Moving from New Orleans to St. Louis?
NOLA to STL — LA 4.25% to MO ~6.95% costs $2,700/yr more, housing 5% pricier — Ochsner/Tulane → BJC + Wash U + Express Scripts + Boeing Defense + Anheuser-Busch + Scott AFB.
- 690 mi Distance
- 10 hr Drive time
- -5% lower Home prices
- $-2,700/yr Tax savings on $100K
NOLA-to-STL is Tulane → Wash U + Ochsner → BJC move. LA 4.25% → MO+STL 6.95% costs $2,700/yr more. Housing 5% pricier, COL 9% lower. Pull: BJC HealthCare (Cerner bridge), Wash U Medical (top academic), Express Scripts (Cigna), Boeing Defense, Anheuser-Busch HQ, no hurricanes.
Why people move from New Orleans to St. Louis.
- BJC HealthCare + Wash U Medical — top-tier academic medicine (Tulane bridge)
- Express Scripts (Cigna) — pharma benefits
- Boeing Defense — F-15, F/A-18
- Anheuser-Busch HQ — Fortune 200
- Edward Jones HQ — finance
- Scott AFB (30 min east) — TRANSCOM HQ defense lateral
- Lower COL (9% less than NOLA)
- Free Forest Park (zoo, museums) + Gateway Arch, no hurricanes
The money side of LA → MO.
New Orleans
- Median home$210,000
- Income tax4.25% (LA)
- Cost index95
St. Louis
- Median home$220,000
- Income tax4.95% MO + 1% STL + ~1% local (~6.95%)
- Cost index86
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.
-
Niche / Sidney Street Cafe Modern American Benton Park
Gerard Craft (James Beard winner)
-
Pastaria Italian Clayton
Gerard Craft — wood-fired pizza, fresh pasta
-
Pappy's Smokehouse BBQ Midtown
Memphis-style ribs; cult favorite
-
Bogart's Smokehouse BBQ Soulard
Pappy's offshoot; brisket and burnt ends
-
Imo's Pizza St. Louis pizza Multiple
Cracker-thin crust, Provel cheese — STL-style icon
-
Charlie Gitto's Italian The Hill
Original toasted ravioli inventor (allegedly)
-
Kingside Diner Diner Multiple
Classic American breakfast/diner
-
Vicia Modern vegetable-forward Central West End
Michael + Tara Gallina; James Beard nominees
Best St. Louis neighborhoods for New Orleans transplants.
Mapped to the New Orleans neighborhoods that probably feel like home to you.
-
Central West End
If French Quarter was your scene — walkable, restaurants, near Wash U
-
The Grove
If Bywater was your vibe — gentrified, walkable
-
Soulard
If you wanted historic — French Quarter vibe, walkable
-
Clayton (suburb)
If Metairie was your model — top schools, walkable downtown
-
Kirkwood (suburb)
If you wanted master-planned — top schools, walkable historic downtown
-
Tower Grove South
If you wanted historic charm — tree-lined, walkable
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.
- LA 4.25% becomes MO+STL 6.95% — costs $2,700/year more on $100K
- Housing 5% pricier — $210K NOLA becomes $220K STL
- COL 9% lower
- Climate flips humid subtropical to humid continental (STL real winters, no hurricanes)
- Property tax MO 1.0% higher than LA 0.55%
- Car-dependent both
- Tulane → Wash U Medical direct top academic medicine bridge
- Sports — gain Cardinals/Blues, lose Saints/Pelicans
How to drive there.
What it takes to move 690 miles.
- Full-service (3BR)$3,800-$6,800
- Container/PODS$2,700-$4,500
- DIY (26-ft truck)$1,900-$3,600
- Best monthsApr-Oct (avoid winter)
- Lead time4-6 weeks ahead
USDOT-registered.
Moving from New Orleans to St. Louis: FAQ.
Tulane to Wash U Medical?
Excellent fit. Wash U + Tulane are peers in top academic medicine — direct internal-style transfer.
Worth the move?
Yes for BJC/Wash U career + lower COL + no hurricanes.
Let's find the right interstate mover for your New Orleans-to-St. Louis move.
Free advice from people who know both markets. No obligation, no spam, no sales pressure.
Replies within 1 hour during business hours, 9am to 5pm ET, Mon-Fri.