Kirkwood vs University City
Kirkwood, Missouri versus University City, Missouri: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Kirkwood and University City score about the same overall (49 vs 47 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Kirkwood | University City |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $108k | $72k |
| Cost of Living | $48k | $42k |
| Home Value | $392k | $304k |
| Monthly Rent | $1k | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 1.15% | 1.20% |
| Income Tax | 4.80% | 4.80% |
| Sales Tax | 8.39% | 8.39% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 11.75% | 12.63% |
| Unemployment | 2.8% | 2.0% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 32°F | 32°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 79°F | 80°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 44.5 in | 43.9 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 10.2 in | 16.6 in |
| Sunny Days | 231 days | 231 days |
| Summer Humidity | 68°F | 68°F |
| Comfortable Days | 69 days | 70 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 71.6 | 75.7 |
| Air Quality | 48 AQI | 53 AQI |
| School Quality | 55.8 | 78.4 |
| Violent Crime | 410/100k | 2501/100k |
| Property Crime | 1763/100k | 7321/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 29,309 | 34,850 |
| Median Age | 42.2 | 38.4 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.26 | 0.58 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.90 | 0.80 |
| Political Leaning | D+24 | D+67 |
| White (%) | 84.1% | 54.8% |
| Black (%) | 4.3% | 31.8% |
| Hispanic (%) | 2.8% | 2.5% |
| Asian (%) | 1.4% | 6.8% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 7.4% | 4.2% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 23 min | 20 min |
| Walkability | 11.8/20 | 14.6/20 |
| Airport Distance | 12 mi | 6 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 94.0% | 92.8% |
| Amenities Nearby | 95.53 | 187.66 |
| Park & Nature Access | Good | Moderate |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: 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 Kirkwood or University City more affordable?
- University City has the lower cost of living: its index is $42k, compared with Kirkwood's $48k and University City's $42k. Median rent is $1k in Kirkwood versus $1k in University City.
- Is Kirkwood or University City safer?
- Kirkwood has the lower violent crime rate. Kirkwood reports 410/100k and University City reports 2501/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Kirkwood or University City?
- The median home value is $392k in Kirkwood and $304k in University City, so homes are more affordable in University City.