Des Peres is a small city of about 9,200 people in west St. Louis County, centered on Manchester Road at I-270. It is almost entirely owner-occupied single-family houses, most of them built from the 1950s through the 1980s, with about 100 acres of city parkland and one of the shortest average commutes in the county. Here is what the Census says about the housing, the two school districts, the commute, and the parks.
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About Des Peres, Missouri
Des Peres is a city in west St. Louis County covering 4.32 square miles. Its housing is almost entirely single-family: about 98% of housing units are single-family detached, and about 96% of occupied homes are owner-occupied.
The median home was built in 1976. Almost nothing predates 1940 (0.4%), about 32% was built before 1970, and the 1970s alone account for about 30% of the housing. Roughly 13% was built in 2000 or later.
The Census estimates the median value of an owner-occupied home at about $609,200, and median household income at about $224,300. Those are Census estimates for all owner-occupied homes, not a record of what sold, and small-city Census estimates carry wide margins of error.
About 83% of the city by land area is in ZIP code 63131 and about 17% is in 63122, with a small sliver in 63021, so the ZIP on a listing does not tell you much here. The shares are rounded.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, via Census Reporter. Land area: U.S. Census Bureau 2024 Gazetteer place file. ZIP coverage: Census 2020 ZCTA-to-place relationship file.
Thinking of selling? Get an estimate of your home’s value, or ask Craig for a current comparable sales pull.
What Homes Sell For in Des Peres
Over the past 12 months (October 2025 to September 2026), 60 homes sold in the MARIS Des Peres market area. More than half of them (60%) closed at $700,000 or above, and the median sale landed between $700,000 and $800,000.
| Segment | Range |
|---|---|
| More than half of sales (60%) | $700,000 and above |
| Median sale | $700,000 to $800,000 |
| Under $700,000 | 40% of sales |
This is a small number of sales, so a single unusual home moves the percentages. Ask Craig for the specific comparable sales near an address you care about.
Source: MARIS MLS closed residential sales (rentals excluded): single-family, condo, townhouse and villa, city of Des Peres, October 2025 to September 2026. This is a market-wide range, not a valuation for any specific home.
Thinking of selling? Get an estimate of your home’s value, or ask Craig for a current comparable sales pull.
Schools Serving Des Peres
Two public school districts serve Des Peres, and which one applies depends on the street. The city’s own schools page says: “The following public schools serve the Des Peres area: Parkway, Kirkwood”. The city publishes no street-level boundary, so check any address you are serious about against both districts before you make an offer.
Parkway School District
Parkway serves part of Des Peres along with parts of Chesterfield, Maryland Heights, Twin Oaks, Valley Park, Ballwin and Westwood. The district publishes a School Boundary Locator, which is an interactive map rather than an address-entry box. District office: 455 North Woods Mill Road, Chesterfield, MO 63017, phone 314-415-8100.
Kirkwood School District
The Kirkwood School District publishes a Current School Boundaries map where you type a full home address. Its caveat reads: “the interactive map is only intended as a guide for our community. To verify the attendance boundaries, please call (314) 213-6100.” District office: 1099 Milwaukee Street, Kirkwood, MO 63122, phone 314-213-6100.
Sources: desperesmo.org schools page; parkwayschools.net; kirkwoodschools.org.
Getting Around: Commute and Drive Times
| Stat | Detail |
|---|---|
| Average one-way commute | 16.3 minutes |
| Drive alone to work | About 77% of workers |
| Work from home | About 19% of workers |
| Main roads | Manchester Road (State Highway 100), I-270, Ballas Road (State Route JJ), Des Peres Road, Dougherty Ferry Road and Bopp Road |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, via Census Reporter. Roads: City of Des Peres Comprehensive Plan (adopted June 2003). I-270 is the only federal roadway in the city, and its Manchester Road exit opened in 1965.
Without traffic, Clayton is about 10 miles and 16 minutes away, and downtown St. Louis is about 16 miles and 24 minutes.
Drive times: OSRM routing, no-traffic estimates. Rush hour adds to both.
There is no MetroLink station in Des Peres.
Source: Metro Transit (metrostlouis.org) MetroLink Blue Line station list and system addresses.
Parks and Places Residents Actually Use
The city maintains approximately 100 acres of parkland in six locations: Des Peres Park, Harwood Park, Phantom Forest, Bittersweet Woods, Pioneer Park and Sugar Creek Park. All city parks are open dawn to dusk, extended for city-sponsored events.
- Des Peres Park, 12325 Manchester Road: 42.5 acres on the former grounds of a Lutheran Orphanage, and home to City Hall. Three seasonal ball fields, a bike and jogging trail, a two-acre fishing lake, six lighted tennis courts, three lighted pickleball courts, a multi-purpose court, two playgrounds, a reservable picnic pavilion with grill, a seasonal play fountain, a nature area and parcourse fitness trail, shuffleball courts, youth soccer fields and restrooms.
- The Lodge Des Peres, 1050 Des Peres Road, phone 314-835-6150: the city’s recreation center, with an aquatic center, fitness center, gymnasium, a one-tenth-mile track, a cafe, meeting rooms and rental space.
- Sugar Creek Park: a 20-acre neighborhood park with a ball field, a soccer field, a classic playground and a play fountain.
- Pioneer Park and Harwood Park: neighborhood parks the city describes as having a variety of amenities for all ages.
- Phantom Forest and Bittersweet Woods: the city gives Phantom Forest as 13 acres and Bittersweet Woods as 23 acres, connected by a trail the city completed in December 2008.
- Fall Fest at Des Peres Park each October. The city has published two different dates for it, so call the city to confirm before planning around it. The city also runs a North Pole Express and a Bonfire and Hayrides event.
Sources: City of Des Peres (desperesmo.org) parks, Lodge, Fall Fest and Phantom Forest and Bittersweet Woods pages.
Who Des Peres Is Really For
- Buyers who want a detached single-family house and little else in the mix
- Buyers looking at 1970s and 1980s construction in west county
- Commuters who want I-270 and Manchester Road at the door and one of the shortest average commutes in the county
- Anyone who will use a city recreation center and a park with lighted tennis and pickleball courts
Des Peres Real Estate FAQ
What school district is Des Peres in?
Two districts serve Des Peres: Parkway and Kirkwood. Which one applies depends on the street, and the city publishes no street-level boundary, so check the address against both districts’ maps or call Parkway at 314-415-8100 and Kirkwood at 314-213-6100.
How far is Des Peres from downtown St. Louis?
About 16 miles, or roughly 24 minutes without traffic. Clayton is about 10 miles and 16 minutes.
What ZIP code is Des Peres, MO?
About 83% of the city by land area is in 63131 and about 17% is in 63122, with a small sliver in 63021. The shares are rounded.
How much parkland does Des Peres have?
The city maintains approximately 100 acres in six parks: Des Peres Park, Harwood Park, Phantom Forest, Bittersweet Woods, Pioneer Park and Sugar Creek Park.
Work With Single Tree Team in Des Peres
Single Tree Team is Craig Ziegel, a real estate agent licensed in Missouri and Illinois since 2011, brokered by eXp Realty. Craig helps buyers and sellers across west St. Louis County, including Des Peres, and can pull current comparable sales for any street.
