Uprootmap
St. Louis vs Decatur
St. Louis and Decatur
Photo: Dan / Wikimedia, CC BY 2.0
Assumed income $83,730, same in both cities. Example, until you change it.
Other cities
So you know: homicide deaths in Decatur are above the US rate in this release, 10.6 versus 6.5 per 100,000. CDC via County Health Rankings, CDC NVSS 2017–2023 (CHR 2025 release).
Why people look at St. Louis to Decatur
IRS migration on this site does not list a filed flow from St. Louis to Decatur above the cutoff in 2022-2023.
A one-bedroom asking rent is about $1,138 in St. Louis and $699 in Decatur. St. Louis has a state tax on wages. Decatur has a state tax on wages. Local pay in Decatur is 92% of the national level for the same work, against 97% in St. Louis.
Decatur averages 203 sunny days, with July highs around 83°F and January nights around 24°F. St. Louis is 202 sunny days, 89°F in July, 22°F in January. Commutes average 19 minutes in Decatur and 25 in St. Louis.
These figures are projections built from available public data. Conditions change, and the numbers may not reflect current prices, taxes, or immigration rules. Check official sources before you make decisions.
Who already made this move
The IRS did not publish a large enough St. Louis → Decatur pair for 2022-2023. That usually means fewer than a few dozen tax returns, not that nobody moved.
Source: IRS SOI county-to-county migration. Not a moving company; not a recommendation.
The monthly number is take-home pay minus rent and the other bills. The gap between St. Louis and Decatur changes with the job, remote or local pay, and bedrooms. How we figure this.
What the move itself costs
About 129 road miles, 1 bedroom. Typical ranges, not quotes.
- Full-service mover
- $1,650–$3,100
- Container or pod
- $1,100–$2,100
- Rent a truck
- $400–$750
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Dig into Decatur
Questions
Is Decatur cheaper than St. Louis after tax and rent?
Yes. Decatur leaves about $359 more a month, so the cost of living is lower there for this household. A one-bedroom is about $1,138 in St. Louis and $699 in Decatur.
Does Decatur have state income tax?
Decatur is in Illinois, which taxes wage income.
Did people actually move from St. Louis to Decatur?
Yes, when the IRS published that flow. The count and their average income are on this page. Leftover prices the same household in both cities.