Ballwin offers a suburban atmosphere that shuns the mundane. Instead, this community just over 20 miles west of St. Louis is surrounded by attractions, whether someone wants to go hiking in the area’s Castlewood State Park, golfing at the municipal course, thrill seeking at Six Flags or exploring at the interactive Magic House children's museum. All-ages recreation is readily available, whether outdoors or indoors. “There’s so much to do, and so much going on,” Realtor and St. Louis-area native Maggie Bradford of Keller Williams Realty West. “People are always trying to find more things to do.” This city of about 31,000 provides residents with their own selection of close-by spots for shopping and dining and is just south of Interstate 64, a quick connection to the amenities of St. Louis. Homeownership here is high, and there’s a wide mix of options to choose from, too.
Ballwin is a comfortable, calm suburb of St. Louis.
Ballwin is a suburb rich in parks and schools.
Perfect your swing at Ballwin Golf Course.
Roller coaster excitement at Six Flags St. Louis, located near Ballwin MO.
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Green space is ingrained in this area
Castlewood State Park spans more than 1,800 acres just 4 miles south of Ballwin’s core. “It’s a great park,” Bradford says. “Lots of greenery.” The park features multiple trails, open to not just hiking and biking but also horseback riding. The Castlewood Loop Trail is one of the longest at the park at more than 5 miles and is known in part for being a good stretch for bird watching. Part of the 229-mile Meramec River runs by Castlewood, too, providing opportunities for anglers to catch bass, bluegill, catfish and more. Residents who want to stay a bit closer to home have the 31-acre Vlasis Park in the middle of town. Vlasis has two fish-filled ponds of its own, tennis courts, a ball field, a sand volleyball court and a playground that’s in the process of being replaced by one with features that make it inclusive for kids with a range of abilities. The city also has the Ballwin Golf Course, a 9-hole municipal course that hosts a bevy of tournaments annually. Locals can enjoy outdoor attractions as weather allows — the area is known to experience each of the four seasons, from warm summers to snowy winters. The average high temperature in June is 80 degrees, and the city averages about 19 inches of snow annually. Also, like much of the Midwest, the area is at risk of tornadoes, particularly during the spring. The Magic House is an indoor option that kids love, Bradford says, just 10 miles east in St. Louis. It's where they can climb a Jack and the Beanstalk sculpture or create a gadget from recycled materials in the STEAM Center.
Hike or bike Castlewood State Park and the trails surrounding the Meramec River.
Walk your dog on the paved trails through Vlasis Park.
Take in the views at the Vlasis Park duck pond in Ballwin.
Unwind at the scenic pond at Vlasis Park in Ballwin.
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Quiet neighborhoods full of diverse choices
Ballwin’s homes date back to the mid-20th century, but many have been well-kept, regardless of age. And those who want modern options have plenty to choose from as well — there are a lot of houses in town built from the 1990s and on, most situated on the city’s south side. Ranch-style houses and New Traditional options are the most prevalent architectural styles. Properties tend to come with yard space. Homes in Ballwin are selling for just over $400,000 on average, which is about $100,000 more than the average for St. Louis and is up 7% year over year. But homes sell after just 23 days on the market on average, more than 20 days quicker than the national average. The homeownership rate in Ballwin is 83.9%, compared to the statewide ownership rate of 68.8%. Also, Ballwin is considered relatively safe with a population-adjusted violent crime rate of 38.1 per 100,000 people, according to the FBI's Crime Data Explorer. That is significantly less than the city of St. Louis’ rate of 227.1 and the state of Missouri’s rate of 121.8 during the same period.
Rows of Colonial Revival homes can be found on Ballwin's tree-lined streets.
Traditional style homes with brick accents bring a classic architectural feel to Ballwin.
Rows of ranch homes can be found on tree-lined streets in Ballwin.
Ballwin has many classic Colonial Revival style homes.
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Health care has a major footprint
Ballwin is largely suburban, but the wider St. Louis area is known to have numerous jobs in industries such as health care and manufacturing. In fact, according to the 2024 Missouri Economic Report, health care and social assistance accounted for more than 190,000 jobs in the region in 2023 and manufacturing accounted for almost 100,000. Ballwin is close to three major hospitals — the 460-bed St. Luke’s Hospital, the 422-bed Missouri Baptist Medical Center and the 859-bed Mercy Hospital St. Louis — all within 9 miles. Services at St. Luke’s and Missouri Baptist range from cancer care to neurology. Mercy Hospital has four intensive care units. Also, with half a dozen major railroad services running through it, St. Louis is considered one of the country’s largest railroad hubs. This contributes to the area's manufacturing and distribution center jobs.
St. Louis' top-notch healthcare is within 9 miles of Ballwin.
Many Ballwin residents are employed by St. Louis' healthcare hub.
Ballwin is close to three major hospitals, all within 9 miles.
Ballwin boasts top-notch healthcare facilities.
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Shopping and dining are easy to find
Manchester Road bisects Ballwin, a central thoroughfare where residents can find many of the city’s commercial amenities. The list includes a mix of chain restaurants, plus local favorites. Manchester Road, also known as Missouri Route 100, has a variety of big box stores as well. The Olde Towne Plaza shopping plaza here includes Lowe's and Marshalls, and Central Plaza has Ross Dress for Less and Five Below.
Pick up groceries at Schnucks, which is conveniently located off Manchester Road.
Find all your grocery needs at Ballwin's local Schnucks store.
Unique finds and charming shops await in Olde Towne Plaza, Ballwin.
Find crafty inspiration in Ballwin.
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Roller coasters and craft beer
Six Flags St. Louis is less than 15 miles southwest of Ballwin. “Six Flags is super fun, and they have seasonal events,” Bradford says. Fright Fest is one of Six Flags’ major annual events, offering haunted houses, an oddball funhouse, after-dark rides and more from mid-September to early November. Ballwin Days Festival has been held yearly since 1978. The festival unites the community for a weekend of community fun over the summer. It’s traditionally held in Vlasis Park and features amusement rides, food and music. Vlasis Park is also home to the Ballwin Craft Beer Festival, a local favorite that includes live music and unlimited tasting.
Thrills await Ballwin residents at Six Flags St. Louis.
Make memories at Six Flags St. Louis, just a short drive from Ballwin.
The Mudmen, a renowned Celtic rock band from Canada played at the Scottish Festival.
In Vlasis Park, Ballwin, you'll find sculptures, a playground and several sports facilities.
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Getting around Ballwin
While Ballwin isn’t filled with noisy interstates, getting around isn’t too tough. Route 100 is the city’s busiest road. It’s where residents can find MetroBus stops, which provide routes into St. Louis and around the city. Interstate 64 is 5 miles north of Route 100 and can take drivers straight into St. Louis, a 22-mile trip. St. Louis Lambert International Airport is about 20 miles away northeast of Ballwin and offers domestic and international flights, with direct flights to more than 70 destinations. Spirit of St. Louis Airport is closer to the city, less than 9 miles away, but is a general aviation facility that doesn’t offer commercial flights.
Parkway and Rockwood districts are well-regarded
Students on the east side of Ballwin are covered by the 17,000-student Parkway School District and those on the west side are served by the 19,400-student Rockwood School District. Rockwood has an A-plus rating on Niche and average student-teacher ratios of 16-to-1, while Parkway is A-rated and carries student-teacher ratios of 15-to-1. Both districts have multiple schools that have earned National Blue Ribbon status. Rockwood’s A-plus-rated Lafayette High is ranked No. 3 on Niche’s list of the best public high schools in Missouri and has a wide range of extracurricular activities, from an anime club to a robotics group. The A-rated West Middle, in the Parkway system, is fifth on Niche’s ranking of the top public middle schools in the state and has an active PTO supporting several school fundraisers. There are three private schools in the area with kindergarten through eighth grade, including St. John School, which emphasizes personalized learning.
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