Ellisville is a comfortable landing spot in the far-west St. Louis suburbs
Ellisville is a small but growing community in the outermost ring of St. Louis suburbs. Located almost 30 miles west of downtown St. Louis, it began transitioning from a rural to a residential community in the aftermath of World War II, with slow but steady development occurring over the past 70 years. Today, the city is known for its strong public schools, bustling retail scene and relative proximity to both St. Louis and larger outdoor areas. "You get some high-traffic areas along Manchester Road, but most of the residential areas are pretty quiet," says Realtor and lifetime St. Louis resident Daryl Holland of Coldwell Banker. "Homes here have gained a lot of value over the last few years; it's becoming a really popular landing place."
A mix of midcentury ranch-style homes and contemporary subdivisions
Ellisville's residential neighborhoods were developed in stages over the course of decades, which means a variety of housing styles can be found in the city. Neighborhoods gridded with midcentury ranch-style homes on quarter-acre lots sit next to '90s-era subdivisions of wooded cul-de-sacs lined with contemporary two-story homes. A wave of infill construction over the last 10 years has resulted in a growing inventory of modern homes scattered around the city. Condos can also be found throughout town, though most are close to central Ellisville. Most single-family homes sell for between $375,000 and $700,000, while condos can go for anywhere from $200,000 to $500,000.
Rockwell School District is one of the top districts in the state
The city is part of the Rockwood School District, which Niche rates as the third-best school district in Missouri. Ellisville Elementary and Crestview Middle School both have A grades on Niche, while Marquette High School has an impressive A-plus. Marquette High offers dual enrollment classes for college credit through St. Louis Community College, which has a campus in nearby Wildwood.
Bluebird Park is a major community hub
Bluebird Park, located just south of the city center, is a community hub. It's home to a dog park, a disc golf course and the city pool, and also connects to trails that run through the adjacent Klamberg Woods Conservation Area. On the south side of town, the Meramec Greenway connects to a semicompleted bike trail along the Meramec River that's proposed to run for 50 miles. Ellisville is also just 4 miles north of Castlewood State Park, which has more than 25 miles of hiking, biking and equestrian trails, many of which follow the bluffs along the Meramec, offering excellent views.
Local events at Bluebird Park
Most city-sponsored events in Ellisville center around Bluebird Park. These can range from children's events like Easter egg hunts and sleigh rides to larger-scale events like the annual Ellisville summer concert series and the city's Independence Day fireworks.
Extensive shopping along Clarkson and Manchester
Retail in Ellisville is clustered along two main commercial corridors, Clarkson Road and Manchester Road. Shopping centers line both roads, housing multiple supermarkets and a variety of department stores, along with smaller local shops like Trailhead Bicycles. Clarkson and Manchester are also home to most of the restaurants in the city. While many of these are chain restaurants, Ellisville also has a sizable number of highly rated local eateries and bars.
A car-centric lifestyle
Ellisville's major commercial corridors are also its major arterial roads. Manchester Road, also known as state Route 100 or Old Route 66, connects the city to neighboring Ballwin and Manchester and runs all the way to downtown St. Louis. Clarkson Road connects the city to Interstate 64 to the north and Interstate 44 to the south. Metro St. Louis does have a bus route along Manchester Road, but most locals consider cars necessary to get around. It's a little less than 30 miles from Ellisville to central St. Louis by car and just over 20 miles to St. Louis Lambert International Airport.
