St. Louis vs St. Louis County
St. Louis, Missouri versus St. Louis County, Missouri: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US counties.
St. Louis and St. Louis County score about the same overall (41 vs 43 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | St. Louis | St. Louis County |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $53k | $78k |
| Cost of Living | $42k | $48k |
| Home Value | $174k | $249k |
| Monthly Rent | $938 | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $64k | $283k |
| Property Tax Rate | 1.08% | 1.24% |
| Income Tax | 5.26% | 4.80% |
| Sales Tax | 8.39% | 8.39% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 11.59% | 11.54% |
| Unemployment | 5.4% | 4.3% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 32°F | 32°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 79°F | 79°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 43.3 in | 43.6 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 14.5 in | 11.4 in |
| Sunny Days | 226 days | 231 days |
| Summer Humidity | 68°F | 68°F |
| Comfortable Days | 69 days | 69 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 98.7 | 99.3 |
| Air Quality | 58 AQI | — |
| School Quality | 66.0 | 70.6 |
| Violent Crime | 2501/100k | 1027/100k |
| Property Crime | 7321/100k | 2254/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 298,018 | 999,703 |
| Median Age | 36.5 | 40.2 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.59 | 0.52 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.95 | 0.92 |
| Political Leaning | D+67 | D+24 |
| White (%) | 44.6% | 63.1% |
| Black (%) | 43.7% | 24.1% |
| Hispanic (%) | 4.3% | 3.1% |
| Asian (%) | 3.5% | 4.7% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 3.9% | 5.0% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 23 min | 23 min |
| Walkability | 14.1/20 | 10.7/20 |
| Airport Distance | 10 mi | 8 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 83.0% | 91.3% |
| Amenities Nearby | 28.99 | 3.22 |
| Park & Nature Access | Moderate | Good |
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 St. Louis or St. Louis County more affordable?
- St. Louis has the lower cost of living: its index is $42k, compared with St. Louis's $42k and St. Louis County's $48k. Median rent is $938 in St. Louis versus $1k in St. Louis County.
- Is St. Louis or St. Louis County safer?
- St. Louis County has the lower violent crime rate. St. Louis reports 2501/100k and St. Louis County reports 1027/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in St. Louis or St. Louis County?
- The median home value is $174k in St. Louis and $249k in St. Louis County, so homes are more affordable in St. Louis.