Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Cape Coral, FL
VS
St. Louis, MO
🏆 St. Louis leads 11 of 20 categories
Cape Coral
Florida
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
104.9⚠ High
Median Household Income
$72,474 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
—
Population
198,912
St. Louis
Missouri
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
96.3 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$52,941
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.
Cape Coral, FL
Pros
Households earn $19,533 more per year on average
Milder winters — January highs near 75°F vs 41°F
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.0 pts lower (4.4%)
Cons
Higher rents — median is $1,630/mo
Cost of living runs 9% higher than St. Louis
Longer commutes — 28.6 min average each way
St. Louis, MO
Pros
Rent averages $692/mo less ($938 vs $1,630)
Homes cost $128k less ($174,100 vs $302,400)
More college-educated — 38.6% hold a bachelor's or higher
Commutes run 6 min shorter each way
9% cheaper overall cost of living than Cape Coral
Smaller class sizes — 11.4:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Cape Coral by $19,533/yr
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
Higher unemployment (5.4% vs 4.4%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Cape Coral
Median Income
$19,533
$72,474 vs $52,941/yr
Cape Coral
Unemployment
1.0 pp lower
4.4% vs 5.4% unemployment
St. Louis
Cost of Living
9% cheaper
COL index 96.3 vs 104.9 (100 = US avg)
St. Louis
Median Home Value
$128k less
$174,100 vs $302,400
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Cape Coral, FL | St. Louis, MO |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 104.9⚠ High | 96.3 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $302,400 | $174,100 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,630⚠ High | $938 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $72,474 ✓ Higher | $52,941 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.4%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 5.4%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 28.6 min⚠ High | 23.0 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 11.1% | 12.5% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | — | 325⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | — | 360⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | — | 272⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C+ (87) | B+ (107) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 20.5:1 | 11.4:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 24.6% | 38.6% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 92.8% ✓ Higher | 90.0% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | LEE | ST. LOUIS CITY |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 75.0°F ✓ Warmer | 40.6°F |
| Avg High — July | 91.6°F ✓ Warmer | 89.6°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 57.4" | 43.9" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 13.8" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 198,912 | 298,018 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 48.2 ✓ Older | 36.5 |
| Homeownership Rate | 77.4% ✓ Higher | 44.9% |
| Under 18 | 17.5% | 18.5% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 24.7% ✓ More | 14.5% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Cape Coral's cost of living index is 104.9 vs St. Louis's 96.3 (US average = 100).
St. Louis is 9% less expensive overall.
Based on the 20 decided categories above, St. Louis leads 11 of 20 categories. Cape Coral wins 9 and St. Louis wins 11. 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 Cape Coral to St. Louis or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($302,400 vs $174,100 median home), income ($72,474 vs $52,941), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Cape Coral, FL and St. Louis, MO are about 956 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.