Moving from Chicago to St. Louis?
Chicago to STL — 4-hour drive, similar Midwest culture, dramatically cheaper, free Forest Park.
- 297 mi Distance
- 4 hr 30 min Drive time
- 35% lower Home prices
- 202 Sun days/year
Chicago and STL share IL/MO border, similar Midwest culture, same 4.95% top income tax. STL housing 35% cheaper. STL also has the most underrated free attractions in America: Forest Park (zoo, art museum, history museum, science center — ALL free) makes it punch way above weight class.
Why people move from Chicago to St. Louis.
- Housing drops 35% — Chicago's $360K becomes $235K STL
- Cost of living 21% lower
- Free Forest Park (zoo, art, history, science) — unique amenity
- Anheuser-Busch, Boeing, Centene, Edward Jones careers
- Cardinals/Blues sports culture
- BJC HealthCare + Wash U Med healthcare jobs
The money side of IL → MO.
Chicago
- Median home$360,000
- Income tax4.95% (IL flat)
- Cost index107
St. Louis
- Median home$235,000
- Income tax4.95% (MO top — same)
- Cost index84
Things you'll want to know about your new city.
Bookmark this page — these are the icons of St. Louis, organized by what kind of day you're planning.
Outdoors & Recreation
- Forest Park — 1,300 acres (50% larger than Central Park) with FREE zoo, art museum, history museum, science center
- Missouri Botanical Garden — 1859 garden; Climatron, Japanese Garden, 79 acres
Culture & Arts
- Gateway Arch National Park — 630-ft Eero Saarinen arch (1965); newest US national park
- Saint Louis Art Museum (free) — Free admission in Forest Park; encyclopedic collection
- Anheuser-Busch Brewery Tour — Free Clydesdale stable + tour; iconic brewery since 1852
- Busch Stadium (Cardinals) — MLB Cardinals; 11 World Series titles (most NL)
- The Hill (Italian district) — Italian neighborhood — birthplace of toasted ravioli
- Cahokia Mounds (15 min E in IL) — UNESCO World Heritage; pre-Columbian mound city
Family-Friendly
- St. Louis Zoo (free) — Top-ranked US zoo — admission is free
- City Museum — 10-story repurposed shoe factory turned playground; rooftop ferris wheel
St. Louis's essential restaurants.
The dining list every St. Louis resident knows by heart. Save the spots, work through them.
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Niche / Sidney Street Cafe Modern American Benton Park
Gerard Craft (James Beard winner)
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Pastaria Italian Clayton
Gerard Craft — wood-fired pizza, fresh pasta
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Pappy's Smokehouse BBQ Midtown
Memphis-style ribs; cult favorite
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Bogart's Smokehouse BBQ Soulard
Pappy's offshoot; brisket and burnt ends
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Imo's Pizza St. Louis pizza Multiple
Cracker-thin crust, Provel cheese — STL-style icon
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Charlie Gitto's Italian The Hill
Original toasted ravioli inventor (allegedly)
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Kingside Diner Diner Multiple
Classic American breakfast/diner
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Vicia Modern vegetable-forward Central West End
Michael + Tara Gallina; James Beard nominees
Best St. Louis neighborhoods for Chicago transplants.
Mapped to the Chicago neighborhoods that probably feel like home to you.
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Central West End
If you loved Lincoln Park — walkable, restaurants, near Forest Park
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The Hill
If Italian Wicker Park was your vibe — Italian neighborhood, walkable, family
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Soulard
If Old Town was your speed — historic, walkable, market, Mardi Gras
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Lafayette Square
If you came from Lincoln Square — Victorian historic district
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Clayton (suburb)
If Evanston was your model — walkable, top schools, dense urban center
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Webster Groves (suburb)
If Oak Park was your goal — charming inner-ring, top schools
What daily life feels like in St. Louis.
Climate
Humid continental. Hot, humid summers (68-89°F). Cold winters (25-43°F) with 17 inches snow. Spring tornado/storm risk. 41 inches rainfall, 202 sun days.
- Summer68-89°F
- Winter25-43°F
- Sun days/yr202
- Rainfall41 inches
Walkability
- Walk Score64/100
- Transit Score47/100
- Bike Score52/100
St. Louis is somewhat walkable in central neighborhoods, car-dependent in suburbs.
Outdoors & Recreation
- Forest Park — 1,300 acres with free zoo, museums, golf, lakes
- Missouri Botanical Garden — 79 acres
- Tower Grove Park — 289 acres Victorian park
- Mississippi Riverfront — Gateway Arch grounds and beyond
- Castlewood State Park (30 min west) — bluffs, hiking, mountain biking
- Forest Park bike paths and Trolley Trail
What changes about your daily life.
- STL 1% earnings tax stack with MO state (work AND live in STL)
- Career ceiling drops outside specific sectors
- Tornado/storm risk increases vs. Chicago
- Public schools struggle in city (Clayton/Ladue/Kirkwood preferred)
- Population decline narrative (city dropped 60% from peak)
- STL pizza (cracker thin, Provel) replaces Chicago deep dish — debate eternal
How to drive there.
What it takes to move 297 miles.
- Full-service (3BR)$2,500-$5,000
- Container/PODS$1,800-$3,500
- DIY (26-ft truck)$1,200-$2,200
- Best monthsApr-Jun or Sep-Oct (avoid tornado season + winter)
- Lead time4-6 weeks ahead
USDOT-registered.
Moving from Chicago to St. Louis: FAQ.
Free Forest Park really matters?
Yes. Most major US cities have $25-35 zoo admission alone; STL's zoo, art museum, history museum, and science center are ALL free. For families, that's $200-400/visit savings vs. Chicago equivalents. Locals use it weekly.
Is STL declining or recovering?
Mixed. City of St. Louis population is still dropping; metro is roughly flat. Specific neighborhoods (Central West End, Soulard, The Hill) are strong. Suburbs (Clayton, Webster Groves) are top-tier. Avoid declining north city neighborhoods. Research specific block-level when buying.
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