When airmen and airwomen touch down at Scott Air Force Base, the neighboring community of Mascoutah is where many of them plant roots. The base is the largest employer in the Southwestern Illinois region by a large margin and has a significant impact on this city of 8,700 people and growing. Yet, as Mascoutah continues to attract new residents with its highly rated schools and diverse housing stock, the area maintains its intimate, small-town feel. “You do know your neighbors,” says Trudy Knobeloch, a Realtor with Re/Max Signature Properties who has lived in Mascoutah for over 30 years. “You know people in businesses you visit. They know you by your first name, which is wonderful and unusual. And it’s still a tight-knit community, too, where people look after each other.”
Mascoutah has a wide range of housing styles along with a wide price range.
Volunteers help setup for the annual Mascoutah Flower Festival at The Mill.
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Housing options vary quite a bit, from Downtown Mascoutah and beyond
Mascoutah, even as small as it is, has homes for an array of tastes and budgets. “It’s a really good mix,” Knobeloch says. “We have a lot of new construction going on. In the older sections, you do have historic homes, grand old homes. And everything in between. Some I’ve sold were built in 1890, and some I’ve sold were built in 2025. There’s good price variety, too.” Many of the older homes, some dating back to the 19th century, are concentrated close to Mascoutah’s downtown, a mix of mostly bungalow-style residences that sell for $95,000 to $270,000. Brickyard Lake Estates and Townsend Square, farther from downtown, are a couple of subdivisions with recently built houses, which typically go for $300,000 to $500,000. Mascoutah’s median list price of about $291,000 is less than that in some other cities close to Scott Air Force Base, like O’Fallon and Shiloh.
19th century cottages and bungalows are common in downtown Mascoutah.
Residents of Mascoutah take great care of their homes.
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Scott Air Force Base is a nerve center for military transportation
The Scott Air Force Base is just west of Mascoutah, an installation spanning 3,600 acres. The base employs roughly 15,000 people and houses the 375th Air Mobility Wing, which operates a squadron of C-21 aircraft for cargo and passenger transportation. BJC Healthcare is the single largest employer across the St. Louis region, with roughly 31,000 people, and it is a system that includes Memorial Hospital Shiloh, which is 11 miles away. Mascoutah is also just about 30 miles from Downtown St. Louis, so myriad jobs in an assortment of other sectors are relatively close. “You see a variety,” Knobeloch says of employment in the area. “Mascoutah originally was a farming town. So you still have that wonderful, solid element. Quite a few people commute to St. Louis. Not all Scott Air Force Base.”
Scott Air Force Base is home to 14 C-21A aircraft that serve as a tactical mobility unit.
The Barnes Jewish Hospital system is the largest in St. Louis and employs many Mascoutens.
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Mascoutah High has a robust career and technical education program
The biggest draw to this city is Mascoutah School District 19, Knobeloch says. The system boasts an A overall grade on Niche. Its A-rated Mascoutah Elementary received National Blue Ribbon recognition in 2024. The A-rated Mascoutah High has a career and technical education department with courses in disciplines from finance to architecture.
Mascoutah High School is the home of the Indians.
Mascoutah Elementary School serves over 900 students in grades K-5.
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Scheve Park has a variety of attractions for recreation
Mascoutah has four city parks, and the leafy Scheve Park is the largest by far. Its features include several ball diamonds, a football field and a nine-hole disc golf course. “That’s where all the kids’ sports take place,” Knobeloch says. “That’s a well-used park. They have a community pool, that’s where people gather in the summertime. And they even have a pickleball court now.” Scheve is also the site of the annual Macoutah Homecoming on the first weekend of August, a popular event that includes a parade and has been running for almost 100 years. The nonprofit Leu Civic Center offers indoor activities like sports, a book club and exercise classes with a membership fee.
Weather in the region can vary quite a bit, and not just season to season. “It’s four seasons,” Knobeloch says. “Right now it’s 10 degrees. But as they say in the Midwest, stick around and in two weeks it will change.” Illinois experienced a record 142 tornadoes in 2024. Tornado sirens in the state are tested at 10 a.m. on the first Tuesday of every month.
Enjoy the sunshine at Scheve Park in north Mascoutah.
Shoot hoops at the indoor basketball court inside the Leu Civic Center in Mascoutah.
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Downtown Mascoutah is a destination for dining and more
Mascoutah has a small downtown district along its Main Street, lined with a selection of local restaurants and other businesses. Going out to get dinner is a popular pastime for people in town, Knobeloch says.
The Mascoutah Public Library, a couple of blocks off Main Street, is another center of activity in the city, full of programs for kids, teens and adults.
The Juicy Peanut on Main Street serves Mascoutens everything from tacos to Thai food.
Pick out a new book, movie, or CD from the wide selection at the Mascoutah Public Library.
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St. Louis is a relatively quick commute
Commuters can take Illinois State Route 4 in Mascoutah north to Interstate 64 for drives straight into St. Louis. Those traveling farther out of town have the MidAmerica St. Louis Airport close by, next to the Air Force base, where Allegiant offers direct flights to a dozen locations. Commuters can also book $3 rides on demand in an app, through the St. Clair County Transit District Flyer van service.
Residents of Mascoutah can use the Metro system to get from nearby Shiloh to St. Louis.
The MidAmerica Airport has direct flights from Mascoutah to Las Vegas and Orlando.
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Crime
Overall crime in Mascoutah dropped 26% from 2023 to 2024, according to the Illinois Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
Written By
Wayne Epps Jr.
Photography Contributed By
Ethan Babor
Video By
Colleen Carey
Interested in learning more about homes in this area?
Reach out to
Julie Sajich,
an experienced agent in this area.
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