Moving from Houston to St. Louis?
Houston to STL — career pivot (Anheuser-Busch/Boeing), TX 0% to MO+STL 5.95% (-$5,950/yr), 31% cheaper housing.
- 800 mi Distance
- 12 hr Drive time
- 31% lower Home prices
- $-5,950/yr Tax savings on $100K
Houston-to-St. Louis is mostly career-driven (Anheuser-Busch, Boeing, Centene, Edward Jones HQ). Trade: TX 0% → MO+STL 5.95% (-$5,950/yr on $100K). Housing 31% cheaper, COL 13% lower. Hurricane risk + insurance crisis disappears (STL inland). Net financial position roughly neutral on $100K, positive on higher incomes.
Why people move from Houston to St. Louis.
- Anheuser-Busch (brewing capital), Boeing, Centene, Edward Jones HQ
- Hurricane risk + insurance crisis disappears (STL inland)
- Housing 31% cheaper — $340K Houston SFH becomes $235K STL Central West End condo
- Cost of living 13% lower
- Free Forest Park — zoo, art museum, history museum, science center ALL FREE
- BJC HealthCare + Wash U Med — major healthcare/research jobs
- Cardinals (11 World Series) + Blues (2019 Cup) sports culture
- Walkable historic neighborhoods (Central West End, The Hill, Soulard)
The money side of TX → MO.
Houston
- Median home$340,000
- Income tax0% (TX)
- Cost index96
St. Louis
- Median home$235,000
- Income tax4.95% MO + 1% STL (~5.95%)
- 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 Houston transplants.
Mapped to the Houston neighborhoods that probably feel like home to you.
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Central West End
If Heights/Montrose was your speed — walkable, restaurants, near Forest Park
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The Hill
If Bellaire Italian was your vibe — Italian heritage, walkable, family
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Soulard
If you came from a tight historic neighborhood — historic walkable, market, Mardi Gras
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Lafayette Square
If you loved historic homes — Victorian historic district, family
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Clayton (suburb)
If Memorial Villages was your suburban model — walkable, top schools, dense urban center
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Webster Groves (suburb)
If The Woodlands 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.
- TX 0% becomes MO+STL ~5.95% — $5,950/year more on $100K
- Hurricane risk + insurance crisis disappears (saves $3-5K/yr)
- Housing 31% cheaper — same income buys more
- Climate flips Gulf Coast humid to humid continental — gain seasons
- Tornado/storm risk Apr-Jun replaces hurricane risk
- Houston Metro replaced with STL Metro (smaller)
- Career ceiling drops outside Anheuser-Busch/Boeing/Edward Jones/BJC specifically
- Texas Medical Center career arc disappears — BJC HealthCare replaces
- Tex-Mex disappears (STL has decent Mexican but not Tex-Mex)
How to drive there.
What it takes to move 800 miles.
- Full-service (3BR)$3,500-$6,500
- Container/PODS$2,500-$4,500
- DIY (26-ft truck)$1,800-$3,200
- Best monthsApr-Oct (avoid hurricane peak + STL ice storms)
- Lead time6-8 weeks ahead
USDOT-registered.
Moving from Houston to St. Louis: FAQ.
Boeing career — Houston aerospace alternative?
STL has Boeing Defense, Space & Security HQ — major aerospace defense ops (F-15, F/A-18, T-7). Houston has NASA Johnson Space Center (different — government civilian space). Most aerospace professionals find STL Boeing complements Houston NASA experience well. Career arc translates.
Worth losing TX 0% tax?
Industry-dependent. STL pays competitively in aerospace (Boeing), brewing (Anheuser-Busch), financial (Edward Jones, Centene), and healthcare (BJC). Hurricane insurance savings $3-5K/yr partially offset MO+STL tax cost. Net financial position roughly neutral on $100K, positive on higher incomes or with insurance considerations.
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