Where Are People Moving in St. Louis, MO?
IRS county-to-county migration, 2023 tax year (released about two years after the tax year it covers).
People moving in
18,651
People moving out
21,211
Net migration
-3,384
St. Louis, MO is a net loser of residents. In the latest IRS data (2023 tax year), 18,651 people moved in and 21,211 moved out, for a net loss of -3,384. Net outflows can soften local rent and price growth over time, though the cause matters as much as the number.
Migration is most useful read alongside the rest of the market. People move for jobs, affordability, climate, and lifestyle, and where they come from and go to says a lot about what a county is competing on. Below are the specific counties driving St. Louis, MO’s flows in each direction.
Top counties people moved to St. Louis, MO from
| Origin county | Returns | People |
|---|---|---|
| St. Louis, MOMissouri | 6,585 | 11,755 |
| St. Charles, MOMissouri | 2,599 | 4,054 |
| Jefferson, MOMissouri | 1,779 | 2,848 |
| St. Clair, ILIllinois | 626 | 1,093 |
| Madison, ILIllinois | 563 | 877 |
| Franklin, MOMissouri | 344 | 546 |
| Cook, ILIllinois | 316 | 500 |
| Boone, MOMissouri | 286 | 420 |
| Jackson, MOMissouri | 185 | 288 |
| Greene, MOMissouri | 179 | 245 |
Top counties people left St. Louis, MO for
| Destination county | Returns | People |
|---|---|---|
| St. Louis, MOMissouri | 5,157 | 8,205 |
| St. Charles, MOMissouri | 3,854 | 6,788 |
| Jefferson, MOMissouri | 2,205 | 3,740 |
| St. Clair, ILIllinois | 560 | 926 |
| Madison, ILIllinois | 555 | 944 |
| Franklin, MOMissouri | 533 | 873 |
| Cook, ILIllinois | 512 | 620 |
| Dallas, TXTexas | 257 | 365 |
| Boone, MOMissouri | 246 | 344 |
| Harris, TXTexas | 242 | 432 |
“Returns” counts tax returns (a household proxy) that moved along each flow; “People” counts the individuals on those returns, when reported. IRS aggregate and foreign pseudo-rows are excluded. Informational only, not financial advice.
Frequently asked questions
Are people moving to St. Louis, MO or leaving?
St. Louis, MO had a net loss of -3,384 residents in the latest IRS data (2023 tax year), with 18,651 people moving in and 21,211 moving out. Net migration is inflow minus outflow.
Where are people moving to St. Louis, MO from?
The largest sources of new St. Louis, MO residents are St. Louis, MO, St. Charles, MO, Jefferson, MO. The full top-ten list of origin counties is in the table above.
Where do people leaving St. Louis, MO go?
People leaving St. Louis, MO most often move to St. Louis, MO, St. Charles, MO, Jefferson, MO. The full top-ten list of destination counties is in the table above.
What does St. Louis, MO migration mean for housing?
Migration is a leading demand signal. Sustained net inflows tend to support rents and home prices when supply cannot keep up, while net outflows can soften them. Read this alongside St. Louis, MO's price forecast, building permits, and affordability on the full county dashboard before drawing a conclusion.
How current is this St. Louis, MO migration data?
It comes from IRS Statistics of Income county-to-county migration data, which is released about two years after the tax year it covers; the figures above reflect the 2023 tax year. That lag is normal for this dataset, which counts actual tax returns rather than survey estimates.