Barnhart is a community with new homes and conveniences
Barnhart marries the conveniences of St. Louis with the lower taxes of an outlying county. The unincorporated community in Jefferson County lies roughly 25 miles south of the city of St. Louis, but it’s still awash with new home construction, organized subdivisions and enough creature comforts that a delicious meal or a grocery run is never more than 5 miles away. Plus its location along Interstate 55 means it’s a straight shot to the office buildings, sports stadiums and cultural hot spots of St. Louis.
Barnhart exudes suburban feel
Barnhart is found beyond the more developed communities in St. Louis County. But make no mistake, there remains an abundance of winding subdivisions that give the community a suburban character. A major difference is the median lot size in Barnhart is 6,000 square feet bigger than what’s typical in southern St. Louis County; Realty Executives of St. Louis Broker and Barnhart resident Leslie Cheek says Barnhart feels “less cluttered” compared to the communities to its north. Barnhart’s existing three-bedroom homes, such as ranch and split-level styles built in the ‘90s, are priced in the high $200,000s. Home shoppers interested in three-bedroom new construction will see prices ramp up to the high $300,000s and low $400,000s. Tack an extra bedroom onto that new build, and price tags are more likely to range from the high $400,000s up to the mid $700,000s for a house on a roomy 2-acre lot. Cheek says a benefit of living in Barnhart is cheaper entry-level home prices compared to southern St. Louis County. In fact, the median home price in the southern outlying regions of St. Louis County is $351,000, much more than Barnhart’s median price of $220,000.
Winsor School District meets educational needs
Children take classes in the Winsor School District, rated a B-plus by Niche. From prekindergarten through second grade kids stay in Barnhart to attend Freer Elementary, a National Blue Ribbon School awardee that Niche ranks the second-best elementary school in Jefferson County. After Freer Elementary Barnhart students head 3 miles north to the community of Imperial for the rest of their educational journey, starting with Windsor Intermediate Center. The B-plus-rated school for third, fourth and fifth graders lets students bring out their inner Robin Hood through the archery club; one Windsor archer was among the top scorers at the 2023 state archery tournament. Meanwhile Windsor Middle School gets a Niche grade of B-plus for its academics, and B-rated Windsor High School next door offers Advanced Placement courses that teens can utilize to get college credit in areas like art/design, psychology and computer science.
Ron Sanders Memorial Park offers a mix of activities
Plopped among the homes on Barnhart’s west side is a green reprieve known as Ron Sanders Memorial Park. Residents can cross the street to curl up under the park’s outstretched oak with a book, get a workout hiking along its hilly terrain or watch from their front porches as their kids play on the swing set.
Food options include smash burgers and custard
Barnhart is home to a handful of locally operated eateries like Ginny’s Kitchen & Custards, a community staple since it opened in the ‘80s. A giant ice cream cone on a pole in the parking lot beckons customers inside, where ground chuck smash burgers and creamy custard await. Pick up groceries and fresh-sliced deli meat at Karsch’s Village Market, a family-owned grocer on the north side of Barnhart. For big-box shopping options like Target, Walmart or Home Depot, an 8-mile ride north to the city of Arnold unlocks a larger retail selection.
Photography Contributed By
Dana Dieckmann
