Trying to decide between Kirkwood and its nearby suburbs? You are not alone. Each community offers a different mix of walkability, schools, lot sizes, and price points, and it can be hard to compare them apples to apples. In this guide, you’ll see how Kirkwood stacks up against Webster Groves, Des Peres, and Town and Country so you can focus your home search with confidence. Let’s dive in.
Kirkwood at a glance
Kirkwood is a historic inner-ring suburb with a true downtown, strong public schools, and a range of early to mid 20th-century homes alongside tasteful infill. The downtown “village” area is very walkable, while outlying streets are more suburban. Recent market snapshots show a median sale price around $550,000 as of January 2026. Prices shift by neighborhood and home style, so treat that as a point-in-time indicator.
If you want a lively main street lifestyle and access to a highly rated public school district, Kirkwood often sits near the top of the list.
Schools by suburb: what to know
Choosing between these suburbs often starts with school research. District boundaries do not always match city lines, so confirm attendance by property address before you write an offer.
Kirkwood
- Public district: Kirkwood R‑7. Niche rates the district A+ overall, with strong reported proficiency and graduation metrics. See the current report on the Kirkwood School District Niche page.
Webster Groves
- Public district: Webster Groves School District. Niche gives the district an A overall with solid college-prep indicators. Review details on the Webster Groves School District Niche page.
Des Peres
- District split: Addresses in Des Peres fall into either Parkway or Kirkwood R‑7. The city confirms that attendance zones vary within the municipal borders. Start with the City of Des Peres demographics page, then verify attendance on district boundary tools by exact address.
Town and Country
- Multiple districts: Town and Country includes areas served by Parkway, Ladue, and some portions in Kirkwood boundaries, along with Special School District services. School assignments vary by street, so always verify by address. You can review a community overview here: About Town and Country.
Quick tip: Use district boundary maps and enrollment offices to confirm attendance for a specific property. Niche grades are helpful for broad comparisons, while state proficiency and graduation data add context to those rankings.
Walkability and downtown feel
If you want a daily routine of coffee, errands, and dining on foot, focus your search near the historic cores of Kirkwood or Webster Groves.
- Kirkwood: Downtown Kirkwood is very walkable, while the citywide average is lower in suburban areas. You can explore scores for representative addresses on Walk Score for Kirkwood.
- Webster Groves: The core business district offers a similar village feel and strong walkability. See examples on Walk Score for Webster Groves.
- Des Peres and Town and Country: Both are predominantly car-oriented. Neighborhoods are lower density, with shopping clustered along major corridors. Des Peres’ city overview notes this suburban development pattern, and Town and Country reads as low-density with limited village nodes.
Bottom line: For a true walk-to-dining lifestyle, target homes within or near the downtown nodes of Kirkwood or Webster Groves. If you prefer larger lots and easy highway access, Des Peres and Town and Country fit that brief.
Housing and lot sizes
- Kirkwood: A broad mix of early to mid 20th-century homes, from Victorians and bungalows to Colonials, plus tasteful new construction and renovation. Lots near downtown tend to be smaller. You will also find some townhomes and condos closer to the village core.
- Webster Groves: Similar historic character and home eras. Tight-knit blocks near the core often mean smaller lots, with a mix of renovated homes and occasional infill.
- Des Peres: Primarily single-family neighborhoods with a suburban pattern. You will see pockets of newer, higher-end construction and some larger parcels compared with Kirkwood and Webster Groves.
- Town and Country: Predominantly large lots and custom homes, including estate-scale parcels. Data show higher median property values citywide and a luxury leaning. Explore Town and Country’s profile on DataUSA.
Lot-size note: There is no single public median lot-size figure for each city. As a rule of thumb, expect smaller lots near the historic cores of Kirkwood and Webster Groves, with larger lots more common in Des Peres and especially Town and Country.
Price snapshot: what your dollar buys
Prices shift with interest rates, inventory, and micro-location. Use these recent snapshots as directional context and consult current MLS data when you are ready to write an offer.
- Kirkwood: Median sale price around $550,000 in January 2026, based on recent market snapshots.
- Webster Groves: Typical listing and sale ranges vary by neighborhood. Recent snapshots often fall in the mid 300s to mid 400s, with a reported median listing near $359,000 as of December 2025.
- Des Peres: Median sale price near the high $400s as of January 2026 in recent snapshots.
- Town and Country: Citywide median property value around $895,000, reflecting a strong share of luxury and estate properties. See the value context on DataUSA’s Town and Country profile.
These numbers change month to month. When you get serious about a neighborhood, ask for current comps, absorption trends, and days on market by price band.
Commute and access
Across these suburbs, commuters rely mainly on I‑270, I‑64, and Manchester Road. Town and Country and Des Peres offer quick highway access from many neighborhoods. Kirkwood and Webster Groves provide balanced access along with walkable cores.
- Citywide averages suggest similar commute profiles. For example, recent Census estimates show Kirkwood’s mean travel time to work around 20 to 21 minutes for workers age 16 and up. You can view the Kirkwood city profile on U.S. Census QuickFacts. Webster Groves is in a similar range, with estimates near 19.5 minutes.
- Transit options exist but are limited in frequency compared with urban cores. Downtown Kirkwood and downtown Webster Groves offer the best local transit and walkability, though most residents still drive for daily commutes.
Pro tip: Before you commit to a home, check real-time drive times to your key destinations during your actual commute window.
Which suburb fits your style
Use these quick profiles to match your priorities with the right location.
- If you want a walkable village: Focus on homes within or near Downtown Kirkwood or Downtown Webster Groves. You will likely trade lot size for proximity to cafés, restaurants, and shops. Explore walkability on Walk Score for Kirkwood and Walk Score for Webster Groves.
- If public schools are a key factor: Kirkwood R‑7 and Webster Groves School District both earn high marks on Niche. Review Kirkwood R‑7 and Webster Groves SD for a broad comparison, then confirm attendance zones by address. For Des Peres and Town and Country, double-check whether a home falls into Parkway, Ladue, or Kirkwood.
- If you want larger lots and privacy: Town and Country leans luxury with estate-scale parcels and custom homes. Parts of Des Peres also offer bigger lots and newer construction. See broad Town and Country metrics on DataUSA.
- If highway access is the top priority: Des Peres and Town and Country are strong choices for drivers who value quick access to I‑270 and other regional routes.
How to choose your best fit
Follow a simple plan to narrow your search quickly:
- List your top three must-haves. Examples: walk to dining, specific public district, lot size over a quarter acre, or a price cap.
- Map likely micro-areas. Circle downtown-adjacent streets in Kirkwood and Webster Groves if walkability matters. If space matters more, highlight parts of Des Peres and Town and Country.
- Pressure-test commute times. Check live times to your office, school, and frequent destinations at your actual drive times.
- Compare recent sales on the same block. Ask your agent for neighborhood-level comps and days on market to understand tradeoffs by street.
- Do a daylight and evening visit. Walk the block, try a coffee run or dinner, and get a feel for daily routines.
Ready to tour homes in person?
When you are weighing walkability against lot size or school boundaries against price, local guidance makes all the difference. Our team combines deep neighborhood knowledge with a systems-driven process to move you from research to keys in hand. If you are ready to refine your list and tour the right homes first, connect with Show + Sell STL.
FAQs
What makes Kirkwood different from Webster Groves for buyers?
- Kirkwood offers a very walkable downtown, an A+ rated public district on Niche, and a recent median sale price around $550,000 as of January 2026, while Webster Groves has a similar walkable core with generally lower median price points depending on the neighborhood.
How do school zones work in Des Peres and Town and Country?
- Des Peres addresses can be in either Parkway or Kirkwood R‑7, and Town and Country spans Parkway, Ladue, and some Kirkwood areas, so always verify attendance by exact property address with the district.
Where will I find the best walkability near St. Louis among these suburbs?
- Focus on homes within or near Downtown Kirkwood or Downtown Webster Groves, where Walk Score shows stronger walkability compared with typical residential blocks.
Which area tends to have larger lots and higher price points?
- Town and Country is known for large lots, custom homes, and higher median property values citywide, with estate-scale parcels common, as shown on DataUSA.
What are typical commute times from Kirkwood?
- Recent Census estimates indicate a mean travel time around 20 to 21 minutes for Kirkwood residents, though actual times vary by route and time of day. See U.S. Census QuickFacts for city-level context.
