Is Frontenac Safe? Crime Rates & Safety Report

St. Louis is a cultural melting pot, and you’ll find a French vibe throughout the affluent community of Frontenac.

This community was once known as an escape from the city, with stables and riding paths through rolling countryside.

Much of that charm still exists, but stately homes with large yards now dot the landscape.

This city is home to an upscale mall, with anchor stores like Saks Fifth Avenue.

I grew up in nearby Creve Coeur, and my mother didn’t like that I was a tomboy.

She made me take an etiquette class at Saks when I was more concerned about being the first woman to play first base for the St. Louis Cardinals.

The high-income averages, home prices, and price tags at the stores can be intimidating, but I promise you that anyone is welcome to wander the mall and window shop.

This is where I got my first name-brand bag when I was in middle school, and I still have it to this day!

Frontenac also offers a Hilton hotel built into the shell of a Chateau-style building.

The location is ideal, close to the big attractions of St. Louis while offering a safe and quiet place to rest at night.

Warnings & Dangers in Frontenac

OVERALL RISK: LOW

There's a low overall risk here as it's an affluent community with its own police department and engaged residents dedicated to preserving this upscale quality of life.

TRANSPORT & TAXIS RISK: LOW

The Metro bus system covers the bulk of St. Louis's suburbs. Taxis and rideshares will be easy to find. People who stay in Frontenac are generally wealthy, so you should ask your hotel about limo service or drivers who will take you around. Rental cars are another option.

PICKPOCKETS RISK: LOW

The city averages four pickpockets or purse snatchings a year, with an average value between $7,600 and $35,000. That's the kind of wealth we're talking about in Frontenac.

NATURAL DISASTERS RISK: MEDIUM

No affluent community is immune to the risks of Midwestern weather, which can be intense. Severe thunderstorms fire up in the spring, leading to tornadoes, flooding, or damaging winds. Winter can bring blizzards or ice storms. All weather events come with warnings and updates regularly, but you do have to be looking for that information or have alerts set up.

MUGGING RISK: LOW

Looking at crime data back to 2022, there hasn't been a year with more than four robberies. Most years had two or fewer, and the majority were robberies of businesses. This is a low risk.

TERRORISM RISK: MEDIUM

St. Louis is a major metro area, so we treat those as a medium risk just to get visitors to pay attention to their surroundings and report suspicious activity. While Frontenac is an unlikely target, it's still important to "See Something, Say Something."

SCAMS RISK: LOW

14 cases of fraud related to identity theft were reported in 2022. There's a lower risk of someone approaching you with a scam and a more concerning risk of someone stealing your credit card or the info and making high-value purchases. While the bank should refund this money, it can be a huge hassle while traveling. The Crime Prevention section of the Frontenac Police Department (FPD) website has great safety tips to protect against fraud.

WOMEN TRAVELERS RISK: LOW

Plaza Frontenac and the hotels here are a woman's dress come true. High-end shopping—whether you buy or browse—spas, cafes, movies, and restaurants.

TAP WATER RISK: LOW

St. Louis has an impeccable water quality report history, with 2022 backing up that tradition. Keep in mind, that report won't cover issues like water main breaks that can lead to water restrictions. Those will be found on the city websites or through emergency alerts.

Safest Places to Visit in Frontenac

Use the Explore St. Louis official tourism website to get a look at what to do in the greater St. Louis area.

The Plaza Frontenac website is great for finding stores, looking for mall events, and looking for sales.

Plaza Frontenac is a high-end shopping with stores like Saks Fifth Avenue, Tory Burch, and Tiffany and Co. Popular brands like J. Crew, J. Jill, and Lilly Pulitzer can be found as well.

Holiday events and special events throughout the year draw big crowds.

This was the mall where we went every year to take Santa photos as a kid.

The movie theater at Plaza Frontenac is known for showing indie and foreign language films with some blockbusters mixed in.

The theater comes with a full bar and a snack bar.

Some other smaller shopping niche districts include:

• Le Chateau Village
• Old Frontenac Square
• Frontenac Grove

Historical buildings include the Old Des Peres (“duh pair”) Presbyterian Church and Cemetery, dating back to 1832.

Even if you aren’t staying at the Hilton St. Louis Frontenac, you can walk through the beautiful lobby and learn about the history of this French-inspired hotel.

Frontenac doesn’t have any neighborhood parks, but there are bike routes if you want to take a ride to a nearby park by Des Peres Park.

This is where my family went each year to watch the fireworks, and the community center had some great craft fairs around the holidays.

The park is full of trails surrounding lakes, with a fitness course, playgrounds, fishing, and athletic courts.

Places to Avoid in Frontenac

The only place you need to avoid in Frontenac is any home or neighborhood that is behind private gates.

It’s tempting to get a closer look at the amazing homes, but there are security guards, surveillance systems, and a rather unchallenged police department that respond to calls quickly.

If a street is marked Private Drive, you should avoid it, even if there isn’t a gate.

You should also avoid giving in to the temptation to buy things beyond your limits.

While there are some affordable national brands and local stores here, there are also places where a dress will cost thousands of dollars.

Use caution when spending money, and don’t get wrapped up in the atmosphere if you can’t afford to do so.

(I’ve had to tell myself that MANY times when shopping here.)

Safety Tips for Traveling to Frontenac

So... How Safe Is Frontenac Really?

Frontenac hasn’t seen more than 10 violent crimes in a year going back to 2000, with most years being fewer than seven.

Four were reported in 2022, three of which were aggravated assaults and one was a sexual assault.

Larceny was down 34% in 2022, but shoplifting still remains the biggest concern due to the high-value items taken from Plaza Frontenac.

23% of the reported thefts were due to car break-ins, and car theft was up 20% in 2022.

While the theft rate is 20% higher than the national average, that looks different when you have such a small city with the raw data showing 65 incidents.

This is definitely one of the lower crime areas in the St. Louis region and one of the most affluent, with an average income of around $200,000.

It’s a city where you can drive around and view beautiful homes from the road, provided you don’t go through any gates to get a better view.

If you’re shopping at Plaza Frontenac, you definitely don’t want anyone to see you taking bags to the car and putting them in the trunk.

You should also avoid leaving valuables in plain sight in a vehicle.

As much as I always felt poor when I parked my Toyota Celica next to the fancy cars there, at least I knew mine would be among the last to get broken into!

How Does Frontenac Compare?

Useful Information

Visas

International visitors can't get through Customs without a passport and visa. You might also be from a country that qualifies for Visa Waiver programs. Check the State Department website to use the Visa Wizard module to be sure.

Currency

You can only use the U.S. Dollar here, and carrying cash in Frontenac is dangerous since it would take a LOT of it to buy things. (Half kidding/half serious). Use credit cards as they offer great fraud protection, and if you're visiting anywhere in the St. Louis area, sign up for spending limits, so you can be alerted if someone gets your card and tries to go on a spending spree.

Weather

You'll see people very dressed up here; even in casual clothing, there's a fashion plate vibe in Frontenac. That is pretty limited to this area, as even the Galleria shopping area nearby is much more casual. Bring layers of clothing for each season, as temperatures can fluctuate, but you will need a coat in the winter and bug spray in the humid and hot summers.

Airports

St. Louis Lambert International Airport is 14 miles north of Frontenac, but that could take anywhere from 15 minutes to an hour, depending on traffic. The map might make it look like taking Lindbergh straight up to the airport is the fastest route, but you'll hit a lot of lights along the way. When I flew back to visit my family after I moved away, my mom always made us take Lindbergh to drop me off, so she had that much more time with me.

Travel Insurance

Travel insurance is smart to cover emergencies, weather cancelations, and healthcare needs, as there's no free healthcare in America.

Frontenac Weather Averages (Temperatures)

Average High/Low Temperature

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