Known as the Show Me State, Missouri is located on the Mississippi and Missouri Rivers. The state played an important role in transportation and commerce, which later led to the creation of the Gateway Arch in St. Louis. 

St. Louis, the second-largest city in the state, is located in the eastern-central portion of Missouri. It hosted the World’s Fair in 1904 and the Olympic games that same year. 

St. Louis remains known for its sports and blues music scene. In addition, the city is home to many growing businesses, including Barnes-Jewish Hospital, which was named one of the top twenty hospitals in the United States, according to U.S. News & World Report in 2018. 

To the west is the largest city in the state; Kansas City. Origins of the city date back to the early 1800s, when French fur traders arrived by the Missouri River. 

Today, the city is particularly known for its jazz and barbeque. In addition, Kansas City has also received world recognition for several projects, including the Block addition to the Nelson Atkins Museum of Art and the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts.

Approximately 44.9 % of the St. Louis’ population is Black or African American (Non-Hispanic),  44.5% is White (Non-Hispanic), 3.44% is Asian (Non-Hispanic), 2.54% Multiracial (Non-Hispanic), 2.33% White (Hispanic), 1.04% Other (Hispanic), 0.33% Multiracial (Non-Hispanic), 0.33% Black or African American (Hispanic), and 0.124% American Indian and Alaskan Native (Hispanic). 

The median age for residents in St. Louis is 36 and according to the United States Census from 2015-2019, about 88% of residents have graduated from high school and up to 36% of residents have earned a bachelor's degree or higher. 

Households in St. Louis City hold a median annual income of $47,176, with the most common industries in Health Care, Education, and Retail. 

Additionally, 56.4%  of Kansas City’s population is White (non-Hispanic), 25.9% is Black or African American (Non-Hispanic), 6% are White (Hispanic), 3.63% are other (Hispanic), 3.45% are multi-racial (Non-Hispanic), 2.37% is Asian (Non-Hispanic), 0.2%  is American Indian and Alaska Native (Non-Hispanic), 0.205% is Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander (Non-Hispanic), and 0.24% is Other (Non-Hispanic). 

The median age for residents in Kansas City is 35 and according to the United States Census from 2015-2019, about 90% of residents graduated from high school and up to 35% of residents have earned a bachelor’s degree or higher. Households in Kansas City hold the most common industries in Office and Administrative Support, Management, and Sales. A median annual income of $55,259.

At the geographical center of the U.S., this Missouri land receives warm air that originates from the Gulf of Mexico. At the same time, cold air may travel down to the state from Canada–making this an easy place to experience the spring, summer, fall, and winter. 

Spring in St. Louis can be wet. However, it’s not unusual to have a dry week or two, as well. Lastly, there can be some thunderstorms and severe weather conditions, but they do not last long. Summers may be warm and humid, but extremely hot days (with temperatures exceeding 100 degrees), are rare for this area. 

Cool temperatures in the fall and brisk winters without prolonged periods of intense snow or cold make it a good area to live. Records indicate that temperatures rarely drop below zero and snowfall averages a little over 18 inches per winter season. 

Kansas City’s weather is similar, though summers remain this state’s wettest season of the year–not spring. During the summer season, temperatures can be hot and wet. However, the warmest month of the year, July, just has an average temperature of about 78°F. 

Fortunately, the coldest month in Kansas City, January, is also quite mild, with an average of 29 °F. The wettest month is April for this land in Missouri. 

St. Louis and Kansas City have a lot to offer when it comes to education, whether you’re looking for a high school to a graduate program. 

In St. Louis, potential students have a wide range of schools to choose from. There are 17 public high schools in the St. Louis area. In addition, there are 46 private high schools. 

St. Louis also offers several great institutions for those pursuing a college degree or another form of higher education, including St. Louis University, St. Louis Community College, Washington University, and more. 

Kansas City has 7 public high schools and 73 public high schools in the area, with lots of institutions for higher education such as the University of Missouri-Kansas City Volker Campus, Rockhurst University, and more. 

Both places are exceptional areas of Missouri to live in. Here are the top three reasons you might want to visit and stay forever.  

1. Both areas have great food and drink to sample from. St. Louis is home to at least 65 different breweries and Kansas City has several great restaurants for barbeque. 

2. Both areas have lots of local attractions. Whether it’s spending a day out with your children or a romantic night on the town, there’s something for everyone in both of these cities. 

3. Both areas have great educational systems with a variety of high schools to choose from and several institutions for higher education.