What counts as North, South, West and Mid St. Louis County?
ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Mo. - Home to nearly one million people, St. Louis County is Missouri's largest county by population.
Sometimes, when locals talk about St. Louis County, they use colloquial labels such as "North," "South," "West," or even "Mid" County.
These terms can help people understand where someone lives or where something is located, particularly in proximity to the City of St. Louis and major highways. For some, it may even help paint a picture of a landmark or connect with a friend or family member from that part of St. Louis County.
That said, the exact boundaries of where North, South, West and Mid County start and end can be a bit subjective. And some locals may take pride in identifying with one label over another, even if their location is close to two geographical parts of the county. As a result, documentation on these divisions is somewhat limited.
For context, in 2019, ABC Quality Moving & Storage, a St. Louis-area moving company, offered a rough guide for what constitutes North, South, West and Mid County:
- North St. Louis County: Any municipality touching or north of Interstate 70.
- South St. Louis County: Any municipality touching or south of Interstate 44.
- West St. Louis County: Any municipality touching or west of the north-south sections of Interstate 270.
- Mid St. Louis County: Any municipality generally between Interstates 70, 44 and 270, mostly with proximity to Interstate 64.
Based on these general guidelines, one could typically associate the following municipalities and unincorporated communities with the four labels.
North St. Louis County
Including but not limited to Bellefontaine Neighbors, Berkeley, Black Jack, Bridgeton, Ferguson, Florissant, Hazelwood, Jennings, Old Jamestown, Pine Lawn, Spanish Lake, St. Ann
South St. Louis County
Including but not limited to Affton, Concord, Crestwood, Green Park, Lemay, Marlborough, Mehlville, Oakville, Sappington, Sunset Hills
West St. Louis County
Including but not limited to Ballwin, Clarkson Valley, Chesterfield, Ellisville, Manchester, Twin Oaks, Wildwood, Winchester
Mid St. Louis County
Including but not limited to Brentwood, Clayton, Frontenac, Glendale, Huntleigh, Ladue, Maplewood, Olivette, Rock Hill, University City, Warson Woods
Adding to the debate of it all, there are several municipalities that could be considered cuspers for one particular label or another.
For instance, the north-south sections of I-270 cut through the cities of Creve Coeur, Des Peres, Maryland Heights, and Town and Country, leaving some wondering whether they should be considered West County or Mid County. Maryland Heights even briefly touches I-70 and could even be considered North County to an extent.
Similarly, the cities of Kirkwood, Shrewsbury and Webster Groves are all split by I-44. They may be associated as Mid County communities to many, though some might consider them South County.
Also, cities like Eureka, Fenton and Pacific are west of I-270, but are split by I-44, sometimes earning an even more unofficial label of "Southwest" County.
Additionally, several other municipalities, including Bel-Nor, Bel-Ridge, Overland, Pagedale, St. John and Wellston, sit south of I-70 but border communities that touch the interstate, so they may be more broadly considered part of North County.
Interestingly enough, there's no widely recognized "East" St. Louis County label, even for cities bordering the City of St. Louis, like Clayton, Richmond Heights and University City. They aren't particularly close to I-270, so they don't fit into the typical West County label either.
All in all, having labels such as "North," "South, "West," and "Mid" St. Louis County can be helpful when talking about St. Louis County. But there's always some room for debate over where each one really begins and ends.
