Shiloh is a growing suburb near Scott Air Force Base
Right next to Scott Air Force Base, Shiloh is a growing suburban community in Southwest Illinois, less than 25 miles from St. Louis. It’s red and white-striped water tower is an iconic feature reminiscent of a mint, but actually designed as a safety measure for aircraft flying in and out of the air force base. “It's just like living close to a train track,” says Christie Gassen, a Realtor with Hughes Group who has been selling homes in the area since 2015. “The planes become so common that you don't even pay attention to it much.” While Shiloh is its own village, it shares two zip codes and school districts with the neighboring towns of O’Fallon and Belleville. Because of this, only a small portion of homes have Shiloh addresses. The population took off between 1980 and 2020, growing from around 1,000 to more than 14,000 residents. “It’s still up and coming,” says Gassen. “A lot of businesses have been coming here over the years, and subdivisions continue to pop up.”
Modest century-old homes, average midcentury houses and new upscale estates
Single-family homes are predominant throughout Shiloh and the median price is $365,000. Gassen says, “It’s definitely a seller’s market because there are always people trying to relocate here, especially military members.” The oldest homes date back to the late 1800s and early 1900s and are located near Shiloh Community Park. They’re mostly bungalows and Cape Cods, ranging from $85,000 to $225,000. By the mid to late-1900s, ranch-style, split-level and Colonial Revival houses became popular. Today, they sell for around $140,000 to $370,000. The early 2000s through today produced many New Traditional houses, which range anywhere from $210,000 to $615,000. Some large, upscale estates have sold for nearly $1 million.
Busy shopping centers near I-64 and a slower-paced Main Street
The Green Mount Crossing shopping center was developed in 2001 by the Interstate 64 corridor and has been growing ever since. There are several big-box retailers, including Target, Menards and a Dierbergs grocery store. Ross is one of the newest additions, built in 2024. This area has mostly national and regional chain restaurants. Some regional favorites include two bars: Dogwood Social House, which has an arcade, and Drake’s, a sports bar known famous for its sushi. For a taste of local food, there are a few restaurants on Main Street. June’s serves artisan coffee and breakfast in a chic indoor and outdoor setting. Wings of Shiloh is more of a dive bar where locals go to grab wings and play darts.
Two school districts for elementary and middle school; two districts for high school
Much of the east side of Green Mount Road is served by the Shiloh Village School District. It includes Shiloh Elementary School and Shiloh Middle School, both of which receive a B-plus grade from Niche. They’ll transfer to the O’Fallon School District to attend A-minus graded O’Fallon High School, ranked by Niche as the best college prep high school in St. Clair County. According to GreatSchools, 20% of high schoolers participate in dual enrollment courses through St. Louis University and Southwestern Illinois.
Students on the west side of Green Mount Road are part of the Whiteside School District. They go to Whiteside Elementary School and Whiteside Middle School, which receive a B-minus and C grades, respectively. Students move on to the Belleville Township School District to attend Belleville High School – East, graded a B-plus. It is considered the largest high school in the St. Louis Area with 2,568 students, just ahead of O’Fallon High, the second largest with 2,521 students.
Local parks, athletic fields and an 18-hole golf course
The village’s signature water tower hovers over Shiloh Community Park. The park features three ball fields and a playground, along with a community center with a large picnic pavilion and a senior center. There’s also Three Springs Park, which has several athletic fields used by local softball and soccer leagues. A trail circles the park, leading to a playground and tennis, basketball and volleyball courts. It veers off and wraps around a fishing lake. Three Springs Park is right next to Tamarack Golf Course, where holes 17 and 18 require golfers to hit over a pond.
Air shows and STEM expos at Scott Air Force Base
Scott Air Force Base frequently hosts events. In 2023, the Blue Angels came to put on an air show and have done so in years prior. There’s also the annual Open House & Stem Expo, where visitors can tour and learn about military aircraft.
30 minutes to St. Louis via car or train
From Interstate 64, it’s about a 30-minute drive to St. Louis. Commuters can opt for taking the MetroLink Red Line from the Shiloh-Scott station by the air force base. The train ride also takes about 30 minutes to get to St. Louis and leads directly to Busch Stadium, home of the St. Louis Cardinals. The train continues to St. Louis Lambert International Airport, which takes less than an hour and a half to get to. MidAmerica St. Louis Airport is connected to the air force base, offering flights to 12 U.S. cities, seven of which are in Florida.
Written By
Nicolas Stuart
