Moving from St. Louis to Los Angeles?
St. Louis to LA — MO 4.95% to CA 9.3% costs $4,350/yr, housing 342% pricier — entertainment.
- 1,850 mi Distance
- 28 hr Drive time
- -342% lower Home prices
- $-4,350/yr Tax savings on $100K
STL-to-LA is entertainment career + climate move. MO 4.95% → CA 9.3% costs $4,350/yr. Housing 342% MORE ($215K → $950K), COL 97% higher. Pull: entertainment industry, year-round sun, beaches, Hollywood/Disney/Netflix/Sony.
Why people move from St. Louis to Los Angeles.
- Entertainment industry capital — film/TV/music
- Year-round sun (LA 284 sun days)
- Beach access (Pacific 30 min west)
- Hollywood/Disney/Netflix/Sony/Universal Studios
- Tech hub — Snap, SpaceX, Apple Culver City
- Mediterranean climate (70°F year-round)
- Diverse food scene
- Mexican border culture
The money side of MO → CA.
St. Louis
- Median home$215,000
- Income tax4.95% (MO top)
- Cost index89
Los Angeles
- Median home$950,000
- Income tax9.3% (CA bracket)
- Cost index175
Things you'll want to know about your new city.
Bookmark this page — these are the icons of Los Angeles, organized by what kind of day you're planning.
Outdoors & Recreation
- Griffith Observatory — Iconic city views, planetarium, free admission
- Runyon Canyon Park — Iconic LA hiking with skyline views
- Venice Beach — Skate, bike, people-watch boardwalk
- Malibu Beaches — Zuma, El Matador, Point Dume
Culture & Arts
- Getty Center — World-class art museum on a Brentwood hilltop
- Hollywood Walk of Fame — Historic stretch of Hollywood Boulevard
- LACMA — Largest art museum in western US
Family-Friendly
- Santa Monica Pier — Pacific Park rides, beach access, Route 66 western terminus
- Universal Studios Hollywood — Movie-themed park and tour
- Disneyland (Anaheim) — 45 min south of LA proper
Los Angeles's essential restaurants.
The dining list every Los Angeles resident knows by heart. Save the spots, work through them.
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Bestia Italian Arts District
Reservation legend
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Republique French Hancock Park
Bakery and brasserie in historic Chaplin building
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Howlin' Ray's Hot chicken Chinatown
Cult Nashville-style hot chicken
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Guelaguetza Oaxacan Koreatown
James Beard-winning mole
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Providence Seafood/tasting Hollywood
Two Michelin stars
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Night + Market Northern Thai WeHo/Silver Lake/Venice
Multiple locations, beloved by locals
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Sushi Note Japanese Sherman Oaks
Edomae sushi and wine pairings
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Pizzeria Mozza Pizza Hancock Park
Nancy Silverton's flagship
Best Los Angeles neighborhoods for St. Louis transplants.
Mapped to the St. Louis neighborhoods that probably feel like home to you.
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Silver Lake
If The Grove was your scene — walkable, hip, indie
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Larchmont
If Soulard was your speed — walkable historic, family
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Pasadena
If Clayton was your model — affluent, walkable, top schools
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Santa Monica
If you wanted beach + walkable — affluent beach
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Studio City (Valley)
If Chesterfield was your model — family, top schools
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Echo Park
If you wanted hip + walkable — walkable, art
What daily life feels like in Los Angeles.
Climate
Mediterranean climate. Sunny 280+ days per year. Mild winters (50-70°F). Warm-to-hot summers (75-95°F inland, cooler at the coast). Effectively no humidity. Wildfire smoke risk Aug-Nov in some areas.
- Summer75-90°F
- Winter50-70°F
- Sun days/yr284
- Rainfall14 inches
Walkability
- Walk Score69/100
- Transit Score53/100
- Bike Score59/100
Los Angeles is somewhat walkable in central neighborhoods, car-dependent in suburbs.
Outdoors & Recreation
- Pacific Ocean — surfing, paddleboarding, year-round beach access
- Santa Monica Mountains — hiking and trail running
- Angeles National Forest — backcountry within 1 hour
- Joshua Tree National Park — 2.5 hours east
- San Gabriel Mountains — skiing/snowboarding at Mountain High in winter
What changes about your daily life.
- MO 4.95% becomes CA 9.3% — costs $4,350/year on $100K
- Housing 342% MORE expensive — $215K STL becomes $950K LA
- COL 97% higher — major adjustment
- Climate flips humid continental to Mediterranean — gain year-round mild
- Property taxes lower (CA 0.7% vs MO 1.0% with Prop 13)
- MetroLink → Metro/Expo (urban upgrade)
- Anheuser-Busch/Boeing → entertainment/tech
- Sports — gain Lakers/Dodgers/Rams/Chargers/Kings, lose Cardinals/Blues
How to drive there.
What it takes to move 1,850 miles.
- Full-service (3BR)$8,200-$15,000
- Container/PODS$5,800-$9,200
- DIY (26-ft truck)$4,400-$7,800
- Best monthsApr-Oct
- Lead time10-12 weeks ahead
USDOT-registered.
Moving from St. Louis to Los Angeles: FAQ.
Boeing STL to SpaceX/LA?
Strong defense bridge. SpaceX, Anduril, Northrop LA hire aerospace engineers.
Worth 4.4x housing?
Math depends on career step-up. Entertainment + tech career capital justifies.
Let's find the right interstate mover for your St. Louis-to-Los Angeles move.
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