MO → PA · Gateway City to Steel City

Moving from St. Louis to Pittsburgh?

St. Louis to Pittsburgh — MO 5.95% to PA 6.07% costs $120/yr, housing 15% cheaper — Wash U → CMU robotics + UPMC + Google Pittsburgh.

600 mi Distance
9 hr Drive time
15% lower Home prices
$-120/yr Tax savings on $100K

The Story

St. Louis-to-Pittsburgh is Wash U → CMU robotics + UPMC move. MO 5.95% → PA 6.07% near-wash ($120/yr cost). Housing 15% cheaper, COL 8% higher. Pull: CMU robotics + AI (Wash U computational bridge), UPMC (Wash U Med academic bridge), Pittsburgh revitalization (Google office).

Why This Move

Why people move from St. Louis to Pittsburgh.

CMU robotics + AI — Wash U computational direct bridge
UPMC — Wash U Medicine academic bridge
Pittsburgh revitalization (Google office, Aurora autonomous)
Walkable urban (Lawrenceville, Strip District)
Steelers + Penguins + Pirates
Three rivers + green hills
15% cheaper housing
Tax near-wash

Cost Comparison

The money side of MO → PA.

St. Louis

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

Pittsburgh

Median home$200,000
Income tax3.07% PA + 3% Pittsburgh (~6.07%)
Cost index91

What to Do in Pittsburgh

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

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

Outdoors & Recreation

Duquesne Incline / Mount Washington — 1877 funicular; iconic skyline view from top
Phipps Conservatory — Glasshouse and gardens; Chihuly installations
Schenley Park — 456-acre park with trails; Phipps Conservatory inside

Culture & Arts

Carnegie Museums (Art / Natural History) — T. rex, Picasso, Pollock under one roof
Andy Warhol Museum — World's largest collection of Warhol
Heinz History Center — Western PA history; Mister Rogers exhibit
PNC Park (Pirates) — MLB stadium with downtown skyline view
Strip District — Walkable food district; ethnic markets, Pamela's pancakes
Frick Pittsburgh — Henry Clay Frick mansion, art museum, and grounds

Family-Friendly

Carnegie Science Center — Hands-on science; Highmark SportsWorks; submarine USS Requin

Where to Eat

Pittsburgh's essential restaurants.

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

Pamela's Diner Diner Strip District (multiple)

Hotcake legend (Obama's favorite)
Primanti Bros. Sandwiches Strip District (multiple)

Pittsburgh sandwich with fries IN it
Cure Mediterranean Lawrenceville

Justin Severino; James Beard nominee
Driftwood Oven Pizza Lawrenceville

Wood-fired sourdough pizza
Bitter Ends Garden & Luncheonette American Bloomfield

Chef-driven seasonal
Apteka Vegan Eastern European Bloomfield

James Beard winner; pierogies, kapusta
Dianoia's Eatery Italian Strip District

Modern Italian, beloved
Mancini's Bakery Bread/bakery McKees Rocks

Pittsburgh institution since 1926

Where to Live

Best Pittsburgh neighborhoods for St. Louis transplants.

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

Lawrenceville

If Central West End was your scene — walkable urban, restaurants
Strip District

If Soulard was your vibe — foodie, market culture
Squirrel Hill

If Clayton was your goal — leafy historic, walkable
Mt. Lebanon (suburb)

If Webster Groves was your model — top schools, family
Cranberry (suburb)

If Kirkwood was your scene — newer family
Sewickley (suburb)

If you wanted affluent — old-money, walkable

Climate & Walkability

What daily life feels like in Pittsburgh.

Climate

Humid continental. Cold winters (22-40°F, 27 inches snow). Warm humid summers (60-83°F). Spring rainy; fall spectacular. Generally cloudier than average. 162 sun days/year.

Summer60-83°F
Winter22-40°F
Sun days/yr162
Rainfall39 inches

Walkability

Walk Score62/100
Transit Score53/100
Bike Score56/100

Pittsburgh is somewhat walkable in central neighborhoods, car-dependent in suburbs.

Outdoors & Recreation

Three Rivers — kayaking, paddleboarding (Allegheny, Monongahela, Ohio)
Frick Park — 644 acres in city
Schenley Park — 456 acres
Great Allegheny Passage — 150-mile rail-trail to DC
Laurel Highlands (1 hr SE) — Fallingwater (Frank Lloyd Wright), skiing, hiking
Ohiopyle State Park — whitewater rafting, hiking

Reality Check

What changes about your daily life.

MO 5.95% becomes PA 6.07% — costs $120/year on $100K (near-wash)
Housing 15% cheaper — $235K STL becomes $200K Pittsburgh
COL 8% higher
Climate similar humid continental
Property tax PA 1.5% higher than MO 1.0%
Car-dependent both
Wash U + Boeing → CMU robotics/UPMC direct bridges
Sports — gain Steelers/Penguins/Pirates, lose Cardinals/Blues

Driving Routes

How to drive there.

I-70 E to I-79 N

600 miles via Indianapolis, Wheeling. 9 hours / 1-2 days.

Move Logistics

What it takes to move 600 miles.

Full-service (3BR)$3,500-$6,500
Container/PODS$2,500-$4,200
DIY (26-ft truck)$1,800-$3,200
Best monthsApr-Oct
Lead time4-6 weeks ahead

USDOT-registered.

Common Questions