Moving from St. Louis to New Orleans?
St. Louis to NOLA — MO 5.95% to LA 3% saves $2,950/yr, housing 26% pricier — Boeing/Wash U → Boeing Michoud + Tulane Med + culture.
- 680 mi Distance
- 10 hr Drive time
- -26% lower Home prices
- $2,950/yr Tax savings on $100K
St. Louis-to-NOLA is Boeing STL → Boeing Michoud direct internal transfer + Wash U → Tulane Med move. MO 5.95% → LA 3% saves $2,950/yr. Housing 26% MORE, COL 11% higher. Pull: Boeing Michoud Assembly (Boeing STL direct bridge — External Tank, Orion), Tulane Medicine + Ochsner Health (Wash U Med bridge), jazz/Creole culture.
Why people move from St. Louis to New Orleans.
- Boeing Michoud Assembly — Boeing STL Defense direct internal transfer
- Tulane Medicine + Ochsner Health — Wash U Med bridge
- Jazz + Creole culture, French Quarter
- Port of New Orleans — global trade
- Mardi Gras + festivals year-round
- Tax savings vs STL local tax
- Saints + Pelicans sports
- Mississippi River culture (both river cities)
The money side of MO → LA.
St. Louis
- Median home$235,000
- Income tax4.95% MO + 1% STL (~5.95%)
- Cost index84
New Orleans
- Median home$295,000
- Income tax3% (LA flat)
- Cost index93
Things you'll want to know about your new city.
Bookmark this page — these are the icons of New Orleans, organized by what kind of day you're planning.
Outdoors & Recreation
- Garden District — Antebellum mansions, Magazine Street shopping, streetcar access
- City Park — 1,300 acres (larger than Central Park); NOMA museum, oak grove, sculpture garden
Culture & Arts
- French Quarter — 78 blocks of 18th-century Spanish/French architecture; Bourbon Street, Royal Street antiques
- Jackson Square / St. Louis Cathedral — Iconic French Quarter heart; oldest cathedral in continuous use in US
- National WWII Museum — Top-rated US museum; immersive WWII experience
- Frenchmen Street — Live music nightly — locals' alternative to Bourbon Street
- Preservation Hall — Traditional jazz nightly since 1961
- St. Charles Streetcar — Oldest continuously operating streetcar line in world (1835)
- Mardi Gras (February) — Two weeks of parades culminating Fat Tuesday; defining annual experience
Family-Friendly
- Audubon Zoo / Aquarium — World-class zoo in Audubon Park; aquarium downtown
New Orleans's essential restaurants.
The dining list every New Orleans resident knows by heart. Save the spots, work through them.
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Commander's Palace Haute Creole Garden District
Brennan family icon since 1893; Emeril and Paul Prudhomme alumni
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Café du Monde Beignets/coffee French Quarter
Open 24/7 since 1862; chicory coffee and powdered-sugar beignets
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Cochon Cajun/Southern Warehouse District
Donald Link; James Beard winner; whole-hog cooking
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Galatoire's Creole French Quarter (Bourbon St)
Friday lunch is a New Orleans institution since 1905
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Compère Lapin Caribbean-Creole Warehouse District
Nina Compton (Top Chef); James Beard winner
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Domilise's Po-Boys Po'boys Uptown
Dive po'boy shop since 1918; locals' choice
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Willa Jean Southern brunch/bakery Warehouse District
Kelly Fields biscuits and brunch
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Saba Israeli-Mediterranean Uptown
Alon Shaya; James Beard winner — pita made tableside
Best New Orleans neighborhoods for St. Louis transplants.
Mapped to the St. Louis neighborhoods that probably feel like home to you.
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Marigny
If Central West End was your scene — walkable urban, music
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Bywater
If Soulard was your vibe — artsy, walkable
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Garden District
If Webster Groves was your goal — affluent historic
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Lakeview
If you wanted lakes — family, top schools
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Metairie (suburb)
If Clayton was your model — family, top schools
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Uptown
If you wanted historic — streetcar, walkable
What daily life feels like in New Orleans.
Climate
Humid subtropical. Hot humid summers (75-91°F) with near-daily afternoon thunderstorms. Mild winters (45-65°F). Hurricane risk June-November (always carry insurance). 64 inches rainfall, 216 sun days/year.
- Summer75-91°F
- Winter45-65°F
- Sun days/yr216
- Rainfall64 inches
Walkability
- Walk Score58/100
- Transit Score47/100
- Bike Score56/100
New Orleans is somewhat walkable in central neighborhoods, car-dependent in suburbs.
Outdoors & Recreation
- City Park — 1,300 acres, oak grove, NOMA, sculpture garden, lagoons
- Audubon Park — Uptown park along the river with golf and zoo
- Bayou St. John — kayaking through Mid-City
- Crescent Park — riverfront promenade with Mississippi views
- Jean Lafitte National Park (30 min south) — bayou/swamp tours
- Lake Pontchartrain — fishing, sailing, 24-mile causeway
What changes about your daily life.
- MO 5.95% becomes LA 3% — saves $2,950/year on $100K
- Housing 26% MORE — $235K STL becomes $295K NOLA
- COL 11% higher
- Climate flips humid continental to humid subtropical
- Hurricane season Jun-Nov
- Property tax LA 0.6% lower than MO 1.0%
- Boeing STL → Boeing Michoud direct internal transfer
- Sports — gain Saints/Pelicans, lose Cardinals/Blues
How to drive there.
What it takes to move 680 miles.
- Full-service (3BR)$3,800-$7,000
- Container/PODS$2,800-$4,500
- DIY (26-ft truck)$2,000-$3,500
- Best monthsOct-May (avoid summer + hurricane peak)
- Lead time4-6 weeks ahead
USDOT-registered.
Moving from St. Louis to New Orleans: FAQ.
Boeing STL to Boeing Michoud?
Direct internal transfer. Boeing engineers transfer between STL Defense and Michoud Assembly regularly.
Worth higher housing?
For tax savings + Boeing internal transfer + culture, often yes.
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