Jackson County vs St. Louis
Jackson County, Missouri versus St. Louis, Missouri: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US counties.
Jackson County and St. Louis score about the same overall (44 vs 42 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Jackson County | St. Louis |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $65k | $53k |
| Cost of Living | $48k | $42k |
| Home Value | $197k | $174k |
| Monthly Rent | $1k | $938 |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $1k |
| Property Tax Rate | 1.19% | 1.08% |
| Income Tax | 4.80% | 5.26% |
| Sales Tax | 8.39% | 8.39% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 11.15% | 11.59% |
| Unemployment | 4.9% | 5.4% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 31°F | 32°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 79°F | 79°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 42.4 in | 43.3 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 11.1 in | 14.5 in |
| Sunny Days | 260 days | 226 days |
| Summer Humidity | 67°F | 68°F |
| Comfortable Days | 77 days | 69 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 96.5 | 98.7 |
| Air Quality | 52 AQI | 58 AQI |
| School Quality | 61.5 | 66.0 |
| Violent Crime | 2269/100k | 2501/100k |
| Property Crime | 3802/100k | 7321/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 715,526 | 298,018 |
| Median Age | 37.0 | 36.5 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.53 | 0.59 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.95 | 0.95 |
| Political Leaning | D+22 | D+67 |
| White (%) | 61.1% | 44.6% |
| Black (%) | 22.6% | 43.7% |
| Hispanic (%) | 9.6% | 4.3% |
| Asian (%) | 1.7% | 3.5% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 4.9% | 3.9% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 24 min | 23 min |
| Walkability | 10.8/20 | 14.1/20 |
| Airport Distance | 26 mi | 10 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 88.1% | 83.0% |
| Amenities Nearby | 2.43 | 28.99 |
| Park & Nature Access | Excellent | Moderate |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US counties: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Jackson County or St. Louis more affordable?
- St. Louis has the lower cost of living: its index is $42k, compared with Jackson County's $48k and St. Louis's $42k. Median rent is $1k in Jackson County versus $938 in St. Louis.
- Is Jackson County or St. Louis safer?
- Jackson County has the lower violent crime rate. Jackson County reports 2269/100k and St. Louis reports 2501/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Jackson County or St. Louis?
- The median home value is $197k in Jackson County and $174k in St. Louis, so homes are more affordable in St. Louis.