The city is one of the older suburbs in the St. Louis area, having been a streetcar suburb in the late 19th and early 20th centuries; much historic architecture remains in the southern, older portion of the city, particularly along Delmar Boulevard.

[6] University City has much municipal open space, the largest parcels being 85-acre (340,000 m2) Heman Park (which includes recreation and community centers and public pool facilities) and Ruth Park (a public golf course and nature trails).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 5.90 square miles (15.28 km2), all of it land.

The River Des Peres rises in the hills near the University City and Clayton boundary, flows north, takes a strong turn at Ruth Park, and then runs through culverts southeast through the city of St. Louis to debouche in the Mississippi River.

Jewish cemeteries and religious centers dot the city, such as Young Israel of St. Louis and Agudas Israel of St. Louis, serving University City residents and those of nearby Clayton, which also has a high concentration of Jewish residents.

The 2020 United States census[11] counted 35,065 people, 15,904 households, and 8,064 families in University City.

The city is considered (by inhabitants) to be divided roughly into three zones from north to south.

In 1903, Lewis broke ground for his publishing company’s headquarters: the Magazine Building (now City Hall), an ornate octagonal 135-foot tower.

Soon, other architecturally significant structures and developments were erected, including an austere Egyptian temple, the Art Academy, and the Lion Gates.

[16] After World War II, the city experienced its greatest housing construction.

"University City was the first county municipality to struggle with the issues of fair housing and traditions of segregation," Nini Harris wrote.

[18] One innovative and controversial attempt to combat segregation was The University City Home Rental Trust.

It is also home to two Catholic grade schools: Our Lady of Lourdes and Christ the King.

Established in 1939, the library houses more than 150,000 volumes as well as music and spoken recordings, videotape and DVD collections, and works of art.

University City is home to COCA, the Center Of Creative Arts, which has a nationally recognized pre-professional dance training program.

Alumni have danced for Trisha Brown, Cecil Slaughter, Houston Ballet, Ballet Hispanico New York, Mark Morris, Alvin Ailey, the national tours of Wicked and Cinderella, and Tarzan on Broadway.

[22] In recent decades, efforts have been made to establish a successor to the earlier ethnic neighborhood of Chinatown in the city of St.

[26] Although efforts were made to designate part of the area as "Chinatown", surrounding community members objected to the proposals.

[23] Also, the Missouri Department of Transportation has jurisdiction over part of Olive Boulevard and does not permit decorative archways or gateways spanning the roadway, as can be seen in other Chinatowns.

[29] Opened in 1972, its concert venue, The Duck Room, is noted for its relationship with the musician Chuck Berry, who performed there over 200 times.

[29][30] The Loop is also home to the St. Louis Walk of Fame, which as of April 2020 memorializes more than 150 St. Louisans with brass stars embedded in the sidewalk.