Missouri to New Mexico Moving Guide
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Updated August 20, 2025
Planning a 842 mile interstate move from Missouri to New Mexico? This moving guide will help you compare living in Missouri vs New Mexico across 7 important categories. Compare the pros & cons (like muggy summer humidity vs dry comfortable summers), food & health (like St. Louis-style BBQ vs New Mexico green chile), real estate & housing (colonial revival vs pueblo revival), weather & wardrobe, cost of living & taxes (it's more expensive in New Mexico), politics & religion, and education.
Key Takeaways:
- Say goodbye to St. Louis-style BBQ and Smoked ribs, but get your taste buds ready for New Mexico green chile & Carne adovada
- New Mexico housing costs are 23% more expensive than they are in Missouri
- Rent in New Mexico is 2.06% more expensive than in Missouri
- Moving from Missouri to New Mexico will cost on average between $1,500 - $6,000
- Our top recommended Missouri to New Mexico movers is Sunrise Moving and Packing, LLC

Top Missouri to New Mexico Movers
Read our in-depth analysis of the best Missouri to New Mexico movers with detailed rankings, cost breakdowns, and reviews.

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

JP Moving

Tiger Moving LLC
Missouri to New Mexico Moving Guide
Pros and Cons of Moving from Missouri to New Mexico
- Muggy summer humidity
- Higher tornado frequency
- Icy winter storms
- Heavy pollen seasons
- Mosquitoes and ticks
- River flood risk
- Cloudy winter skies
- Mold and mildew
- Limited mountain terrain
- Fewer sunny days
- Severe thunderstorms
- Chigger outbreaks
- Dry comfortable summers
- Fewer tornadoes
- Milder winter weather
- Lower pollen counts
- Fewer biting insects
- Drier overall climate
- Abundant winter sunshine
- Drier indoor air
- High desert mountains
- More sunny days
- Generally calmer storms
- Minimal chiggers
- Drier desert landscapes
- Scarcer surface water
- High altitude adjustment
- Very dry air
- Limited fall color
- Longer regional drives
- Stronger high altitude sun
- Sparse tree cover
- Higher wildfire risk
- Fewer major teams
- Monsoon flash flooding
- More spread out cities
- Lush green scenery
- Many lakes rivers
- Low altitude living
- Humid air moisture
- Rich fall foliage
- Central US location
- Lower UV intensity
- Thick forest shade
- Lower wildfire risk
- Big league sports teams
- Abundant summer rain
- Shorter city distances
Pros of moving from Missouri to New Mexico
- Say goodbye to muggy summer humidity and hello to dry, comfortable summers
- Look forward to moving away from higher tornado frequency and moving to New Mexico with fewer tornadoes
- Swap the icy winter storms of Missouri for milder winter weather in New Mexico
- Get ready for lower pollen counts in New Mexico
Cons of moving from Missouri to New Mexico
- Unfortunately, you'll be moving away from lush green scenery in Missouri to live with drier desert landscapes in New Mexico
- You'll lose out on the pro of many lakes and rivers and have to settle for the con of scarcer surface water
- Time to bid farewell to low altitude living and get used to high altitude adjustment in New Mexico
- Swap humid air moisture for very dry air
Missouri vs. New Mexico: Comparing the Local Foodie Scene
Comparison | Missouri | New Mexico |
---|---|---|
Most iconic local food item | St. Louis-style BBQ | New Mexico green chile |
Most popular meat dish | Smoked ribs | Carne adovada |
Most popular street food item | Toasted ravioli | Navajo taco |
Most popular vegan food | Cauliflower wings | Blue corn enchiladas |
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 Missouri to New Mexico, you will be trading the iconic St. Louis-style BBQ of Missouri for the equally delicious New Mexico green chile of New Mexico. And while the locals in Missouri rave about their flavorful smoked ribs and sumptuous toasted ravioli, New Mexico residents know they have tasty carne adovada and Navajo tacos to savor. While the vegan transplants might be saying goodbye to the cauliflower wings they've grown to love, they can get ready for the blue corn enchiladas of New Mexico. In the days before your move, make sure you get one final trip to iconic Missouri eateries like Pappy's Smokehouse, Blues City Deli, and Ted Drewes Frozen Custard. After the boxes are unpacked in New Mexico, don't wait too long before making your way to New Mexico's acclaimed eateries like Frontier Restaurant, El Modelo, and Santa CafΓ©.
When comparing lifestyles, New Mexico shows a greater emphasis on fitness and health consciousness than Missouri. Food truck fans will discover a greater selection in New Mexico compared to what you are used to in Missouri. Also, the overall foodie scene is more bustling in New Mexico.
Real Estate & Lifestyle Differences between Missouri and New Mexico
Comparison | Missouri | New Mexico |
---|---|---|
Typical Architecture Style | Colonial Revival | Pueblo Revival |
Walkability | ππππππππππ | ππππππππππ |
Bikeability | π²π²π²π²π²π²π²π²π²π² | π²π²π²π²π²π²π²π²π²π² |
Urban Lifestyle | ποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈ | ποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈ |
Most popular items mentioned in real estate listing | Spacious backyards, Garage spaces | Natural light, Energy efficiency |
- The Colonial Revival architecture that Missouri is known for will be replaced with the Pueblo Revival architecture typical of New Mexico.
- Compared to Missouri's real estate listings that commonly reference spacious backyards and garage spaces, New Mexico real estate listings often highlight features like natural light and energy efficiency.
- You can keep your walking shoes packed away. New Mexico is less walkable than Missouri.
- Make sure the movers take care of your bike. New Mexico is more bike-friendly than Missouri.
- New Mexico has less of an urban feel than Missouri.
- New Mexico housing costs are 23% more expensive than they are in Missouri, with a median home price of $300,227 compared to Missouriβs $243,216.
- Over the prior 5 years, home prices in New Mexico have increased by 56% compared to a 49% increase in Missouri.
- Rent in New Mexico is 2.06% more expensive than in Missouri.
Your Move, Your Forecast: Key Weather Differences between Missouri and New Mexico
Comparison | Missouri | New Mexico |
---|---|---|
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, Floods | Wildfires, Floods |
Air Quality | Good to Moderate | Good |
Average Summer High/Low (Β°F) | 89/67 | 92/64 |
Average Winter High/Low (Β°F) | 40/20 | 55/26 |
Annual Rainfall (Inches) | 42 | 14 |
Annual Snowfall (Inches) | 18 | 22 |
- Break out the sunglasses for your move from Missouri to New Mexico. New Mexico gets 30% more sunshine days than Missouri.
- New Mexico has lower humidity and a higher average UV index compared to Missouri.
- Say goodbye to the possible tornadoes and floods in Missouri, but be on the lookout for potential wildfires and floods in New Mexico.
- The average summer high temperature in New Mexico is 3 degrees warmer than in Missouri.
- The average winter lows are 6 degrees warmer than they are in Missouri.
- Your umbrella might be neglected in New Mexico. New Mexico receives 28 fewer inches of rain compared to Missouri.
Financial & Community Snapshot: Missouri and New Mexico
Comparison | Missouri | New Mexico |
---|---|---|
Avg. Household Income | $64,811 | $59,726 |
Cost of Living Index | 91.8 | 96.45 |
State Income Tax | 5.4% | 4.9% |
Avg. Property Tax | 0.98% | 0.78% |
Avg. Sales Tax | 8.29% | 7.82% |
Top 3 Industries | Agriculture, Aerospace, Financial Services | Energy, Aerospace, Tourism |
Affluence | Moderate | Modest |
Poverty | Manageable | Concerning |
Homelessness | Stable | Challenging |
- When it comes to your monthly paycheck, residents in New Mexico tend to earn about 8% less than in Missouri
- The COLI in New Mexico will be 5% higher than what you are used to living in Missouri
- The state income tax in NM is 4.9% compared to 5.4% in MO
- The affluence in New Mexico is modest compared to moderate in Missouri
- The poverty level is concerning in New Mexico compared to manageable in Missouri
- In terms of homelessness, it is stable in Missouri and challenging in New Mexico
Political and Religious Climate in Missouri vs. New Mexico
Comparison | Missouri | New Mexico |
---|---|---|
Political Make-up | Lean Conservative | Lean Liberal |
Local Politics | Mixed, with rural areas more conservative | Liberal in urban areas, conservative in rural |
Religion | Christian, with a significant Protestant population | Diverse, with Catholic and Native American spiritual practices |
- Missouri tends to lean Conservative in its political climate
- New Mexico, on the other hand, is often described as leaning Liberal
- New Mexico's religious environment can be described as diverse, with Catholic and Native American spiritual practices
- Missouri's residents' religious practices can be generally categorized as Christian, with a significant Protestant population
Education Guide When Moving from Missouri to New Mexico
Comparison | Missouri | New Mexico |
---|---|---|
Where most Seniors go to college (top 3) | University of Missouri Columbia; Missouri State University Springfield; Washington University in St. Louis St. Louis | University of New Mexico Albuquerque; New Mexico State University Las Cruces; Eastern New Mexico University Portales |
Top 3 Elementary Schools | Capt. Elementary School Clayton; New Mark Elementary School Kansas City; Ralph M. Captor School Town and Country | Coronado Elementary School Albuquerque; Wood Gormley Elementary Santa Fe; Eldorado Elementary School Albuquerque |
Top 3 Middle Schools | George Caleb Bingham Middle School Independence; Brittany Hill Middle School Blue Springs; Ladue Middle School Ladue | Los Alamos Middle School Los Alamos; Taft Middle School Albuquerque; Albuquerque Academy Albuquerque |
Top 3 High Schools | Ladue Horton Watkins High School St. Louis; Rock Bridge Senior High School Columbia; Kirkwood High School Kirkwood | La Cueva High School Albuquerque; Los Alamos High School Los Alamos; Eldorado High School Albuquerque |
Top 3 private high schools | John Burroughs School St. Louis; Pembroke Hill School Kansas City; Whitfield School St. Louis | Albuquerque Academy Albuquerque; Santa Fe Preparatory School Santa Fe; Sandia Preparatory School Albuquerque |
Top 3 private K-12 schools | The Pembroke Hill School Kansas City; Whitfield School St. Louis; Thomas Jefferson School St. Louis | Albuquerque Academy Albuquerque; Sandia Preparatory School Albuquerque; Santa Fe Preparatory School Santa Fe |
Top 3 School Districts | Clayton School District Clayton; Ladue School District Ladue; Rockwood School District Eureka | Los Alamos Public Schools Los Alamos; Albuquerque Public Schools Albuquerque; Rio Rancho Public Schools Rio Rancho |
How Much Do Missouri to New Mexico Movers Cost?
Moving 842 miles from Missouri to New Mexico will typically cost between $2,500 and $6,000 to hire full service movers. See the chart below for a detailed breakdown by home size.
- Expected Range: $2,500 - $6,000
- 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 | $1,680 | 300 ft3 | $5.60 |
1 Bedroom | $2,497 | 450 ft3 | $5.55 |
2 Bedrooms | $4,125 | 750 ft3 | $5.50 |
3 Bedrooms | $5,994 | 1100 ft3 | $5.45 |
4 Bedrooms | $8,639 | 1600 ft3 | $5.40 |
5+ Bedrooms | $9,629 | 1800 ft3 | $5.35 |