Fellows who arrive in St. Louis are surprised by the warm and inviting welcome they receive.  While the program is similar to that offered by the other Coro centers, the cost of living is reasonable, partnerships with key universities are in place, and the Fellows program is supported and highly regarded in the St. Louis region.

“Greater St. Louis offers a unique blend.  The nation's 18th largest metropolitan area, with 2.7 million people in eastern Missouri and southwestern Illinois, it features the big-city assets of a broadly talented work force, great cultural and educational institutions, and superb recreational opportunities.  Yet St. Louis also provides the convenience, intimacy, and affordability of a smaller community.  This extraordinary combination produces an enviable lifestyle and a competitive home for progressive companies.”     

For all that Greater St. Louis has to offer, the cost of living here is considerably low. In fact, the community is the third lowest cost of living among the nation’s 20 largest metropolitan areas in the first quarter of 2006, according to the American Chamber of Commerce Researchers Association.

Cost of Living - Top 20 Metropolitan Areas
Metro Area	Index
Houston	90.2
Pittsburgh	93.3
St. Louis	95.6
Dallas	95.8
Atlanta	97.5
U.S.	100.0
Phoenix	103.8
Detroit	104.1
Chicago	111.9
Riverside, CA	115.1
Miami	115.4
Seattle	116.3
Baltimore	120.0
Philadelphia	124.0
Boston	133.6
Washington, D.C.	142.1
Los Angeles	158.2
San Francisco	170.6
New York (Manhattan)	201.2
Minneapolis	N/A
San Diego	N/A
Source: 1st Quarter 2006, ACCRA Cost of Living Index.

Inc. Magazine, which in 2005 rated St. Louis as the 44th best place in the country to do business (out of 274), cited “a growing array of technology and business firms,” resulting partly from the area’s “lower costs.”
Any community that can pioneer genetic engineering while also boasting one of the world’s greatest Symphony orchestras and earning the title of “Best Sports City” in America must have something special going for it.

Information from the St. Louis Regional Chamber & Growth Association (RCGA), http://www.stlrcga.org