Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Baton Rouge, LA
VS
St. Louis, MO
🏆 St. Louis leads 14 of 23 categories
Baton Rouge
Louisiana
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
90.8 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$50,155
Violent Crime Index
270⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
225,500
St. Louis
Missouri
14
wins
Cost of Living Index
96.3
Median Household Income
$52,941 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
360⚠ High
Population
298,018 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Baton Rouge, LA
Pros
25% less violent crime than St. Louis
Milder winters — January highs near 61°F vs 41°F
Living costs sit below the national average (index 90.8)
6% cheaper overall cost of living than St. Louis
Cons
Violent crime (1027.7/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (5852.3/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (8.6% vs 5.4%)
Median income trails St. Louis by $2,786/yr
St. Louis, MO
Pros
Stronger job market — unemployment is 3.2 pts lower (5.4%)
Homes cost $44k less ($174,100 vs $217,700)
Households earn $2,786 more per year on average
Smaller class sizes — 11.4:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Violent crime (1367.1/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (5706.9/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Cost of living runs 6% higher than Baton Rouge
Key Differences at a Glance
Baton Rouge
Cost of Living
6% cheaper
COL index 90.8 vs 96.3 (100 = US avg)
Baton Rouge
Violent Crime
25% lower
1027.7 vs 1367.1 per 100k
St. Louis
Median Income
$2,786
$52,941 vs $50,155/yr
St. Louis
Median Home Value
$44k less
$174,100 vs $217,700
St. Louis
Unemployment
3.2 pp lower
5.4% vs 8.6% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Baton Rouge, LA | St. Louis, MO |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 90.8 ✓ Cheaper | 96.3 |
| Median Home Value | $217,700 | $174,100 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,010 | $938 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $50,155 | $52,941 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 8.6%⚠ High | 5.4%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 21.5 min ✓ Shorter | 23.0 min |
| Work From Home % | 6.2% | 12.5% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 274⚠ High ✓ Safer | 325⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 270⚠ High ✓ Safer | 360⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 279⚠ High | 272⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B (101) | B+ (107) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 13.4:1 | 11.4:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 36.4% | 38.6% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 87.5% | 90.0% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | East Baton Rouge Parish | ST. LOUIS CITY |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 60.7°F ✓ Warmer | 40.6°F |
| Avg High — July | 90.6°F ✓ Warmer | 89.6°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 67.5" | 43.9" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.2" ✓ Less | 13.8" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 225,500 | 298,018 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 31.9 | 36.5 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 47.9% ✓ Higher | 44.9% |
| Under 18 | 20.4% ✓ More | 18.5% |
| Over 65 | 14.3% | 14.5% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Baton Rouge's cost of living index is 90.8 vs St. Louis's 96.3 (US average = 100).
Baton Rouge is 6% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, St. Louis leads 14 of 23 categories. Baton Rouge wins 9 and St. Louis wins 14. The right choice depends on your priorities — use the Pros & Cons and full table above to weigh what matters to you.
Whether you're moving from Baton Rouge to St. Louis or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($217,700 vs $174,100 median home), income ($50,155 vs $52,941), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Baton Rouge, LA and St. Louis, MO are about 568 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.