally and globally, on areas of mutual interest.

We welcome all SLU faculty and staff who share an international background or an interest in and appreciation of other cultures. Internal users can access the IFSA's Google site. If you have any questions for the IFSA (whether or not you are a current SLU employee), please contact them at ifsa@slu.edu.