CA → MO · Camellia City to Gateway City

Moving from Sacramento to St. Louis?

Sac to STL — CA 9.3% to MO ~6.95% saves $2,350/yr, housing 51% cheaper — state govt → BJC + Wash U + Express Scripts + Boeing.

1,900 mi Distance
28 hr Drive time
51% lower Home prices
$2,350/yr Tax savings on $100K

The Story

Sac-to-STL is state govt → BJC + Wash U + Express Scripts move. CA 9.3% → MO+STL 6.95% saves $2,350/yr. Housing 51% cheaper, COL 34% lower. Pull: BJC HealthCare (Cerner bridge), Wash U Medical, Express Scripts (Cigna), Boeing Defense, Anheuser-Busch HQ, free Forest Park.

Why This Move

Why people move from Sacramento to St. Louis.

BJC HealthCare + Wash U Medical — Cerner data bridge
Express Scripts (Cigna) — pharma benefits
Boeing Defense — F-15, F/A-18 production
Anheuser-Busch HQ — Fortune 200
Edward Jones HQ — finance
Lower taxes (saves $2,350/yr)
Much cheaper housing (51% less than Sac)
Free Forest Park (zoo, museums, art) + Gateway Arch

Cost Comparison

The money side of CA → MO.

Sacramento

Median home$450,000
Income tax9.3% (CA)
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 Sacramento transplants.

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

Central West End

If Midtown Sac was your scene — walkable, restaurants, near Wash U
The Grove

If you wanted artsy — gentrified, walkable
Soulard

If you wanted historic — French Quarter vibe, walkable
Clayton (suburb)

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

If Roseville 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.

CA 9.3% becomes MO+STL 6.95% — saves $2,350/year on $100K
Housing 51% cheaper — $450K Sac becomes $220K STL
COL 34% lower
Climate flips Mediterranean to humid continental (STL 4 seasons, humid summers)
Property tax MO 1.0% higher than CA 0.75%
Car-dependent both, but STL Central West End walkable
Sutter → BJC/Wash U health analytics direct bridge
Sports — gain Cardinals/Blues, lose Kings

Driving Routes

How to drive there.

I-80 E to I-70 E

1,900 miles via Salt Lake City, Denver, Kansas City. 28 hours / 4 days.

Move Logistics

What it takes to move 1,900 miles.

Full-service (3BR)$7,500-$13,500
Container/PODS$5,500-$9,000
DIY (26-ft truck)$4,000-$6,800
Best monthsApr-Oct (avoid winter)
Lead time8-10 weeks ahead

USDOT-registered.

Common Questions