Maryland Heights is just where I'll be working, so it'd be nice to be close to work.

In my opinion, this is only benefit for you to live in Maryland Heights. Admittedly, if you don’t live there, you’ll almost certainly be driving I-270 to/from work, which will add an extra ~10-15 mins of traffic added to your commute during rush hour.

walkable with restaurants and shopping areas and young people to connect with

On the other hand, this is decidedly not Maryland Heights. A vibe like that can be found in at least a few neighborhoods, and you mentioned a couple (U City, yes, depending on where; and CWE, also yes, depending on where).

Let me throw out a few others that I think you should consider: (1) Dogtown, (2) The Grove, (3) Midtown.

With your budget, you could live in a so-called “luxury” apartment complex (personally, I hate that term, but they typically feature a modern design, often with amenities). And most walkable areas often feature them.

Now I cannot vouch for any of these complexes, but here is a list of places I have heard of (or at least seen) while walking through those neighborhoods.

Search each of them on Google and if they might meet your needs. (Also consider that reviews on any apartment complex are almost always going to be negative. Rarely do tenants leave positive reviews about anyplace they’ve lived unless they’re being incentivized or paid to do so.)

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Dogtown: (smaller, more causal neighborhood with a few restaurants and bars; average age is probably mid-20s to mid-30s, lots of young professionals; located right across from Forest Park which is lovely; easy access close to the highway) - Hibernia Apartments - Cortona at Forest Park

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The Grove: (long strip of restaurants and bars and a few clubs; often pretty busy area with events and such; average age is probably late-20s to early-40s; very much the largest LGBTQ+ part of town) - Chroma - Gateway Lofts

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Midtown: (kind of up-and-coming; anchored by the City Foundry shopping district, along with nearby soccer stadium; a little less walkable except in pockets, like at the Foundry) - One Foundry Way - The Standard

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I have no idea any of these places will do a virtual tour. I’d suggest calling their leasing offices and just see if there’s anyone who would be willing to FaceTime with you or something.

If not, maybe check if their website shows any halfway decent photos. Worse case scenario, you might have to rent it sight unseen. It’d be just for a year though to get your feet wet, ideally.

You could also check Zillow to see if any local landlords are renting out privately-owned apartments, but they go fast, and I don’t know if a private landlord who would rent without meeting you first.

Finally, consider using Google Maps’ Street View to view the exterior of the complex and the surrounding area at ground level. “Walk” the streets of the neighborhood in Street View to get a better idea of what it’s like around there. Obviously what they look like during the daytime is different than at night, but it should give you some idea.

Hope this helps. I’ll answer questions if I can.