OR → MO · Rose City to Gateway City

Moving from Portland to St. Louis?

Portland to STL — OR 9.9% to MO ~6.95% saves $2,950/yr, housing 69% cheaper — Nike/OHSU → BJC + Wash U + Express Scripts + Boeing Defense + Anheuser-Busch + Scott AFB.

2,050 mi Distance
30 hr Drive time
69% lower Home prices
$2,950/yr Tax savings on $100K

The Story

Portland-to-STL is OHSU → BJC + Wash U + Boeing Defense move. OR 9.9% → MO+STL 6.95% saves $2,950/yr. Housing 69% cheaper, COL 34% lower. Pull: BJC HealthCare (Cerner bridge), Wash U Medical (top academic), Express Scripts (Cigna), Boeing Defense, Anheuser-Busch HQ, Scott AFB TRANSCOM.

Why This Move

Why people move from Portland to St. Louis.

BJC HealthCare + Wash U Medical — top-tier academic medicine (Cerner bridge)
Express Scripts (Cigna) — pharma benefits
Boeing Defense — F-15, F/A-18 production
Anheuser-Busch HQ — Fortune 200
Edward Jones HQ — finance
Scott AFB (30 min east) — TRANSCOM HQ defense lateral
Lower taxes (saves $2,950/yr)
Drastically cheaper housing (69% less than Portland)

Cost Comparison

The money side of OR → MO.

Portland

Median home$700,000
Income tax9.9% (OR)
Cost index130

St. Louis

Median home$220,000
Income tax4.95% MO + 1% STL + ~1% local (~6.95%)
Cost index86

What to Do in St. Louis

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

Where to Eat

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

Where to Live

Best St. Louis neighborhoods for Portland transplants.

Mapped to the Portland neighborhoods that probably feel like home to you.

Central West End

If Pearl District was your scene — walkable, restaurants, near Wash U
The Grove

If Alberta Arts was your vibe — gentrified, walkable
Soulard

If Sellwood was your historic vibe — French Quarter vibe, walkable
Clayton (suburb)

If Lake Oswego was your model — top schools, walkable downtown
Kirkwood (suburb)

If Beaverton was your scene — top schools, walkable historic downtown
Tower Grove South

If you wanted historic charm — tree-lined, walkable

Climate & Walkability

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

Reality Check

What changes about your daily life.

OR 9.9% becomes MO+STL 6.95% — saves $2,950/year on $100K
Housing 69% cheaper — $700K Portland becomes $220K STL
COL 34% lower
Climate flips oceanic to humid continental (STL real winters, hot humid summers)
Property tax MO 1.0% same as OR 1.0%
Walkability decrease — Portland walkable, STL Central West End walkable but car-dependent
OHSU → BJC/Wash U direct academic medicine bridge
Sports — gain Cardinals/Blues, lose Trail Blazers/Timbers/Thorns

Driving Routes

How to drive there.

I-84 E to I-80 E to I-70 E

2,050 miles via Boise, Salt Lake City, KC. 30 hours / 4 days.

Move Logistics

What it takes to move 2,050 miles.

Full-service (3BR)$8,000-$14,500
Container/PODS$5,800-$9,500
DIY (26-ft truck)$4,200-$7,200
Best monthsApr-Oct (avoid winter)
Lead time8-10 weeks ahead

USDOT-registered.

Common Questions