Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Berkeley, CA
VS
St. George, UT
🏆 St. George leads 14 of 23 categories
Berkeley
California
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
118.2⚠ High
Median Household Income
$104,716 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
168⚠ High
Population
121,385 ✓ Larger
St. George
Utah
14
wins
Cost of Living Index
96.1 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$69,333
Violent Crime Index
55 ✓ Safer
Population
96,174
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Berkeley, CA
Pros
Households earn $35,383 more per year on average
More college-educated — 73.8% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cooler summers — July highs near 74°F vs 102°F
Smaller class sizes — 19.1:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $1,280,300
Higher rents — median is $2,067/mo
Violent crime (638.8/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Cost of living runs 22% higher than St. George
St. George, UT
Pros
Homes cost $865k less ($415,200 vs $1,280,300)
67% less violent crime than Berkeley
Rent averages $732/mo less ($1,335 vs $2,067)
22% cheaper overall cost of living than Berkeley
Commutes run 14 min shorter each way
Stronger job market — unemployment is 2.2 pts lower (3.3%)
Cons
Median income trails Berkeley by $35,383/yr
Hot summers — July highs average 102°F
Key Differences at a Glance
Berkeley
Median Income
$35,383
$104,716 vs $69,333/yr
St. George
Cost of Living
22% cheaper
COL index 96.1 vs 118.2 (100 = US avg)
St. George
Violent Crime
67% lower
210.0 vs 638.8 per 100k
St. George
Median Home Value
$865k less
$415,200 vs $1,280,300
St. George
Unemployment
2.2 pp lower
3.3% vs 5.5% unemployment
St. George
Summer Heat
27.7°F warmer
July avg high 101.9°F vs 74.2°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Berkeley, CA | St. George, UT |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 118.2⚠ High | 96.1 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $1,280,300⚠ High | $415,200⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,067⚠ High | $1,335⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $104,716 ✓ Higher | $69,333 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.5%⚠ High | 3.3% ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 30.4 min⚠ High | 16.3 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 28.1% ✓ Higher | 13.8% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 200⚠ High | 52 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 168⚠ High | 55 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 249⚠ High | 48 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (110) ✓ Better | B- (93) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 19.1:1 ✓ Smaller | 23.1:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 73.8% ✓ Higher | 32.6% |
| High School or Higher | 96.1% ✓ Higher | 94.3% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Berkeley Unified | Washington District |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 58.9°F ✓ Warmer | 54.0°F |
| Avg High — July | 74.2°F | 101.9°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 26.1" | 9.3" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 1.2" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 121,385 ✓ Larger | 96,174 |
| Median Age | 32.5 | 37.5 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 43.3% | 67.7% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 12.2% | 25.4% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 15.9% | 22.6% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Berkeley's cost of living index is 118.2 vs St. George's 96.1 (US average = 100).
St. George is 22% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, St. George leads 14 of 23 categories. Berkeley wins 9 and St. George 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 Berkeley to St. George or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($1,280,300 vs $415,200 median home), income ($104,716 vs $69,333), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Berkeley, CA and St. George, UT are about 481 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.