Comedian Nikki Glaser has joined a growing trend of high-profile celebrities who have relocated from Los Angeles in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic. The 40-year-old star made the significant decision to return to her hometown of St. Louis, Missouri, in 2022, after spending years immersed in the fast-paced Hollywood lifestyle.
Embracing a New Chapter in St. Louis
The initial phases of her move were captured on the E! reality series Welcome Home Nikki Glaser?, which featured her parents, EJ and Julie Glaser. Now, four years later, Glaser is reflecting on her choice to leave Los Angeles behind, expressing a strong preference for the more "relaxed" life she leads in St. Louis.
She shared these thoughts while promoting her new comedy special, Good Girl, which was filmed in St. Louis, during a recent episode of Live with Kelly and Mark. Host Mark Consuelos inquired about what it was like to return "home" to shoot the special.
Finding Comfort in Familiar Surroundings
"I live in St. Louis," Glaser replied, according to a transcript by PEOPLE. "I moved back to St. Louis after Covid and kind of just got away from it all and stayed there." The special was taped at the Fabulous Fox Theatre, with an audience filled with her real-life friends and neighbors from St. Louis.
"Lots of people from high school, people from my pilates class, my self-tan lady from the strip mall. But it was fun," she said, adding humorously, "It's fine that my childhood dentist knows about my sex life now. I guess that's appropriate." Her devoted parents were also in attendance.
Escaping the Status Chase
This is not the first time Glaser has spoken about her reasons for choosing St. Louis over Los Angeles since her 2022 move. Last summer, she appeared on St. Louis on the Air, where she explained that living in major cities like Los Angeles and New York City often revolves around "chasing status."
"When I'm on both of the coasts, it's like constantly comparing yourself, and everyone's just really chasing that status," she said. "Here [in St. Louis], it just feels a bit more relaxed, and I get back to what's important: having a good time and going out to eat."
She described St. Louis as a place where social media follower counts, accolades, and having famous friends "doesn't matter." "That's not here, and that's not what people value here. And it just recalibrates me," Glaser noted. She also emphasized that moving back has allowed her to "focus on my family while they're still around and healthy, and want to hang out with me."
Personal Background and Career Journey
While Glaser calls St. Louis "home," she was actually born in Cincinnati, Ohio. Her parents moved her and her younger sister Lauren to Missouri when they were young children, and she spent most of her childhood in Kirkwood, a suburb of St. Louis.
In a 2025 interview with FirstAlert4, Glaser's father EJ shared that she spent much of her early comedy career in Missouri after earning her college degree in Colorado and following a year-long stint in Los Angeles trying to make it big. "She worked out of our house while driving all over the Midwest to do comedy," he recalled. "Her work ethic is just amazing. I'm so proud of her."
Glaser landed her first stand-up special in 2016 after years of grinding in the comedy scene. Since then, she has become one of the top names in comedy, with a reported net worth of $10 million. She has hosted the Golden Globe Awards for the last two years and is already set to host the 2027 ceremony. Currently, she is shooting a new movie directed by Eva Longoria and starring Kim Kardashian, titled The Fifth Wheel.
A Trend Among Celebrities
Glaser's move out of Los Angeles reflects a broader trend among top celebrities over the past six years, driven by factors such as high taxes and crime rates in California following the COVID-19 pandemic.
Her comedy peer Joe Rogan famously moved out of "overcrowded" Los Angeles in 2020 and now resides in a lakefront mansion in Austin, Texas, with his family. On his podcast, The Joe Rogan Experience, he cited issues like traffic, economic disparity, and homelessness as reasons for the move.
In April 2022, actor Mark Wahlberg relocated his family to income tax-free Nevada for a "better life" after more than a decade in Beverly Hills. He sold his 12-bedroom, 20-bathroom mansion for $55 million and expressed enthusiasm for new opportunities in Nevada.
Oscar-winner Hilary Swank put her $10.5 million Los Angeles home on the market in 2021 after moving to Colorado with her family during the pandemic, noting they now live in a "nice ranch." Similarly, actor Josh Brolin left Los Angeles in 2020, purchasing a $3.5 million home in Atlanta, Georgia, where his wife is from, while also maintaining a property in California's Simi Valley.
Glaser's journey highlights a shift among celebrities seeking more relaxed, family-oriented lifestyles away from the pressures of Hollywood, with St. Louis offering her a sanctuary to reconnect with what truly matters.
