O'Fallon, Missouri
A suburb located outside of St. Louis, O'Fallon offers a quaint, family-friendly feel just off a bend in the Mississippi River. Home prices were about $222,821 as of 2018, and 80% of residents are homeowners. The unemployment rate for the county was a low 2.5% as of 2018.
Looking to explore some history? Visit the Log Cabin Museum, a 9/11 Memorial, and Zumwalt's Fort from the War of 1812. Local spots like Ethyl's Smokehouse & Saloon show off O'Fallon's enviable barbecue skills.
The country's longest recreational trail, the Katy Trail, runs a total of 240 miles and meanders straight through O'Fallon. Plus, you can walk in the footsteps of Lewis and Clark on their namesake trail that begins in St. Louis. Lake fanatics can boat and fish in nearby Lake Saint Louis, or make the longer 3-hour trek to Party Cove on Lake of the Ozarks for a more action-filled day on the water. — Chloe Wilt