Kansas to Missouri Moving Guide
Updated June 7, 2025

Planning a 450 mile interstate move from Kansas to Missouri? This moving guide will help you compare living in Kansas vs Missouri across 7 important categories. Compare the pros & cons (like severe tornado risk vs milder tornado occurrences), food & health (like BBQ Ribs vs St. Louis-style Pizza), real estate & housing (prairie and ranch vs colonial and victorian), weather & wardrobe, cost of living & taxes (it's more expensive in Missouri), politics & religion, and education.
Key Takeaways:
- Say goodbye to BBQ Ribs and Smoked Brisket, but get your taste buds ready for St. Louis-style Pizza & Pulled Pork
- Missouri housing costs are 9% more expensive than they are in Kansas
- Rent in Missouri is 21.65% more expensive than in Kansas
- Moving from Kansas to Missouri will cost on average between $1,500 - $5,000
- Our top recommended Kansas to Missouri movers is Sunrise Moving and Packing, LLC
Kansas to Missouri Moving Guide
Pros and Cons of Moving from Kansas to Missouri
- Severe tornado risk
- Limited cultural diversity
- Hot summer climate
- Landlocked state
- Predominantly rural
- Milder tornado occurrences
- Rich cultural heritage
- Mild summer temperatures
- Access to Mississippi River
- Metro areas with amenities
- Higher cost of living
- Increased traffic in cities
- More transient population
- More urbanized settings
- State income tax
- Low cost of living
- Less traffic congestion
- Close-knit communities
- Open farmland scenery
- Lack of state income tax
Pros of moving from Kansas to Missouri
- Say goodbye to severe tornado risk and hello to milder tornado occurrences
- Look forward to moving away from limited cultural diversity and moving to Missouri with rich cultural heritage
- Swap the hot summer climate of Kansas for mild summer temperatures in Missouri
- Get ready for access to the Mississippi River in Missouri
Cons of moving from Kansas to Missouri
- Unfortunately, you'll be moving away from the low cost of living in Kansas to live with the higher cost of living in Missouri
- You'll lose out on the pro of less traffic congestion and have to settle for the con of increased traffic in cities
- Time to bid farewell to close-knit communities and get used to a more transient population in Missouri
- Swap open farmland scenery for more urbanized settings
Kansas vs. Missouri: Comparing the Local Foodie Scene
Comparison | Kansas | Missouri |
---|---|---|
Most iconic local food item | BBQ Ribs | St. Louis-style Pizza |
Most popular meat dish | Smoked Brisket | Pulled Pork |
Most popular street food item | Food Truck Tacos | Toasted Ravioli |
Most popular vegan food | BBQ Jackfruit | Mushroom Steaks |
Top 3 iconic restaurants that summarize the state |
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Fitness/Health Conscientiousness | πͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺ | πͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺ |
Abundance of Food Trucks | ππππππππππ | ππππππππππ |
Foodie Scene | π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄ | π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄ |
Vegan Friendly | π±π±π±π±π±π±π±π±π±π± | π±π±π±π±π±π±π±π±π±π± |
If you're moving from Kansas to Missouri, you will be trading the iconic BBQ Ribs of Kansas for the equally delicious St. Louis-style Pizza of Missouri. And while the locals in Kansas rave about their flavorful Smoked Brisket and sumptuous Food Truck Tacos, Missouri residents know they have tasty Pulled Pork and Toasted Ravioli to savor. While the vegan transplants might be saying goodbye to the BBQ Jackfruit they've grown to love, they can get ready for the Mushroom Steaks of Missouri. In the days before your move, make sure you get one final trip to iconic Kansas eateries like Joe's Kansas City Bar-B-Que, The Westside Local, and YaYaβs Alpaca Farm. After the boxes are unpacked in Missouri, don't wait too long before making your way to Missouri's acclaimed eateries like Pappyβs Smokehouse, Blues City Deli, and Ted Drewes Frozen Custard.
When comparing lifestyles, Missouri shows less emphasis on fitness and health consciousness than Kansas. Food truck fans will discover a less desirable selection in Missouri compared to what you are used to in Kansas. Also, the overall foodie scene is more bustling in Missouri.
Real Estate & Lifestyle Differences between Kansas and Missouri
Comparison | Kansas | Missouri |
---|---|---|
Typical Architecture Style | Prairie and Ranch | Colonial and Victorian |
Walkability | ππππππππππ | ππππππππππ |
Bikeability | π²π²π²π²π²π²π²π²π²π² | π²π²π²π²π²π²π²π²π²π² |
Urban Lifestyle | ποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈ | ποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈ |
Most popular items mentioned in real estate listing | Spacious yards, basements | Historic details, proximity to amenities |
- The Prairie and Ranch architecture that Kansas is known for will be replaced with the Colonial and Victorian architecture typical of Missouri.
- Compared to Kansas's real estate listings that commonly reference spacious yards and basements, Missouri real estate listings often highlight features like historic details and proximity to amenities.
- Make sure you unpack those walking shoes. Missouri is more walkable than Kansas.
- Make sure the movers take care of your bike. Missouri is more bike-friendly than Kansas.
- Missouri has more of an urban feel than Kansas.
- Missouri housing costs are 9% more expensive than they are in Kansas with a median home price of $243,216 compared to Kansasβs $223,883.
- Over the prior 5 years, home prices in Missouri have increased by 49% compared to a 49% increase in Kansas.
- Rent in Missouri is 21.65% more expensive than in Kansas.
Your Move, Your Forecast: Key Weather Differences between Kansas and Missouri
Comparison | Kansas | Missouri |
---|---|---|
Days of Sunshine per Year | βοΈβοΈβοΈβοΈβοΈ | βοΈβοΈβοΈβοΈβοΈ |
Avg. Annual Humidity | π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦ | π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦ |
Avg. UV Index | πΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈ | πΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈ |
Natural Disasters | Tornadoes, Severe Storms | Tornadoes, Flooding |
Air Quality | Good | Moderate |
Average Summer High/Low (Β°F) | 90Β°F / 70Β°F | 89Β°F / 69Β°F |
Average Winter High/Low (Β°F) | 43Β°F / 20Β°F | 40Β°F / 22Β°F |
Annual Rainfall (Inches) | 28 | 42 |
Annual Snowfall (Inches) | 18 | 20 |
- The shades won't be used as much for your move from Kansas to Missouri. Missouri gets 7% fewer sunshine days than Kansas.
- Missouri has higher humidity and a lower average UV index compared to Kansas.
- Say goodbye to the possible tornadoes and severe storms in Kansas, but be on the lookout for potential tornadoes and flooding in Missouri.
- The average summer high temperature in Missouri is 1 degree colder than in Kansas.
- The average winter lows are 2 degrees warmer than they are in Kansas.
- Your umbrella might be more overworked in Missouri. Missouri receives 14 more inches of rain compared to Kansas.
Financial & Community Snapshot: Kansas and Missouri
Comparison | Kansas | Missouri |
---|---|---|
Avg. Household Income | $68,925 | $64,811 |
Cost of Living Index | 91.8 | 91.8 |
State Income Tax | 5.7% | 5.4% |
Avg. Property Tax | 1.37% | 0.97% |
Avg. Sales Tax | 8.68% | 8.19% |
Top 3 Industries | Agriculture, Manufacturing, Logistics | Healthcare, Retail, Manufacturing |
Affluence | Moderate | Moderate |
Poverty | Moderate | Moderate |
Homelessness | Low | Low |
- When it comes to your monthly paycheck, residents in Missouri tend to earn about 6% less than in Kansas
- The COLI in Missouri will be the same as what you are used to living in Kansas
- The state income tax in MO is 5.4% compared to 5.7% in KS
- The affluence in Missouri is moderate compared to moderate in Kansas
- The poverty level is moderate in Missouri compared to moderate in Kansas
- In terms of homelessness, it is low in Kansas and low in Missouri
Political and Religious Climate in Kansas vs. Missouri
Comparison | Kansas | Missouri |
---|---|---|
Political Make-up | Mixed, tends toward conservative | Leans conservative, especially in rural areas |
Local Politics | Significant urban-rural divide | Urban vs. rural divide present |
Religion | Christian majority, diverse religious communities in urban areas | Christian majority, pockets of diverse faith communities |
- Kansas tends to lean mixed and tends toward conservative in its political climate
- Missouri, on the other hand, is often described as leaning conservative, especially in rural areas
- Missouri's religious environment can be described as a Christian majority and pockets of diverse faith communities
- Kansas' residents' religious practices can be generally categorized as a Christian majority with diverse religious communities in urban areas
Education Guide When Moving from Kansas to Missouri
Comparison | Kansas | Missouri |
---|---|---|
Where most Seniors go to college (top 3) | University of Kansas Kansas State University Wichita State University | University of Missouri Missouri State University Washington University in St Louis |
Top 3 Elementary Schools | Meadowbrook Elementary Prairie Village Corinth Elementary Leawood Bluejacket-Flint Shawnee | Old Bonhomme Olivette Conway Elementary Ladue Mason Ridge Elementary Town and Country |
Top 3 Middle Schools | Indian Hills Middle School Prairie Village Leawood Middle School Leawood California Trail Middle School Olathe | Ladue Middle School Ladue Wydown Middle School Clayton John Burroughs School Ladue |
Top 3 High Schools | Blue Valley North High School Overland Park Shawnee Mission East Prairie Village Olathe Northwest High School Olathe | Ladue Horton Watkins High Ladue Clayton High School Clayton John Burroughs School Ladue |
Top 3 private high schools | Bishop Miege High School Roeland Park St. Thomas Aquinas High School Overland Park The Independent School Wichita | MICDS - Mary Institute & Saint Louis Country Day School Ladue John Burroughs School Ladue Pembroke Hill School Kansas City |
Top 3 private K-12 schools | The Independent School Wichita KC Christian School Prairie Village Wichita Collegiate School Wichita | Pembroke Hill School Kansas City Thomas Jefferson School St. Louis The Barstow School Kansas City |
Top 3 School Districts | Blue Valley School District Overland Park Shawnee Mission School District Shawnee Olathe District Schools Olathe | Clayton School District Clayton Ladue School District Ladue Parkway C-2 School District Chesterfield |
How Much Do Kansas to Missouri Movers Cost?
Moving 450 miles from Kansas to Missouri will typically cost between $2,000 and $5,000 to hire full service movers. See the chart below for a detailed breakdown by home size.
- Expected Range: $2,000 - $5,000
- Expected Time To Complete: 3-8.5 days
- Most Affordable Recommended Movers: Sunrise Moving and Packing, LLC
HOME SIZE | MOVING COST | VOLUME OF PACKED ITEMS (FT3) | $/FT3 |
---|---|---|---|
Studio | $1,458 | 300 ft3 | $4.86 |
1 Bedroom | $2,164 | 450 ft3 | $4.81 |
2 Bedrooms | $3,569 | 750 ft3 | $4.76 |
3 Bedrooms | $5,180 | 1100 ft3 | $4.71 |
4 Bedrooms | $7,454 | 1600 ft3 | $4.66 |
5+ Bedrooms | $8,296 | 1800 ft3 | $4.61 |
Top Kansas to Missouri Movers
Read our in-depth analysis of the best Kansas to Missouri movers with detailed rankings, cost breakdowns, and reviews.

Sunrise Moving and Packing, LLC
Best moving company overall for Kansas to Missouri