People move to Hillsboro to work and raise families
Hillsboro offers a family-friendly environment where kids can walk to highly rated public schools, join the local Little League and play in the streets with their neighbors. It’s also a small town, with around 3,200 residents. “Life moves really slowly here, but in a good way,” says Robyn Johnson, the owner-broker of Premier Real Estate Pros, who has lived in town since 2007. “There are only a few restaurants, one grocery store, and we have a small school district, so everybody knows each other.” Located less than 40 miles south of St. Louis, Hillsboro is technically a suburb, but as the seat of Jefferson County, the town is home to major employers like a community college and government offices. “People move here to work and raise their families in a close-knit and quiet place,” Johnson says.
Century-old homes and subdivisions are in Hillsboro
Hillsboro’s oldest homes include 1920s bungalows and mid-20th-century ranch styles and split levels. New Traditional homes built between the 1990s and 2020s are also common. Several subdivisions make up the outskirts of town, including Raintree Plantation, a gated community with an 18-hole golf course and private recreation lakes. The median single-family home price here is around $360,000, which is slightly less than the national median. Smaller homes with less square footage can cost between $110,000 and $350,000, while larger houses typically sell in the $400,000 to $875,000 range. Empty lots can go for between $500 and $240,000, depending on acreage. Some homes near the area’s lakes and tributaries may be at risk of flooding.
Alumni, parents and new residents go to Hillsboro High football games
The town is zoned for the Hillsboro R-3 School District, where every school earns a B-minus grade from Niche. Kids can attend Hillsboro Primary School for kindergarten through second grade and Hillsboro Elementary for third and fourth grade. They may continue to Hillsboro Intermediate for fourth through sixth grade before going to Hillsboro Junior High and Hillsboro High. The high school’s athletic department offers sports like archery, cheerleading and wrestling, but the Hawks are best known for their football team. “Alumni, parents and even people new to the area with no kids will go to those games,” Johnson says. Jefferson College, on the town’s northern edge, offers over 50 associate degree and certificate programs in fields like nursing, childcare and accounting.
Business Route 21 has places to eat, work and shop
Restaurants, government buildings and stores line Business Route 21, the town’s central commercial street. Lala’s Roast and Bistro, which opened in 2024, is a counter service spot and drive-through serving breakfast, coffee and sandwiches. Cloth-covered tables fill The Russell House, a steakhouse, inn and brewery in a Colonial Revival-style house from 1880. “It’s the fanciest restaurant in town, so everybody goes there for anniversaries, birthdays and graduations,” Johnson says. The Classical Revival-style Jefferson County Courthouse sits at the center of town, with law firms, the sheriff's office and the county jail nearby. Karsch's Village Market is a locally owned grocery store, and Festus, about 11 miles east, has big-box stores like Walmart Supercenter, Aldi and The Home Depot. Mercy, a 251-bed hospital, is also in Festus.
Hillsboro is home to baseball diamonds, nature preserves and a golf co
Several recreation spaces are in town, including Hillsboro City Park, which has pavilions, a playground and picnic tables. The Hillsboro Little League plays games on the baseball diamonds off State Highway BB. Valley View Glades Natural Area is one of multiple forested preserves in the area. Locals can hike the 225-acre plot, passing mature cedar trees, small waterfalls and rolling wildflower fields. Raintree Country Club, located within the subdivision, offers memberships to non-residents, allowing access to the fitness center, pool and 18-hole golf course. Houses of worship in the area include Good Shepherd Catholic Church and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
The Jefferson County Fairgrounds are in town
Around 25,000 people attend the Jefferson County Fair in Hillsboro every July. “It’s the thing that puts us on the map, when you’re comparing us to other St. Louis suburbs,” Johnson says. Visitors can ride the Ferris wheel, watch motocross races and devour barbecue food during the week-long event. There’s also a beauty pageant where Miss Jefferson County is crowned. Bluegrass band performances and firework displays mark the end of each night. The fairgrounds, which are near the northern part of town, host several other events throughout the year, including Easter egg hunts, art shows and rodeos.
State Route 21 and Interstate 51 reach St. Louis
Though Hillsboro is car-dependent, locals often walk along the town’s wide roads and sidewalks. “A lot of kids walk to school, and people are always out walking their dogs,” Johnson says. State Route 21 connects with Interstate 55 to reach St. Louis, home to the St. Louis Lambert International Airport. JeffCo Express offers bus routes around Hillsboro and to the neighboring towns of Festus and De Soto.
