Is Saint-Louis dangerous, what are the neighborhoods to avoid in Saint Louis? These are the questions you are asking yourself to prepare for your next stay in the 2nd largest city in Missouri.
As in many cities in North America, South America or Europe , nowadays it is more prudent to find out in advance which neighborhoods to avoid when choosing where to stay.
It is the objective of this article which can guide you in the choice of neighborhoods for your next stay in Saint Louis. In addition, to better identify the good places and the dangerous areas, you will have a map with the main districts of Saint Louis.
This article was written in 2024 by investigating the web, forums, blogs, local press and taking into account rankings and statistics. It is therefore a simple synthesis of data without any judgment or discrimination.
Is St. Louis safe in 2024?
Thetelegraph.com and Fox2now.com mention that, according to a report from realestate.usnews.com, Saint Louis was ranked the 4th most dangerous city in the United States 3 years ago.
“ St. Louis ranked fourth most dangerous place to live in America ”
But what about today in 2024?
According to rankings and newspaper articles, St. Louis will still be among the most dangerous cities in the United States in 2024. This is according to the WorldPopulationReview ranking , where St. Louis appears as the 5th most dangerous city in the United States.
Another ranking which confirms that Saint-Louis is a dangerous city is the Numbeo 2024 ranking of the most criminal cities in the United States. In this ranking, the index of 70.24 positions Saint Louis 5th most criminal city in the USA.
Compared to other American cities, in 2024 St. Louis would have a higher crime rate than Houston , Chicago , Philadelphia or Atlanta.
How dangerous is St. Louis?
To find out how dangerous Saint-Louis is, we can compare it with other major cities in the world.
For example, Statistica.com's Ranking of the most dangerous cities in the world reveals that St. Louis is the 7th most dangerous city in the world.
And, according to the Numbeo.com global ranking , Saint-Louis is in 32nd position at the top of the list of the most crime-ridden cities in the world.
This table shows that Saint-Louis is more dangerous than Mexico City , Bogota , Buenos Aires or Catania.
Is Saint-Louis safe for tourists?
Tourists can visit St. Louis but should exercise extreme caution and avoid certain dangerous areas and neighborhoods in St. Louis (see below).
In 2024, the French government recommends that travelers particularly avoid the northern district between the airport and the city center. See more information on the France Diplomatie website.
Neighborhoods of Saint-Louis map
The city of Saint Louis is made up of 79 districts, a complete list of which can be found on Wikipedia . These districts are themselves divided into sub-districts. Therefore, it's difficult to pinpoint their exact location.
To better locate dangerous neighborhoods in Saint-Louis and the best areas to stay: Map of main neighborhoods
The 10 most dangerous neighborhoods in Saint-Louis
According to statistics and rankings ( areavigbes or crime grade ), here are the 10 most dangerous neighborhoods in Saint Louis:
- Peabody-Darst-Webbe
- Wells Goodfellow
- Old North Saint Louis
- Academy
- Hamilton heights
- The City
- Walnut Park
- Bathtubs
- Hyde Park
- Jeffvanderlou
Neighborhoods to avoid in Saint-Louis
By cross-checking a lot of information and data from the Web, here are the other neighborhoods to avoid for tourists even if their crime rate is lower than the neighborhoods mentioned above:
- Tower Grove South
- dutchtown
- Downtown
- carondelet
- College Hill
Safe neighborhoods to stay in Saint-Louis
The safest areas of Saint-Louis would be located in the South area of the city (South City), more particularly in the Southwestern part of South City.
Some of the safest neighborhoods in Saint-Louis include:
- Princeton Heights
- Clifton Heights
- St. Louis Hills
- Southampton
- Northampton
- Lindenwood Park
These neighborhoods had the lowest per capita crime rates compared to other neighborhoods in the city. This does not mean that they are safe, but that they are simply less dangerous than others.
Best areas to stay for tourists
For tourists who want to visit Saint-Louis or to spend a few holidays there, the best areas to stay are:
- Midtown
- Grand Center
- Central West End
- Forest Park
- Drunkard
- The Loop (Delmar Loop)
Where to stay to visit Saint-Louis?
When visiting Saint Louis, you naturally want to find a hotel close to the main attractions. But keep in mind that in Saint Louis, you can venture a little further from the city center because the metro provides quick access to all the tourist sites.
Is Downtown St. Louis safe for tourists?
The city center, which is the most touristy area, is one of the districts which record a high rate of crimes and misdemeanors. However, there are two central districts in Saint Louis: Downtown and Downtown West and insecurity is not present everywhere. It is simply located in certain streets or areas.
However, Downtown Saint-Louis is the best area for tourists who want to visit emblematic sites such as the monumental Gateway Arch, the historic Basilica of Saint Louis (King of France) and the old courthouse. This is the perfect place to admire the boats going up and down the Mississippi. In addition, this is the area where there are the most hotels.
As a result, tourists who wish to stay in the city center will have to exercise caution and avoid certain deserted or isolated or poorly lit streets at night.
Choosing a good, safe hotel among the many hotels in downtown St. Louis isn't easy. The one I can recommend is right next to Gateway Arch, across from Gateway Arch National Park and the Mississippi River: the Hyatt Regency Saint Louis at The Arch
Grand Center safe and pleasant neighborhood for tourists
Grand Center is located between downtown St. Louis and Forest Park. Its location is very convenient as it is quite close to the center and in the heart of entertainment, restaurants, bars, entertainment and cultural attractions.
By staying at Grand Center, you can also visit the International Photography Hall of Fame Museum, the Museum of Contemporary Art, the Saint Louis University Art Museum, the Pulitzer Arts Foundation or take a walk at the SLU Dog Park & Sculpture Garden.
The entertainments are numerous there like for example the Fox Theater, Kranzberg Arts Center, the Powell Hall.
Where to stay in Grand Center Saint-Louis?
Here is a very original hotel located in the safe area of Grand Center. It is located 300 meters from the Fox Theater, next to the Sheldon Concert Hall and Art Galleries, the Contemporary Art Museum and very close to many other tourist attractions in Saint-Louis.
The hotel I recommend is the Angad Arts Hotel with its amazing rooftop:
