Situated just outside St. Louis, St. Charles County has been the fastest-growing county in Missouri for decades. Dardenne Prairie reflects that growth. At 12,700 people, this community is far from the largest city in the county, but the population has nearly tripled since 2000. The housing inventory is markedly modern with many homes only dating to the 1990s. Residents have access to highly rated schools across three districts and are just about 40 miles from the downtown St. Louis. “St. Charles County has grown quite a bit in the last 20 years or so,” says EJ Sansone, a real estate broker, developer and investor with Reisch Sansone Properties. “I grew up in West County, in Chesterfield, just across the river and growing up if you went to Dardenne Prairie there wasn’t much there. I think just with the growth in the area St. Charles County has seen a lot of more recent growth, so the housing stock is newer.”
Most of Dardenne Prairie's neighborhoods are less than 20 years old.
New Traditional homes are the most popular style of house in Dardenne Prairie.
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Developments like Inverness and The Courtyards attract interest
Dardenne Prairie is full of suburban-style subdivisions with winding streets lined with spacious new traditional-style homes — many are well over 2,000 square feet. Lots are roomy, too, often at least three-tenths of an acre. Traditional single-family houses sell for anywhere from $225,000 to $1.2 million, and condos are available for $185,000 to $435,000. The median list price is about $519,000, which is more than nearby cities like O’Fallon and St. Peters. Still, listings tend to sell relatively quickly. Sansone saw that in The Courtyards at BaratHaven, a subdivision he helped develop. “That’s a 47-home luxury villa development that we started in 2022, and it’s nearly sold out,” Sansone says. “So new homes are selling well, new construction is doing well. Land is becoming more scarce, so there’s not a whole lot of opportunity for new construction. But all the new construction projects that have come online in the last five years have been wildly successful.”
Modern Farmhouses can be found in The Courtyards of BaratHaven in Dardenne Prairie.
The winding streets of Inverness are home to most of Dardenne Prairie's ranch style homes.
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Jobs around St. Charles and St. Louis are close by
Healthcare is one of the largest industries within Dardenne Prairie, thanks in part to the SSM Health system, which operates a physical therapy facility. The system includes the 329-bed SSM Health St. Joseph Hospital, located 17 miles away in the city of St. Charles. Dardenne Prairie residents also have access to opportunities across the rest of St. Charles County and the greater St. Louis region, home to seven Fortune 500 companies, including Edward Jones. “I think to the extent people want to live in St. Charles County, there are plenty of job opportunities and it’s not necessary to commute,” Sansone says. “But there are people that want to live in St. Charles County for the benefits of the newer housing stock and a family friendly place to live, who do commute to St. Louis County and St. Louis city.”
SSM Health is one of Dardenne Prairie's largest employers with locations across St. Louis.
Businesses like Edward Jones employ hundreds of Dardenne Prairie residents across town.
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From BaratHaven Park to City Hall Park, there are outdoor attractions large and small
While mostly residential, five city parks total almost 180 acres. BaratHaven Park is one of the largest at 94 acres and includes a lake that’s used for fishing, kayaking and canoeing. Though small, City Hall Park has an amphitheater and hosts events including a free summer concert series from May to August and Prairie Day, an annual festival with dozens of vendors, activities for kids and fireworks. “All of the cities that are in St. Charles County have done a great job of developing parks and holding green space,” Sansone says. “I’ve got small kids, so we do that frequently. There are a lot of family-friendly businesses and things to do.” That includes indoor activity centers like Play Street Museum, which is 16 miles away in St. Louis and has an indoor playground that can come in handy in a region where the weather can be fickle. “We get all the seasons. We have hot summers and cold winters,” Sansone says. “We usually get a few snow storms. The fall and spring are typically pretty mild.”
Find peace through the windy trails of BaratHaven Park in Dardenne Prairie.
Local bands, such as Trixie Delight, take the stage at City Park in Dardenne Prairie.
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Dardenne Town Square is a retail hub
Dardenne Prairie’s primary commercial center is the Dardenne Town Square, a plaza with a Schnucks grocery store, a movie theater and more. The WingHaven Centre in neighboring O’Fallon is close and has a Walgreens plus a couple of local eateries including Blue Sky Cafe & Bar, whose martinis are popular.
Get all your shopping done at Dardenne Town Square in Dardenne Prairie.
The Town Square 12 is the go to movie theater for residents of Dardenne Prairie.
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Three school systems share A Niche rating
The Wentzville, Fort Zumwalt and Francis Howell school districts serve different parts of Dardenne Prairie, but all boast A grades on Niche. Wentzville has a career pathway program for high-school students with tracks in arts and communications, business and global studies, health and human services, and STEM. Zumwalt offers an apprenticeship program and Francis Howell operates an Early College Program with Saint Charles Community College, which has a campus in Dardenne Prairie.
The Fort Zumwalt North High School football team is one of the best in Dardenne Prairie.
Francis Howell High School serves the Dardenne Prairie area and beyond..
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Interstate 70 and Route 364 lead to St. Louis
Drivers in Dardenne Prairie have quick access to Interstate 70 and Missouri Route 364. Both are options for trips toward the St. Louis Lambert International Airport, 23 miles away, and Downtown St. Louis.
Crime
Dardenne Prairie is covered by the St. Charles County Police Department. According to Missouri State Highway Patrol, the agency saw a 31% increase in violent crime from 2023 to 2024 and an increase in multiple categories of property crime over the same time period, according to the
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