MO → OH · Gateway City to Buckeye Capital

Moving from St. Louis to Columbus?

St. Louis to Columbus — MO 5.95% to OH 3.5% saves $2,450/yr, housing same — Wash U/Boeing → JPMorgan Chase + Intel + OSU + Nationwide.

410 mi Distance
6.5 hr Drive time
2% lower Home prices
$2,450/yr Tax savings on $100K

The Story

St. Louis-to-Columbus is Wash U/Boeing → JPMorgan Chase + Intel + OSU move. MO 5.95% → OH 3.5% saves $2,450/yr. Housing same, COL 13% higher. Pull: JPMorgan Chase Columbus (Edward Jones STL bridge), Intel $20B fab, OSU Wexner Medical (Wash U Med bridge), Nationwide HQ, Battelle Memorial.

Why This Move

Why people move from St. Louis to Columbus.

JPMorgan Chase Columbus — Edward Jones STL finance bridge (largest non-NYC)
Intel $20B fab Licking County — largest semi investment in US
OSU Wexner Medical — Wash U Med academic bridge
Nationwide Insurance HQ + Battelle Memorial (defense research)
Boeing STL Defense → Battelle Memorial defense pivot
Tax savings vs STL local tax
Buckeyes football culture
Walkable urban (Short North, German Village)

Cost Comparison

The money side of MO → OH.

St. Louis

Median home$235,000
Income tax4.95% MO + 1% STL (~5.95%)
Cost index84

Columbus

Median home$230,000
Income tax3.5% (OH top)
Cost index95

What to Do in Columbus

Things you'll want to know about your new city.

Bookmark this page — these are the icons of Columbus, organized by what kind of day you're planning.

Outdoors & Recreation

Franklin Park Conservatory — 1895 conservatory with Chihuly glass
Scioto Mile — Downtown riverfront park with fountain
Topiary Park — Topiary recreation of Seurat's 'A Sunday Afternoon...'
Hocking Hills State Park (1 hr SE) — Waterfalls, sandstone cliffs, hiking

Culture & Arts

Ohio State University — Largest US university campus; Ohio Stadium ('The Horseshoe')
Columbus Museum of Art — Strong American Impressionist collection
German Village — Brick streets and 19th-century homes; Schmidt's sausage

Family-Friendly

COSI (Center of Science and Industry) — Hands-on science museum with planetarium
Columbus Zoo & Aquarium — Among top US zoos; Jack Hanna's home

Nightlife & Entertainment

Short North Arts District — Walkable High Street; galleries, restaurants, bars

Where to Eat

Columbus's essential restaurants.

The dining list every Columbus resident knows by heart. Save the spots, work through them.

The Refectory French Northwest

Long-running fine dining in restored church
Lindey's American German Village

Beloved upscale neighborhood spot
Veritas Modern American Downtown

Chef-driven tasting
Schmidt's Sausage Haus German German Village

1886 institution; Bahama Mama sausage
Hot Chicken Takeover Hot chicken Multiple

Born in Columbus, now national
Service Bar American Short North

James Beard nominee
Watershed Distillery American Olentangy

Craft distillery + restaurant
Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams Ice cream Multiple

Born in Columbus, now national

Where to Live

Best Columbus neighborhoods for St. Louis transplants.

Mapped to the St. Louis neighborhoods that probably feel like home to you.

Short North

If Central West End was your scene — walkable urban, restaurants
German Village

If Soulard was your vibe — historic, walkable
Clintonville

If Webster Groves was your goal — leafy walkable, family
Bexley (suburb)

If Clayton was your model — top schools, walkable
Dublin (suburb)

If Kirkwood was your scene — master-planned, top schools
Upper Arlington (suburb)

If you wanted affluent — top schools

Climate & Walkability

What daily life feels like in Columbus.

Climate

Humid continental. Cold winters (20-40°F). Hot, humid summers (60-85°F). Beautiful spring/fall. 175 sun days/year (one of cloudier US metros).

Summer62-85°F
Winter20-40°F
Sun days/yr175
Rainfall39 inches

Walkability

Walk Score41/100
Transit Score30/100
Bike Score47/100

Columbus is car-dependent — most errands require driving.

Outdoors & Recreation

Scioto Mile — downtown riverfront
Highbanks Metro Park — 1,200 acres of trails
Hocking Hills State Park (1 hr SE) — falls and cliffs
Alum Creek State Park — boating, hiking
Olentangy Trail — 14 miles of paved bike path
Lake Erie (2 hrs N) — beaches, Cedar Point amusement park

Reality Check

What changes about your daily life.

MO 5.95% becomes OH 3.5% — saves $2,450/year on $100K
Housing same — $235K STL to $230K Columbus
COL 13% higher
Climate similar humid continental
Property tax OH 1.5% higher than MO 1.0%
Car-dependent both
Wash U → OSU Wexner + Boeing → Battelle direct bridges
Sports — gain Buckeyes, lose Cardinals/Blues

Driving Routes

How to drive there.

I-70 E

410 miles via Indianapolis. 6.5 hours / 1 day.

Move Logistics

What it takes to move 410 miles.

Full-service (3BR)$3,000-$5,500
Container/PODS$2,200-$3,800
DIY (26-ft truck)$1,600-$3,000
Best monthsApr-Oct
Lead time4-6 weeks ahead

USDOT-registered.

Common Questions