DC → MO · Capital City to Gateway City

Moving from Washington to St. Louis?

DC to STL — DC 8.95% to MO ~6.95% saves $2,000/yr, housing 63% cheaper — federal/HHS → BJC + Wash U + Express Scripts + Boeing Defense + Anheuser-Busch + Scott AFB.

870 mi Distance
13 hr Drive time
63% lower Home prices
$2,000/yr Tax savings on $100K

The Story

DC-to-STL is federal/HHS → BJC + Wash U + Boeing Defense + Scott AFB move. DC 8.95% → MO+STL 6.95% saves $2,000/yr. Housing 63% cheaper, COL 43% lower. Pull: BJC HealthCare (Cerner bridge), Wash U Medical (top academic), Express Scripts (Cigna), Boeing Defense (F-15, F/A-18), Scott AFB (TRANSCOM HQ — defense lateral).

Why This Move

Why people move from Washington to St. Louis.

BJC HealthCare + Wash U Medical — top-tier academic medicine
Express Scripts (Cigna) — pharma benefits
Boeing Defense — F-15, F/A-18 production (federal contracts)
Anheuser-Busch HQ — Fortune 200
Edward Jones HQ — finance
Scott AFB (30 min east) — TRANSCOM HQ, direct federal/military lateral
Lower taxes (saves $2,000/yr)
Drastically cheaper housing (63% less than DC)

Cost Comparison

The money side of DC → MO.

Washington

Median home$600,000
Income tax8.95% (DC)
Cost index152

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 Washington transplants.

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

Central West End

If Logan Circle was your scene — walkable, restaurants, near Wash U
The Grove

If H Street NE was your vibe — gentrified, walkable
Soulard

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

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

If Arlington was your scene — top schools, walkable historic downtown
Tower Grove South

If Capitol Hill was your historic vibe — 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.

DC 8.95% becomes MO+STL 6.95% — saves $2,000/year on $100K
Housing 63% cheaper — $600K DC becomes $220K STL
COL 43% lower
Climate flips humid subtropical to humid continental (STL real winters, humid summers)
Property tax MO 1.0% higher than DC 0.85%
Walkability decrease — DC Metro vs STL Central West End walkable but mostly car-dependent
Federal/HHS → BJC/Wash U or Boeing Defense/Scott AFB federal lateral
Sports — gain Cardinals/Blues, lose Commanders

Driving Routes

How to drive there.

I-70 W

870 miles via Pittsburgh, Indianapolis. 13 hours / 2 days.

Move Logistics

What it takes to move 870 miles.

Full-service (3BR)$4,500-$8,000
Container/PODS$3,200-$5,200
DIY (26-ft truck)$2,300-$4,200
Best monthsApr-Oct (avoid winter)
Lead time5-7 weeks ahead

USDOT-registered.

Common Questions