Moving from Austin to St. Louis: What to Know Before You Go

If you are reading this, you are probably an Austin resident who has been thinking about St. Louis. Maybe your company has an opportunity there. Maybe you grew up in the Midwest and want to be closer to your roots. Maybe you have done the math on Austin housing and realized your equity could buy you twice the house in Missouri. Whatever the reason, you are not alone. I have worked with sellers who are making exactly this move, and I want to give you an honest picture of what to expect.

I am going to be straight with you: St. Louis is significantly more affordable than Austin. That is the headline, and it is real. But affordability is not the whole story. You are also giving up things that make Austin special. Lets walk through all of it so you can make this decision with your eyes open.

The Money Math: Cost of Living Comparison

This is where the conversation gets interesting, because the numbers are dramatic. Austin has become one of the more expensive metros in Texas. St. Louis remains one of the most affordable major metros in the entire country. The gap is significant.

Lets run a real scenario. Say you are a household making $130,000 a year in Austin. You own a $435,000 home. In Texas, you pay zero state income tax but about $7,830 in property tax (1.8% effective). Total state and property tax burden: $7,830.

In St. Louis, if you buy a $260,000 home at a 1.1% effective property tax rate, you are paying about $2,860 in property tax. Add Missouri’s income tax at 4.8% on income above $8,968, and you are looking at roughly $6,240 in state income tax. Total: $9,100. That is about $1,270 more than Texas.

But here is the thing that matters more than the tax math: your mortgage. The difference between a $435,000 home and a $260,000 home is $175,000 in purchase price. At current rates, that translates to roughly $1,100 less per month in mortgage payments. Over a year, you are saving $13,200 on housing alone. The $1,270 income tax increase is a rounding error compared to that.

The equity play: If you sell your Austin home and buy in St. Louis, you are likely pocketing $150,000 to $200,000 in equity. That money can go toward a larger down payment (lowering your monthly costs even further), investments, or simply padding your savings. Your Austin equity goes very far in St. Louis.

What You Will Gain Moving to St. Louis

Dramatically more house for your money. This is the single biggest factor for most people making this move. A $260,000 home in Kirkwood or Webster Groves gets you a charming 3-bedroom with a big yard, mature trees, and a walkable downtown district. That same money in Austin gets you a small condo or a long commute to Hutto. If you have been feeling squeezed by Austin housing costs, St. Louis will feel like a weight lifted.

Forest Park. Zilker is great, but Forest Park is 1,300 acres with the St. Louis Art Museum, the St. Louis Zoo, the Missouri History Museum, the St. Louis Science Center, and the Muny outdoor theater. All free. It is bigger than Central Park and arguably more packed with things to do. There is nothing in Austin that matches it.

Real sports culture. Cardinals baseball is a religion in St. Louis. The Blues won the Stanley Cup in 2019, and the fanbase is passionate. The new MLS team (St. Louis CITY SC) has one of the best soccer stadiums in the country. And with the Chiefs just across the state in Kansas City, you have easy access to NFL games. Austin has UT football and Austin FC, but the professional sports scene does not compare.

The food scene. St. Louis does not get enough national credit. Toasted ravioli, gooey butter cake, thin-crust pizza cut in squares (Provel cheese is polarizing but worth trying), and a restaurant scene along the Delmar Loop and Central West End that punches way above its weight. The Italian-American food culture on The Hill is genuinely special. You will miss Austin’s Tex-Mex and barbecue, but St. Louis holds its own.

Central location. St. Louis sits right in the middle of the country. Chicago is 4.5 hours north. Nashville is 4.5 hours east. Kansas City is 3.5 hours west. Memphis is 4.5 hours south. Weekend trips to major cities are easy. Austin is more isolated geographically, with Dallas being the closest major metro at 3 hours and Houston at 2.5 hours.

Four real seasons. Austin has two seasons: hot and less hot. St. Louis has genuine spring with blooming dogwoods and redbuds, warm summers, crisp fall foliage, and real winters with occasional snow. If you miss having distinct seasons, you will love it.

Less traffic. Austin’s I-35 corridor is a daily nightmare. St. Louis has traffic on I-64 and I-270 during rush hour, but it is manageable by comparison. Most commutes in the St. Louis metro run 20 to 35 minutes. In Austin, that same distance can take an hour.

What You Will Miss About Austin

I would be doing you a disservice if I did not acknowledge what you are leaving behind. Austin is a special place, and these are real things worth missing.

The Hill Country. There is nothing like it in the Midwest. The rolling limestone hills, the wildflowers in spring, the winding roads through Dripping Springs and Wimberley. Driving 290 West on a spring morning with bluebonnets lining the highway is one of those experiences you cannot replicate anywhere else. St. Louis has beautiful parks and the Ozarks are not far, but the Hill Country landscape is uniquely Austin.

Live music. Austin is the Live Music Capital of the World for a reason. On any given night, you can walk down 6th Street or Red River and hear world-class musicians in tiny venues. St. Louis has a music scene (especially in Soulard and the Loop), but it is not the same depth or density.

No state income tax. This is real money. Missouri’s top rate of 4.8% means a $130,000 household is paying roughly $6,240 a year that they were not paying in Texas. Over a decade, that is $60,000+. The housing savings more than make up for it, but it still stings when you see it on your paycheck.

The outdoor lifestyle. Barton Springs Pool, Lady Bird Lake, the Greenbelt, Hamilton Pool, Lake Travis. Austin’s outdoor recreation is year-round and deeply woven into daily life. St. Louis has good parks and the Katy Trail is excellent for cycling, but the swimming holes and lake culture are an Austin thing you will genuinely miss.

The tech job market. If you work in software, product management, data science, or engineering, Austin’s job market is significantly deeper. Apple, Meta, Oracle, Tesla, Dell, Samsung, Amazon, and Google all have major operations here. St. Louis has a strong economy, but the tech concentration is not comparable.

Year-round warm weather. If you have gotten used to wearing shorts in February, St. Louis winters will be an adjustment. January average highs are around 40°F with lows in the low 20s. Snow, ice, and gray skies are part of life from November through March. Some people love it. But if you moved to Austin specifically for the warmth, this will be a significant change.

The energy. Austin has a growth energy that is hard to describe until you have lived in it. New restaurants opening, new neighborhoods developing, a constant sense of forward momentum. St. Louis has revitalized significantly in recent years (especially downtown and the CWE), but the population trajectory is different. Austin is growing fast. St. Louis city has been flat or declining, though the metro area has been stable.

Neighborhoods: Where Austin People Tend to Land

After talking with enough people who have made this move, I have noticed patterns. Here is where Austin buyers tend to feel most comfortable in St. Louis based on where they lived here.

One important note: St. Louis is a city of neighborhoods, and the quality and character can change significantly from one block to the next. Do your homework on specific streets and subdivisions. A good local agent who knows the micro-markets is essential, which is why I recommend specific people on the ground there (more on that below).

Jobs and Economy

St. Louis has a diversified economy that does not get the credit it deserves. The major employment sectors are strong and stable.

Healthcare is the backbone. BJC HealthCare (Barnes-Jewish Hospital, consistently ranked among the best in the country), SSM Health, and Mercy employ tens of thousands. Washington University School of Medicine is a world-class research institution. If you or your partner works in healthcare, the opportunities are deep.

Defense and aerospace. Boeing’s defense division is headquartered in the region. The company employs thousands in the St. Louis metro, working on fighter jets, satellites, and military systems. Scott Air Force Base is just across the river in Illinois.

Financial services. Edward Jones is headquartered in Des Peres. Centene Corporation (Fortune 25) is in Clayton. Stifel Financial, Scottrade’s successor, and numerous regional banks create a robust financial sector.

Biotech and agriculture. The Danforth Plant Science Center is a world leader in agricultural research. Bayer (which acquired Monsanto) maintains a major presence. Purina (Nestle) is headquartered downtown. This cluster is unique to St. Louis and growing.

Anheuser-Busch. Still a major employer and cultural landmark despite the InBev acquisition. The brewery tour is free and includes complimentary beer.

Salary reality: Salaries in St. Louis run 10 to 20% lower than Austin for comparable roles, especially in tech. But when your housing costs drop 40%, the net impact on your quality of life is overwhelmingly positive. A household making $110,000 in St. Louis lives like a household making $150,000 in Austin.

Remote work advantage: If you can keep your Austin salary or work remotely for a coastal company while living in St. Louis, you will be in an exceptional financial position. The cost of living arbitrage is enormous.

Schools Comparison

If schools are a factor in your decision, both metros have strong options in the suburbs and more uneven results in the urban cores.

St. Louis Public Schools (the city district) face challenges similar to Austin ISD: enrollment pressures, budget constraints, and uneven performance across campuses. The key difference is that St. Louis has a much stronger private and parochial school tradition. Catholic schools in particular are deeply established, affordable relative to Austin private schools, and widely attended. If private school is part of your plan, you will find more options at lower price points than Austin offers.

Missouri also has a robust charter school system in the city, which gives additional options that Texas does not have in the same way.

Weather: Four Real Seasons vs. Austin’s Two

Lets talk about weather honestly, because this is one of the biggest lifestyle adjustments.

St. Louis summers are hot and humid. Do not let anyone tell you otherwise. July and August average highs of 89 to 91°F with 70 to 80% humidity. It is not Austin’s 105°F, but the humidity makes 90°F feel oppressive. You will still be running your AC from June through September. The good news: summer is shorter. By late September, St. Louis starts cooling down. In Austin, you are still sweating through October.

The winters are real. This is the big adjustment for Austin residents. December through February brings average highs in the 30s and 40s, with lows in the teens and 20s. You will see snow multiple times per winter. Ice storms happen. You will need a proper winter coat, boots, and a good ice scraper. If you have been in Austin for years, your cold tolerance has probably atrophied.

Spring and fall are genuinely beautiful. This is what St. Louis has that Austin does not. April and May bring blooming dogwoods, redbuds, and azaleas across the metro. October is stunning with fall foliage in Forest Park, along the Katy Trail, and throughout the older neighborhoods. These transitional seasons are long, comfortable, and gorgeous. Austin’s spring is brief before the heat arrives, and fall is more of a slow cooldown than a real season.

The outdoor calendar flips. In Austin, you hibernate in summer and live outside in winter. In St. Louis, you live outside in spring and fall, enjoy a warm summer (with breaks for AC), and hunker down in the coldest weeks of winter. You will learn to love the rhythm of four seasons. Most transplants do.

Practical Moving Tips

Distance: Austin to St. Louis is about 830 miles, roughly a 12-hour drive north on I-35 through Dallas, then I-44 through Oklahoma City and Springfield, MO. It is a doable two-day drive with an overnight in Dallas or Oklahoma City.

Flights: Direct flights from AUS to STL run about 2.5 hours. Southwest and American both fly the route multiple times daily. Round trips typically run $150 to $300. You will be able to visit Austin easily whenever you want.

Moving companies: For a 3-bedroom home, expect $4,000 to $7,000 for a full-service interstate move. Get at least three quotes. Book at least 6 weeks out if you are moving in summer. Consider a portable container (PODS or ABF U-Pack) if you want to save money and handle the loading yourself.

Timing your move: If you have flexibility, late spring (April or May) is ideal. You will arrive in time to enjoy the best weather St. Louis has to offer and settle in before summer. Avoid moving in January or February unless you want your introduction to St. Louis to be an ice storm. For the Austin side, listing your home in spring (March through May) puts you in the most competitive selling season.

Vehicle prep: If you have never driven in snow and ice, take it seriously. Get all-season or winter tires. Learn how to handle your car on icy roads before your first winter. St. Louis does a reasonable job plowing and salting major roads, but side streets can be slick for days after a storm.

Selling Your Austin Home

If you are making this move, the first step is getting your Austin home on the market. That is what I do.

I have helped dozens of sellers prepare, price, and market their homes in Austin and the Hill Country. I know what buyers here are looking for, and I know how to position your home to sell quickly and at the right price. Whether you need to sell first or want to coordinate timing with your St. Louis purchase, lets talk about a strategy that works for your situation.

The Austin market rewards homes that are properly prepared and priced. I will walk you through what improvements are worth making (and which ones are not), help you understand your realistic price range based on current comps, and build a marketing plan that reaches the right buyers. Most of my listings go under contract within 30 days.

If you need to coordinate the timing between selling here and buying in St. Louis, that is exactly the kind of cross-market transaction I handle regularly. We can structure the timeline so you are not stuck paying two mortgages or scrambling to find temporary housing.

Learn more about selling your Austin home or reach out directly and lets start the conversation.

Finding Your St. Louis Home

On the buy side in St. Louis, the team I send people to is Gateway Realty Group. They are with Berkshire Hathaway, covering St. Louis City, St. Louis County, and St. Charles County. Over 50 years of collective experience, $250M+ in volume, and 550+ transactions.

I have worked with their team on cross-market relocations, and they are the kind of people I trust to take care of my clients. They know the micro-markets, the school districts, and the neighborhoods that match what Austin buyers are looking for. Whether you want the walkable charm of Kirkwood, the upscale feel of Clayton, or the space and value of St. Charles County, they will guide you to the right fit.

Visit their site at livingstlouismo.com to get a feel for the neighborhoods and market. When you reach out, mention that Ed Neuhaus referred you and they will take great care of you.

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