St. Charles vs Wildwood
St. Charles, Missouri versus Wildwood, Missouri: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
St. Charles edges out Wildwood on overall objective livability (49 vs 45 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | St. Charles | Wildwood |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $84k | $148k |
| Cost of Living | $52k | $52k |
| Home Value | $260k | $450k |
| Monthly Rent | $1k | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 1.11% | 1.29% |
| Income Tax | 4.80% | 4.80% |
| Sales Tax | 8.39% | 8.39% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 11.03% | 11.51% |
| Unemployment | 2.5% | 2.7% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 32°F | 32°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 79°F | 79°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 45.7 in | 39.8 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 9.0 in | 13.5 in |
| Sunny Days | 231 days | 231 days |
| Summer Humidity | 68°F | 68°F |
| Comfortable Days | 69 days | 66 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 74.9 | 75.6 |
| Air Quality | 39 AQI | 15 AQI |
| School Quality | 81.9 | 42.0 |
| Violent Crime | 1089/100k | 905/100k |
| Property Crime | 1764/100k | 1230/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 70,687 | 35,276 |
| Median Age | 38.2 | 45.4 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.32 | 0.29 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.97 | 1.01 |
| Political Leaning | R+18 | R+18 |
| White (%) | 79.5% | 82.8% |
| Black (%) | 7.2% | 1.3% |
| Hispanic (%) | 5.6% | 3.1% |
| Asian (%) | 3.5% | 7.0% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 4.1% | 5.7% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 22 min | 29 min |
| Walkability | 8.2/20 | 8.8/20 |
| Airport Distance | 9 mi | 19 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 92.0% | 96.6% |
| Amenities Nearby | 17.54 | 19.84 |
| Park & Nature Access | Good | Excellent |
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 St. Charles or Wildwood more affordable?
- Wildwood has the lower cost of living: its index is $52k, compared with St. Charles's $52k and Wildwood's $52k. Median rent is $1k in St. Charles versus $1k in Wildwood.
- Is St. Charles or Wildwood safer?
- Wildwood has the lower violent crime rate. St. Charles reports 1089/100k and Wildwood reports 905/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in St. Charles or Wildwood?
- The median home value is $260k in St. Charles and $450k in Wildwood, so homes are more affordable in St. Charles.