Location and Economic Diversity

Wherever it is, you can get there from St. Louis. Fast. And with surprisingly little hassle. The area’s central location — both in population and geography — means that we’re within 500 miles of one-third of the U.S. population and within 1,500 miles of 90 percent of the people in North America.

Air, rail, and highways are only part of it: We’re at the confluence of the two greatest rivers in North America — the Mississippi and the Missouri — and a third key river, the Illinois. All those connections help explain why St. Louis’s 20 largest exporters alone had international sales of nearly $15 billion in 2003.

Being in the Central Time Zone also provides flexibility in dealing with both Coasts. And a two-state location gives the advantage of more options in things like utility and tax rate structures.

There are more options here in lifestyle as well. Being in the center of the Midwest enables St. Louisans to choose among urban, suburban, small-town and even rural living, and still be a part of this metropolitan area. In St. Louis, you can live in a townhouse or on a horse farm, on a suburban ranch or in a three-story Victorian.

One other entirely intangible but nonetheless real impact from our centrality: St. Louis has a kind of Midwestern centeredness. Its residents are not given to extremes. They have a strong work ethic. We also take care of one another: St. Louis is one of the most charitable communities in the country.