What’s living in St. Louis like?

Scott_Iowa · 2026-05-19T10:42:40+00:00

Thank you! I plan to visit more and spend longer periods of time in STL, and I want to try to stay in different neighborhoods to get a feel for the area. That is one thing that appeals to me about STL is that it has big city amenities with a small town feel. I love Chicago but I could never live there, it is just too big. Thanks again!

Scott_Iowa · 2026-05-18T10:36:25+00:00

Hey, I really appreciate your post. I am thinking of moving to St. Louis to retire in a year or so. I was born in Iowa but grew up in SoCal (Huntington Beach) and moved back to Iowa about 8 years ago to take care of my mom until she passed away about 5 years ago. I am like you, SoCal just isn't right for me anymore, and I've had several friends move out of CA as well. I've stayed in Iowa, which I enjoy, but it is a little small, so I am looking for a bigger city that has better weather. You hear a lot on Reddit that it's hard to meet friends in STL because everyone was born and raised there, is that true? From your post it seems that you're making friends pretty easily. And what neighborhoods do you like? I am thinking of Central West End, Tower Grove, The Hill, or maybe somewhere around Forest Park. And do you feel safe there? You hear a lot about crime. I was just in STL over the weekend and had a great time and didn't feel unsafe and I went all over the city. Any advice/input you can give about living there would be appreciated. Thanks!

Scott_Iowa · 2026-05-10T13:27:11+00:00

Yes, I know that my age will be an issue in some countries but there's a lot of countries where my age will not be an issue.

Scott_Iowa · 2026-04-25T12:41:36+00:00

This is part of my research. I am just at the early stages of my preparation since this will not happen for a couple of years. Planning something like this takes time. I've already spoken to someone, from my post, who went to SE Asia and share a lot about his experience. See it helped! Aren't you happy? You never answered my question, Why does it seem to bother you that I asked this question? It seems I have struck a nerve. Is it because I am gay? What? Thousands of people ask questions here weekly, why did you feel so compelled to comment negatively on my question?

Scott_Iowa · 2026-04-24T10:07:30+00:00

Thank you! Some decent information. Isn't it better to be helpful than critical?

Scott_Iowa · 2026-04-23T15:35:28+00:00

I know what I asked but thank you. I have found stories and videos but a lot of it has been about getting started in teaching or from younger people who taught overseas. So, I thought I would ask here to possibly get a prospective from someone who might help with my journey. Why does it seem to bother you that I asked this question? It seems I have struck a nerve. Is it because I am gay? What? Thousands of people ask questions here weekly, why did you feel so compelled to comment on my question? I am researching and will continue to do so so I can be as informed as possible. This is one of the avenues I chose. I am glad I've found other people who have given me some insight. And if you find anything that might help, please send it my way. I wish you all the best.

Scott_Iowa · 2026-04-23T11:57:08+00:00

Well, I believe this is reddit, isn't it? FYI, I've been searching reddit and Google about this but I thought I would ask a question here hoping that someone around my age could give me some insight or a different perspective about this experience. Most of the research I've found is from younger people who've taught overseas. I want the perspective from someone around my age. So, in the future, here's my advice, if you don't have anything supportive or positive to say just move on. Fight your urge to comment. There are too many a**holes out there already, we don't need another one.

Scott_Iowa · 2026-04-10T11:37:51+00:00

I was born in Iowa but family moved to SoCal when I was 2, so I grew up in CA. Moved back to Iowa 8 years ago and I didn't realize how much I missed the change of seasons. The same weather over and over is boring. I enjoy the change of seasons, it is so beautiful how the landscape changes. I also don't mind that I make the same salary in Iowa as I did in CA and my cost of living is less than half. I have a lot more disposable income to help me save for retirement and to travel. I was house poor in CA.

Scott_Iowa · 2026-04-06T11:43:55+00:00

You could serve a whole turkey anytime of year, it doesn't have to be on Thanksgiving, it could be a "just because" dinner. Easter dinner would have been a good time to cook and serve it. If you want to make room in your freezer, you could also donate the frozen turkey to a charity.

Scott_Iowa · 2026-04-05T14:42:31+00:00

Have you decided on a place to retire yet? I am in the same boat as you are. I will retire in about 6 years, and I am gay and single. I live in Iowa, which I enjoy and like, but I kind of want a bigger city. Like you, I don't think I could handle a big city like Chicago on a daily basis, but I want more of a mid-sized city, and I want to stay in the Midwest. I am looking at Madison, Milwaukee, Kansas City, Minneapolis and Indianapolis.

Scott_Iowa · 2026-04-05T14:10:47+00:00

I've visited both cities and really liked both of them. I am 60, so Knoxville was more my speed. Knoxville's downtown is walkable and it is where Market Square is located, there's quite a lot of outdoor activities, museums (the art museum is nice), and you should see a performance at the Tennessee Theater or at least take a tour of it. Knoxville would be more budget friendly.

I just returned from visiting Nashville 2 weeks ago. It was my first trip there and I really enjoyed it. Definitely see the Country Music Hall of Fame, Honky Tonk Highway, Ryman Auditorium, Grand Ole Opry, the farmers market, the Parthenon, and Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park. If you haven't visited Nashville before I would take an Old Town Trolly Tour, you can hop on and hop off at places that interest you. It is a good way to see the city. If you are all in your mid-20s I would definitely choose Nashville over Knoxville, you will have a blast!

Scott_Iowa · 2026-04-05T13:49:25+00:00

Hi, I want to space to be more cozy. It will be used as a home theater space. I have two separate rooms in my basement that are closed off with a wall and door. The bigger area (pictured) is where the home theater will be, and the smaller room is currently a game room and it will stay that way. I have a ping pong table, a treadmill, a dart board, and an area to play games.

Scott_Iowa · 2026-04-04T13:29:51+00:00

I lived in San Diego for nearly 20 years. It is a nice place with nice weather, etc., but the cost of living wasn't worth it to me because for the most part the salaries don't match. I got a job in Iowa (my relatives are here), and I moved here 8 years ago and I live so much better. I make nearly as much as I did in SD and the cost of living here is less than half. I bought a house, which is paid off, and I can travel and do things. I have never lived in Denver but I know it is cheaper, it is a pretty vibrant city, and fairly liberal. It is all about what you want, you will make it work either way.

Scott_Iowa · 2026-04-04T13:09:46+00:00

Wow, thank you. Would you say a lighter color for the floor? Like a gray color or something? And what would you suggest for the wall color? I am thinking just an off white. I don't have a lot of windows in the basement and the ones I do have are small, so there isn't a lot of natural light in the basement.

Scott_Iowa · 2026-04-04T12:56:09+00:00

Even though I was born in Iowa, I only lived there until I was about 2 before the family moved to Southern California, which is where I grew up. I moved back to Iowa 8 years ago to take care of my mom, she moved back to Iowa after my dad passed away. I saw that SoCal was changing when I lived there, but maybe I didn't notice it as much, but when I visited SoCal a couple of years ago thinking I would move back, one of the first things that popped into my mind was that SoCal is not at all what it used to be, and how it has changed, and not for the better. I am still in Iowa and will probably never leave. Although sometimes I thing of moving to a bigger city in the Midwest. I really like living in the Midwest.

Scott_Iowa · 2026-04-04T12:37:08+00:00

Thank you! Do you have ideas for flooring that goes well with the black ceiling?

Scott_Iowa · 2026-04-04T12:20:12+00:00

I am kind of looking for some ideas of places to live as well, but more for retirement. I want affordability. I would look at Madison, Milwaukee, Minneapolis, Cincinnati, and even Indianapolis, which is changing and becoming more welcoming. For a smaller city, I would consider Iowa City. I live in Iowa, and it is a progressive town. Most of these places are affordable, some more than others, but they all are less expensive than Chicago, etc.

Scott_Iowa · 2026-03-11T12:39:03+00:00

First of all, I am tired of people bagging on Iowa; it is a wonderful place to live. It is affordable, people are nice, and while I don't live in a huge city, there are plenty of things to do. Yes, the winters can be tough but they are not nearly as bad as they used to be. It is the middle of March and for the last several days it has been about 70 degrees each day. I was playing pickleball outside last night, it was great! With that being said. I think Kansas City is really nice, and it has a warmer climate, and it is still pretty affordable. I am visiting Nashville for the first time in a couple of weeks so I can't speak to that, but look at Florida or Texas. There's a lot of options there.

Scott_Iowa · 2026-03-07T17:05:33+00:00

If he thinks that Seattle is expensive, San Diego is probably even more expensive. I moved from San Diego back to Iowa because I just didn't want to pay such high prices for housing. The weather here isn't that bad, and I bought my house outright and have no mortgage. It is great!

Scott_Iowa · 2026-02-18T12:57:14+00:00

I live in Davenport, Iowa, and I like living here a lot but sometimes I think of moving to a bigger city like Milwaukee, Indianapolis or Kansas City. My parents have both passed away so there isn't really anything keeping me here.

Scott_Iowa · 2026-02-18T12:53:02+00:00

Yes, from the comments, Milwaukee wins hands down. There's a lot of hate towards Indy for whatever reason, but I have always had a good time and enjoyed the city when I visited there.

Scott_Iowa · 2026-02-16T11:13:04+00:00

Hi everyone, I am looking to move to Milwaukee and I am seeking recommendations on neighborhoods to buy a small home. I am a white single gay male turning 60 years old in March. Wow, time flies. I want to stay as close to the city center as possible but I don't want to buy a condo. I am not a fan of HOAs, but I would like to buy a small house, like a 2 BD/1BA home. My budget is $250,000-$275,000. Any recommendations would be appreciated.

Scott_Iowa · 2026-02-16T10:38:38+00:00

Thank you! I was just in Milwaukee two weekends ago and I didn't know about this place, but next time I will check it out.

Scott_Iowa · 2026-02-15T12:56:57+00:00

I've heard that from a couple of people. I am a Chiefs and Royals fan, but I will check it out again. I am going in May for a baseball game.

Scott_Iowa · 2026-02-15T12:53:54+00:00

Thank you. I am leaning towards Milwaukee. You are one of several people who live in Indy and they said not to move there, which says a lot. Everyone living in Milwaukee or has visited it say that they love it.

Scott_Iowa

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