Moving from St. Louis to Chicago?
St. Louis to Chicago — career-driven (finance/HFT/Big Tech), MO+STL 5.95% to IL 4.95% saves $1,000, 53% housing premium.
- 297 mi Distance
- 4 hr 30 min Drive time
- -53% lower Home prices
- $1,000/yr Tax savings on $100K
St. Louis-to-Chicago is the close-adjacent Midwest career upgrade. Tax modestly drops (MO+STL 5.95% to IL 4.95%, saves $1,000/yr on $100K). Housing 53% premium ($235K STL → $360K Chicago condo). The pull: Citadel HFT capital, McKinsey/BCG/Bain Chicago, Big Tech offices, plus Top-3 US food scene. Career ladder dramatically deeper than STL's Anheuser-Busch/Boeing/Edward Jones mix.
Why people move from St. Louis to Chicago.
- MO+STL 5.95% becomes IL 4.95% — saves $1,000/year on $100K
- Citadel, Citadel Securities, Jump Trading — HFT capital
- McKinsey, BCG, Bain Chicago consulting offices
- Big Tech Chicago — Google, Salesforce Tower, LinkedIn
- CTA + walkability dramatically larger than STL Metro
- Top-3 US food city replaces STL's growing scene
- Cultural offerings expand (Lyric Opera, Symphony, Art Institute)
- Lake Michigan summers
The money side of MO → IL.
St. Louis
- Median home$235,000
- Income tax4.95% MO + 1% STL (~5.95%)
- Cost index84
Chicago
- Median home$360,000
- Income tax4.95% (IL flat)
- Cost index107
Things you'll want to know about your new city.
Bookmark this page — these are the icons of Chicago, organized by what kind of day you're planning.
Outdoors & Recreation
- Millennium Park (Cloud Gate / 'The Bean') — Anish Kapoor's sculpture; Pritzker Pavilion concerts
- Willis (Sears) Tower Skydeck — 103rd floor with glass-floor 'Ledge'
- Chicago Riverwalk — 1.25-mile waterfront walk with bars and architecture views
- Lake Michigan Lakefront Trail — 18-mile beach/path along the lake
Culture & Arts
- Art Institute of Chicago — Among top 10 art museums globally; Hopper, Picasso, Wood
- Wrigley Field — 1914 stadium; Cubs games, ivy walls, rooftop bleachers
- Architecture Boat Tour — Chicago Architecture Center's tour — best way to see the city
Family-Friendly
- Navy Pier — Ferris wheel, IMAX, Children's Museum, fireworks
- Field Museum of Natural History — SUE the T. rex; Egyptian mummies; gem hall
- Lincoln Park Zoo — Free zoo in Lincoln Park since 1868
Chicago's essential restaurants.
The dining list every Chicago resident knows by heart. Save the spots, work through them.
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Alinea Modernist fine dining Lincoln Park
Three Michelin stars; Grant Achatz
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Lou Malnati's Pizzeria Deep dish pizza Multiple
Classic Chicago deep-dish
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Au Cheval American/burger West Loop
The cheeseburger of the decade
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Smoque BBQ BBQ Old Irving Park
Texas-style brisket and ribs
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Girl & The Goat New American Fulton Market
Stephanie Izard's flagship; Top Chef winner
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Pequod's Pizza Deep dish pizza Lincoln Park / Morton Grove
Caramelized cheese crust
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Lula Cafe Farm-to-table Logan Square
Seasonal menus, beloved brunch
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Topolobampo Mexican fine dining River North
Rick Bayless's regional Mexican
Best Chicago neighborhoods for St. Louis transplants.
Mapped to the St. Louis neighborhoods that probably feel like home to you.
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Lincoln Park
If Webster Groves was your suburban speed — walkable, top schools, parks
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West Loop
If The Hill walkable was your vibe — walkable, lofts, Restaurant Row
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Wicker Park / Bucktown
If Soulard was your speed — hip walkable, art, music
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Lakeview
If Central West End was your goal — walkable, restaurants, lake access
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Andersonville
If Lafayette Square family was your speed — walkable, indie, family
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Evanston (suburb)
If Clayton was your suburban model — top schools, walkable, Northwestern
What daily life feels like in Chicago.
Climate
Continental — four extreme seasons. Hot, humid summers (75-90°F). Brutal winters with windchill (-10 to 30°F, lake-effect snow). Spring is muddy; fall is glorious. 'Windy City' nickname earned. 189 sun days/year.
- Summer70-85°F
- Winter21-35°F
- Sun days/yr189
- Rainfall37 inches
Walkability
- Walk Score77/100
- Transit Score65/100
- Bike Score72/100
Chicago is very walkable — daily errands rarely require a car.
Outdoors & Recreation
- Lakefront Trail — 18 miles of beach/path along Lake Michigan
- Chicago Riverwalk — kayaking, paddleboarding, riverboats
- Lincoln Park / Grant Park / Millennium Park — major urban parks
- Indiana Dunes National Park (1 hr east) — beaches and trails
- Starved Rock State Park (1.5 hrs west) — canyons and waterfalls
- Biking — among most bike-friendly major US cities, Divvy bike share
What changes about your daily life.
- Tax modestly drops — MO+STL 5.95% to IL 4.95% ($1,000/yr saved on $100K)
- Housing 53% higher — $235K STL condo becomes $360K Chicago condo
- Cost of living 27% higher
- Climate similar (both humid continental, brutal winters)
- STL Metro replaced with CTA — significant transit upgrade
- Career mix shifts — Anheuser-Busch/Boeing/Edward Jones to finance/HFT/Big Tech
- Free Forest Park access disappears (STL has unique free amenities)
- Restaurant scene scales up (Chicago Top-3; STL has growing scene)
- Sports culture shifts — Cardinals/Blues → Bears/Cubs/Bulls/Blackhawks/White Sox
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-Oct (avoid both winters + tornado peak)
- Lead time4-6 weeks ahead
USDOT-registered.
Moving from St. Louis to Chicago: FAQ.
Will I miss free Forest Park?
Yes. STL's Forest Park has free zoo + art museum + history museum + science center — unique among major US cities. Chicago has Lincoln Park Zoo (free) but most other major museums charge admission ($25-35 family). Locals miss the family-budget impact.
Worth giving up STL affordability?
Career-dependent. Chicago tech/finance/consulting pays 25-40% more than STL equivalents — typically clears the housing premium. The IL→MO+STL tax savings ($1,000/yr) is bonus. For STL-strengths (Anheuser-Busch, Boeing, Edward Jones, BJC HealthCare), staying often makes financial sense.
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