This article first appeared in the St. Louis Beacon, Aug. 2, 2012 - According to a recent report from Coldwell Banker, Clayton is the top place to live in Missouri for social seekers, “or those who are hip, trendy and fun at heart,” according to the press release. The report is the first in a series of five that looks at categories such as “suburbanites, adventure-seekers, leisure lovers and culture cravers.”
Nationally, the top cities included Manhattan, San Francisco, Chicago, Los Angeles and Seattle.
Coldwell Banker worked with Onboard Informatics for their analysis. Criteria that helped cities make the list include access to public transportation and varied restaurants, night life and coffee shops. The amount of money people in a city spent on entertainment was also a factor.
Here’s a look at Missouri’s top 10, with some census data from 2010 for a little added context.
Maplewood, which had the highest concentration of 25-44 year-olds in the region at 37 percent, was ranked 49th.
Clayton
Median age: 29.2 (down from 36.7 in 2000)
The Asian population in Clayton grew almost 139 percent from 2000, to more than 10 percent of the total population.
Homeownership rate (or percentage of homes occupied by the owner): 59.9
Clayton grew 24 percent from 2000 to 2010
The median household income from 2006 to 2010 was $87,756
Brentwood
Median age: 35 (down a hair from 35.6 in 2000)
Homeownership rate: 63.4 percent
Median household income was $65,456
9.5 percent of the population is foreign born
Crystal Lake Park
Median age: 47.9
Homeownership rate: 93.5 percent
2010 population: 470
Columbia
Columbia grew 28.4 percent from 2000 to 2010, adding people of every racial category, including people of two or more races, which grew 89 percent to represent 3 percent of the population.
Median age: 26.8
Homeownership rate: 48.5 percent
Median household income: $41,287
Warson Woods
Warson Woods is 97.8 percent white
Median age: 45.1
Homeownership rate: 97.8 percent
Glendale
Median age: 40.5
Homeownership rate: 94.5 percent
Median household income: $96,106
Glendale is 96.7 percent white
Richmond Heights
Richmond Heights lost about 10 percent of its population from 2000 to 2010, including 10 percent of its white population and 21 percent of its black population
Median age: 38.6
Homeownership rate: 56.9 percent
Median household income: $58,281
Kirkwood
Median age: 42.6
Homeownership rate: 77.5 percent
Median household income: $71,824
Kirkwood added 172 Asians, who now make up 1.4 percent of the population.
St. Louis
Median age: 33.9
Homeownership rate: 47.2 percent
Median household income: $33,652
St. Louis lost numbers for several population groups but added more Asians, now 2.9 percent of the population, people reporting two or more races, now 2.4 percent, and Hispanics, now 3.5 percent.
Creve Coeur
Median age: 44.3
Homeownership rate: 68.8 percent
Median household income: $94,852
Creve Couer grew 8.1 percent from 2000 to 2010, adding black residents, now 7 percent of the population, and Asians, now 10 percent of the population. 13 percent of the population is foreign-born.