St. Louis Top 29th Best Cities Report 2025: Top 100 U.S. Cities for Livability & Vibrancy

Discover the 10th annual Best Cities report, ranking the top 100 U.S. cities based on innovative statistics and local voices. This year, St. Louis reclaims its spot at No. 29 among America’s most vibrant and livable cities.

Discover America’s most vibrant and livable cities in 2025, from bustling urban hubs to hidden gems that balance economic opportunity, culture, and quality of life. Best Cities report, now in its 10th year, combines cutting‑edge statistical insights with heartfelt feedback from locals, visitors, and future residents to rank the Top 100 U.S. cities.

Methodology Americas

The list of the 100 most vibrant and livable cities is once again here, and this year, our beloved St. Louis has made a strong return, ranking at No. 29. Meanwhile, its neighbor Kansas City holds steady at No. 56. The top four cities are New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, and the smaller city of San Francisco. At the bottom of the list is El Paso, Texas.

Why St. Louis is so special?

St. Louis is special for its unique combination of affordability, world-class free attractions (including the top-ranked zoo, science center, and art museum), and rich history anchored by the 630-foot Gateway Arch. Known for passionate sports culture (Cardinals/Blues), iconic, diverse food (BBQ, gooey butter cake), and a distinct “city of neighborhoods” vibe, it offers big-city amenities with a close-knit feel.

Here is what they had to say about St. Louis:

St. Louis still offers one of the planet’s easiest on‑ramps to homeownership—owners here spend just 22% of income on housing, a steal next to the U.S. average of 36%. It’s a big part of why the city ranks #13 in our Housing Affordability subcategory and why talent and capital are pouring in. Especially as the $1.7‑billion National Geospatial‑Intelligence Agency HQ begins its phased move‑in this fall, bringing 3,100 high‑skill jobs and a catalytic innovation district to North City. This is on top of an already solid #16 ranking in our Large Companies subcategory.

Downtown, the $256‑million AC Next Gen expansion wraps in late 2025, adding 72,000 square feet of exhibit space, a river‑facing outdoor plaza and a 61,000‑square-foot ballroom—fuel for the region’s record $5.8‑billion visitor spend in 2024. The parks renaissance continues: the Brickline Greenway is building out its Market Street connection to CityPark and Harris‑Stowe State University, stitching together 14 neighborhoods by 2030 and improving on the already impressive Top 20 walkability. Transit upgrades are next, although new Mayor Cara Spenser has just paused the $1.1‑billion north‑south MetroLink Green Line to assess its viability and competitiveness in the current political climate.

About Best Cities:

Since 2016, we’re a research-led partner to cities, regions, governments, and companies working to build more prosperous places. Our team of economists, data scientists, and urban analysts turns messy information into defensible KPIs and peer-benchmarked insight so leaders can see what’s working, what isn’t, and where to act next.

How We Help

• Economic Research & Analysis: holistic assessment across economic vitality, workforce, and a client-defined pillar.
• Data Strategy: KPI design, source auditing, and data architecture you can maintain.
• Decision Tools: transparent methods, structured datasets, and slides-ready scorecards with a concise executive readout.

Iconic and up-and-coming places trust us with their toughest questions because we deliver evidence over opinion: clear benchmarks, no slideware, no fluff.

Our annual Best Cities Reports remain among the most culturally influential rankings of urban destinations, regularly cited by mayors, governors, and media. They’re powered by our Place Power™ methodology, one of the most robust and comprehensive city benchmarking frameworks in use today. Tap into it today.

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