More and more families are choosing to move to semi-rural communities and developments outside the suburbs, according to 2025 Census data. My family almost did, too.
In 2019, we bought an off-grid house on 40 acres in northern New Mexico. Then, in 2021, our son was born, and after a traumatic postpartum experience, we decided to move back to the St. Louis area, where my wife is from.
At first, we thought we wanted land and space. We figured that even an acre or two would allow us to stretch out and feel close to nature, all while enjoying the benefits of living near a city.
We ended up landing on something else entirely.
Surprisingly, we fell in love with a neighborhood in the city
John Serbell
We drove to house showings down winding roads with no shoulders. We looked at properties that had the space we craved but felt isolated, and rows of identical houses in exurban subdivisions that looked like islands in a sea of highways.
We’d have space, yes, but we would be stranded without a car. We couldn’t get a sense of the community there, either — we hardly saw any kids playing outside in these neighborhoods, or anyone in their front yards at all.
After looking at nearly 30 houses, my wife asked, “Why not check out the city?”
I resisted the idea at first. Along with my concerns about not having much outdoor space, I felt that living farther outside the city would be the safer choice. Eventually, though, I agreed to at least look.
We decided to target a densely packed neighborhood of 100-year-old red-brick homes on the outskirts of a large city park, which we hoped would smooth the transition to a tiny yard.
The city was vibrant and alive in a way that the subdivisions we had looked at were not. We saw people walking, neighbors hanging out, and most of all, kids running around, biking, playing, and laughing. We fell in love.
We found a house in our price range that was just a block away from the park. Two months later, after closing out our lives in New Mexico, we packed up a U-Haul and drove 1,000 miles back to St. Louis.
Our neighbors welcomed us immediately, and we could walk everywhere
John Serbell
When we pulled up to our new block, the neighbors swarmed us. All the families with kids were clearly excited to welcome a new couple with a young child.
As it turned out, the lack of a big yard was hardly an issue. Instead of being trapped on a one-acre island, we had 289 acres of beautiful parkland out our front door, and access to a vibrant neighborhood.
Daily walks in the park quickly became our routine. We realized we could walk to a twice-weekly farmers market, playgrounds, splash pads, and community events. We started spending more time outside than ever before.
John Serbell
Soon, it became apparent that our SUV and pickup truck were overkill in the city, so we downsized to a minivan and an old Toyota Prius as a fuel-efficient second car. When the Prius developed an expensive electrical issue, we decided to give life with one car a shot.
Aside from the occasional inconvenience when our minivan needs work, we’ve barely missed having a second car. We’ve also saved hundreds on insurance premiums alone, and that’s not counting the money we would’ve spent on another car.
We’re fortunate enough to work from home, so the only commuting we need to do is driving our kids to school. Where we live makes things easier, though, because we can get to so many places — from grocery stores to restaurants to the library — on foot.
Not to mention, so many of our new friends’ houses are within walking distance. Our block alone has 15 kids under 13, and we spend many afternoons out front chatting with neighbors while the kids play.
The city gave us what we were looking for
I had anxieties about living in the city, but our walkable neighborhood has turned out to be the perfect place for us.
These days, I can go for a run through a huge park and miles of greenway trails before my family wakes up, and walk home past neighbors I know by name.
I’m glad that we gave the city a chance, and I’m grateful that St. Louis makes this kind of life possible for a family like ours.
