As more families look beyond the suburbs and toward semi-rural towns, one St. Louis-area family says their own search ended differently. The writer says they nearly joined the exurb trend, which recent Census data suggests is growing, but ultimately chose a walkable part of the city instead.
The family had seriously considered relocating to a small town outside the suburban ring. In 2019, they even bought an off-grid home, reflecting the appeal many buyers see in quieter communities with more space and distance from conventional suburban development.
But after weighing what daily life would actually look like, they found that a walkable city neighborhood was a better fit for raising a family. Rather than prioritizing a semi-rural setting, they came to value the convenience and rhythm of a place where everyday needs are closer at hand.
Their story highlights a broader housing debate facing many parents: more space and a slower pace in an exurb, or easier day-to-day movement in a city neighborhood. In this case, the family says the walkable option proved to be the right one, even though they once believed a small town outside St. Louis would be ideal.
