More than 2.6 million people live in the Greater St. Louis region, which includes 12 counties covering 6,375 square miles in Missouri and Illinois, making it the 18th largest metropolitan area in the United States.  St. Louis is home to 19 Fortune 1000 companies and ranks seventh in the United States as a headquarters location for Fortune 500 companies.  Area companies of note include Anheuser-Busch Companies, Inc., Emerson, May Department Stores, Monsanto, Boeing, and Graybar Electric.

Five state parks and hundreds of neighborhood parks make St. Louis one of the greenest regions in the nation.  Forest Park, site of the 1904 World’s Fair, is larger than New York’s Central Park.  In addition to roller-blading, biking, jogging on the trails throughout the park, many free-to-the-public attractions, such as the St. Louis Art Museum, the St. Louis Zoo, the St. Louis Science Center and the Missouri History Museum are located in the park.  A 12,000 seat outdoor amphitheater, the Muny, is another favorite Forest Park destination.

Greater St. Louis boasts the sixth lowest cost of living among metropolitan areas.  The region offers 115 public school districts located in its close-knit, friendly communities, over 300 of the finest private schools in the nation and 80 technical and vocational schools.