The St. Louis region combines the career opportunities of a major urban center with the affordability and easy living of a much smaller town. Across the metro area, transplants can quickly make an impact, both in the community and in their own careers. After moving here from elsewhere, these St. Louisans from a range of backgrounds shared insights on some of the region’s most attractive qualities:
- Catherine Baez, a native of New York City, is director of family and school support at Navigate STL.
- Rishi Masalia, from California, is program director at 39 North Innovation District.
- Natalie Schur, a transplant from Portland, Oregon, is an occupational therapist with BJC HealthCare.
- Justen Coleman, who returned to St. Louis after living in Chicago, is director of business development at Centene Corporation.
- Wojtyla Moreira, who is from Brazil, is a quality manager at ICL Group.
- Julia Riebl, a native of Germany, is seeking new opportunities in St. Louis.
- Sophie Moss, a Maryland native, co-founded the St. Louis–based Sugarwitch ice cream shop.
What do you most appreciate about your life in St. Louis?
Baez: Coming from New York, I’m used to a bigger city, tall buildings, and massive crowds. Moving here has allowed me to slow down my pace, spend more time with my teenage daughter, and find a better work-life balance.
Masalia: I came here for work. I’m a plant scientist, and this is a huge region for plant science. There’s a running joke in the plant sciences that, at some point, your career will come to St. Louis because there are so many opportunities here.
Coleman: Being able to walk to the Gateway Arch is something that I don’t take for granted, and I absolutely feel safe downtown. My childhood was in St. Louis. Comparatively, Chicago does a better job with their downtown. It’s more of a national attraction. Here, we have a ways to go. But I see that we’re moving in the right direction.
Schur: I moved here for college and then back to Portland, Oregon. Then, I moved back to St. Louis for the second time. After college, I wasn’t sure where I wanted to go in life. When I went back home, I missed St. Louis. I love that everything’s so close here. It’s a very affordable city, and I love that all the different neighborhoods have something different.
Moreira: I’ve been here two years, and I’ve met some great people—especially in the international community. I have some family here, and I always feel welcome.
How have your perceptions of St. Louis changed?
Baez: When I made the decision to move here, all of my friends were like, “The Midwest? Really?” A lot of people told me St. Louis has crime. But so does New York. For me, St. Louis was like a blank slate. It’s been a pleasant experience.
Masalia: Before I moved here, all I had heard about St. Louis was that there’s a lot of plant-science stuff. Other than that, I didn’t know a lot about it. I didn’t know there was so much to do. I didn’t realize St. Louis is such a foodie town.
Riebl: People mentioned safety. There are some parts I would not want to stay in, but it was never one of my biggest concerns. The people here are friendly, and I still feel pretty safe. I’m in The Hill area, and I can go outside anytime. I don’t really have any safety issues there.
Moss: As a queer person, the question I got most often about moving to Missouri was, “Is that safe for you?” I didn’t have an answer for that. But St. Louis has the most vibrant queer community I’ve encountered. From a policy perspective at the state level, things are rough. But at the city level, in terms of our politicians and policy, things are very supportive.
Schur: I’ve also heard, “Oh, don’t go past that area,” or, “Stay away from downtown.” Going into those areas broke a lot of barriers for me.
How is St. Louis different from other places you’ve lived?
Coleman: As a young professional, I feel like opportunities are better in St. Louis. People should move here to allow their talent to grow. As a Black professional, I notice people leave and then they don’t return. I think that’s part of the challenge when I moved: how to find your way. Knowing that you’re in a smaller city that has ample investment.
Masalia: Everything is within a 15- to 20-minute drive. But the biggest difference is the cost of living. As a person who’s just starting out and never owned a house, it’s much easier to do here.
Moss: My wife is from the Bay Area. I’m from the Washington, D.C., area. Those are two very expensive places to live, let alone try to start a small business. With the low barrier to entry, things felt possible here. It was exciting.
Riebl: It was very hard at first, because I had a job back home, but St. Louis still has a direct flight to Germany. People make places. It’s a small city but big enough to have some very nice opportunities.
What do people outside St. Louis get wrong about St. Louis?
Moreira: I think the main concern is security. For us, being from Brazil, we were like, “Really? This doesn’t sound right. Let’s check it out.” Maybe there is an area I don’t know, but we haven’t seen anything strange.
Coleman: Coming from Chicago, there’s the perception that it’s just baseball and the Arch. There’s actually more. People are here as professionals in the city, and I have a lot of friends who are from here and work around here.
If you had to leave St. Louis tomorrow, what is the best memory you would take with you, or what you would miss most?
Masalia: A core memory of St. Louis is sitting on Art Hill in Forest Park and reading. It’s a great way to spend a Sunday morning.
Coleman: The community. People who are making a personal impact. St. Louis is my home, so if I had to move, it wouldn’t be a matter of my interests changing. It’s the location and the opportunity.
Schur: The people. I would also miss how close everything is. I can walk to everything I need. There are so many restaurants that I would have to say goodbye to.
Fill in the blank: St. Louis is a great place for people who _____.
Baez: Want a great work-life balance.
Moreira: Like friendly people.
Riebl: Enjoy canoeing. We have so many rivers, and it’s so much fun.
Moss: Want to create something. And eat ice cream.
What do you believe is important to communicate to people considering moving to St. Louis?
Baez: I always tell people how friendly everyone is. Everyone is so welcoming. They genuinely want to help you, see you progress, and plug you in.
Masalia: St. Louis is not the city you might think it is. We have a lot of stuff here, a lot of opportunities, whether that’s work or just making connections with people.
Riebl: I would say to come here, see the neighborhoods, and explore places that you really like.
Moreira: Be open. Just throw yourself out there. If you just move here and stay home, you won’t meet anyone. That’s kind of obvious. But it’s not that obvious when you move and you’re scared. You have to look for groups or volunteering opportunities.
Moss: Know what you want, and keep an open mind.
