Photo by Kevin A. Roberts
Hipsters of St. Louis, unite! And they do—in Maplewood, apparently.
A study done by Yelp and realtor.com ranks the eclectic St. Louis neighborhood No. 14 out of 50 on a list of the "hottest hipster markets in America." What does that mean, exactly? According to the study, these cities across the country have the most in-demand housing markets "with the highest concentrations of 'hipster' businesses for home buyers looking to embrace indie culture."
On the list, Maplewood outranks such places at Denver, Minneapolis, and Eugene, Oregon.
"Whether it's the farm-to-table restaurants or urban renewal projects that were already underway, a concentration of hipsters seems to be an indicator of a hot housing market," said Javier Vivas, director of economic research for realtor.com, in a statement.
See also: The story of Maplewood's turnaround
The study says the cities on this list, including Maplewood, have a low or average unemployment rate and that millennials (ages 25–34) make up an average of 22 percent of the population. Yelp data indicates that the use of the word "hipster" on its site occurs on pages for such businesses as music venues, dive bars, restaurants, barbers, and vinyl record shops.
It's no surprise Maplewood ranks high on the list, with its abundance of small businesses dotting Manchester and Sutton—from Strange Donuts, The Muddled Pig Gastropub, Larder & Cupboard, The Book House, self-pour bar Tapped, to SLM best new restaurant inductee Reeds American Table. Add in a celebrated brewery (lookin' at you, Schlafly Bottleworks) and affordable real estate, it's no wonder St. Louisans—hipster or not—adore Maplewood.
