Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Carrollton, TX
VS
St. Louis, MO
🏆 Carrollton leads 15 of 23 categories
Carrollton
Texas
15
wins
Cost of Living Index
103.3⚠ High
Median Household Income
$95,380 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
36 ✓ Safer
Population
132,284
St. Louis
Missouri
8
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.
Carrollton, TX
Pros
Households earn $42,439 more per year on average
90% less violent crime than St. Louis
Violent crime is well below the national average (137.1 vs 380/100k)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.7 pts lower (3.7%)
Milder winters — January highs near 56°F vs 41°F
More college-educated — 42.1% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $327,300
Higher rents — median is $1,555/mo
Cost of living runs 7% higher than St. Louis
St. Louis, MO
Pros
Homes cost $153k less ($174,100 vs $327,300)
Rent averages $617/mo less ($938 vs $1,555)
7% cheaper overall cost of living than Carrollton
Smaller class sizes — 11.4:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Carrollton by $42,439/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 3.7%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Carrollton
Median Income
$42,439
$95,380 vs $52,941/yr
Carrollton
Violent Crime
90% lower
137.1 vs 1367.1 per 100k
Carrollton
Unemployment
1.7 pp lower
3.7% vs 5.4% unemployment
Carrollton
Summer Heat
4.7°F warmer
July avg high 94.3°F vs 89.6°F
St. Louis
Cost of Living
7% cheaper
COL index 96.3 vs 103.3 (100 = US avg)
St. Louis
Median Home Value
$153k less
$174,100 vs $327,300
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Carrollton, TX | St. Louis, MO |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 103.3⚠ High | 96.3 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $327,300⚠ High | $174,100 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,555⚠ High | $938 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $95,380 ✓ Higher | $52,941 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.7% ✓ Lower | 5.4%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 24.4 min | 23.0 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 17.8% ✓ Higher | 12.5% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 47 ✓ Safer | 325⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 36 ✓ Safer | 360⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 63 ✓ Safer | 272⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (119) ✓ Better | B+ (107) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 13.5:1 | 11.4:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 42.1% ✓ Higher | 38.6% |
| High School or Higher | 89.4% | 90.0% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | CARROLLTON-FARMERS BRANCH ISD | ST. LOUIS CITY |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 55.9°F ✓ Warmer | 40.6°F |
| Avg High — July | 94.3°F ✓ Warmer | 89.6°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 39.8" ✓ Drier | 43.9" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.1" ✓ Less | 13.8" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 132,284 | 298,018 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 38.6 ✓ Older | 36.5 |
| Homeownership Rate | 58.3% ✓ Higher | 44.9% |
| Under 18 | 19.9% ✓ More | 18.5% |
| Over 65 | 12.9% | 14.5% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Carrollton's cost of living index is 103.3 vs St. Louis's 96.3 (US average = 100).
St. Louis is 7% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Carrollton leads 15 of 23 categories. Carrollton wins 15 and St. Louis wins 8. 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 Carrollton to St. Louis or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($327,300 vs $174,100 median home), income ($95,380 vs $52,941), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Carrollton, TX and St. Louis, MO are about 539 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.