Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Centennial, CO
VS
St. Louis, MO
🏆 Centennial leads 15 of 23 categories
Centennial
Colorado
15
wins
Cost of Living Index
105.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$124,617 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
45 ✓ Safer
Population
107,702
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.
Centennial, CO
Pros
Households earn $71,676 more per year on average
87% less violent crime than St. Louis
Violent crime is well below the national average (172.8 vs 380/100k)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 2.0 pts lower (3.4%)
More college-educated — 61.3% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $586,500
Higher rents — median is $1,949/mo
Cost of living runs 9% higher than St. Louis
Snowy winters — about 64" of snow per year
St. Louis, MO
Pros
Homes cost $412k less ($174,100 vs $586,500)
Rent averages $1011/mo less ($938 vs $1,949)
9% cheaper overall cost of living than Centennial
Commutes run 3 min shorter each way
Smaller class sizes — 11.4:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Centennial by $71,676/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 3.4%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Centennial
Median Income
$71,676
$124,617 vs $52,941/yr
Centennial
Violent Crime
87% lower
172.8 vs 1367.1 per 100k
Centennial
Unemployment
2.0 pp lower
3.4% vs 5.4% unemployment
St. Louis
Cost of Living
9% cheaper
COL index 96.3 vs 105.5 (100 = US avg)
St. Louis
Median Home Value
$412k less
$174,100 vs $586,500
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Centennial, CO | St. Louis, MO |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 105.5⚠ High | 96.3 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $586,500⚠ High | $174,100 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,949⚠ High | $938 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $124,617 ✓ Higher | $52,941 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.4% ✓ Lower | 5.4%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 26.0 min | 23.0 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 21.2% ✓ Higher | 12.5% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 60 ✓ Safer | 325⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 45 ✓ Safer | 360⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 81 ✓ Safer | 272⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (115) ✓ Better | B+ (107) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 16.2:1 | 11.4:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 61.3% ✓ Higher | 38.6% |
| High School or Higher | 97.4% ✓ Higher | 90.0% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Cherry Creek School District No. 5 in the county of Arapah | ST. LOUIS CITY |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 44.6°F ✓ Warmer | 40.6°F |
| Avg High — July | 87.3°F | 89.6°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 15.0" ✓ Drier | 43.9" |
| Annual Snowfall | 64.0" | 13.8" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 107,702 | 298,018 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 41.6 ✓ Older | 36.5 |
| Homeownership Rate | 82.3% ✓ Higher | 44.9% |
| Under 18 | 22.5% ✓ More | 18.5% |
| Over 65 | 17.9% ✓ More | 14.5% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Centennial's cost of living index is 105.5 vs St. Louis's 96.3 (US average = 100).
St. Louis is 9% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Centennial leads 15 of 23 categories. Centennial 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 Centennial to St. Louis or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($586,500 vs $174,100 median home), income ($124,617 vs $52,941), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Centennial, CO and St. Louis, MO are about 786 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.