Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Clearwater, FL
VS
St. Louis, MO
🏆 Clearwater leads 14 of 23 categories
Clearwater
Florida
14
wins
Cost of Living Index
103.4⚠ High
Median Household Income
$59,358 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
104⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
116,984
St. Louis
Missouri
9
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.
Clearwater, FL
Pros
71% less violent crime than St. Louis
Milder winters — January highs near 71°F vs 41°F
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.7 pts lower (4.7%)
Households earn $6,417 more per year on average
Cons
Higher rents — median is $1,389/mo
Cost of living runs 7% higher than St. Louis
St. Louis, MO
Pros
Homes cost $114k less ($174,100 vs $287,900)
Rent averages $451/mo less ($938 vs $1,389)
More college-educated — 38.6% hold a bachelor's or higher
7% cheaper overall cost of living than Clearwater
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
Median income trails Clearwater by $6,417/yr
Higher unemployment (5.4% vs 4.7%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Clearwater
Median Income
$6,417
$59,358 vs $52,941/yr
Clearwater
Violent Crime
71% lower
395.5 vs 1367.1 per 100k
Clearwater
Unemployment
0.7 pp lower
4.7% vs 5.4% unemployment
St. Louis
Cost of Living
7% cheaper
COL index 96.3 vs 103.4 (100 = US avg)
St. Louis
Median Home Value
$114k less
$174,100 vs $287,900
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Clearwater, FL | St. Louis, MO |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 103.4⚠ High | 96.3 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $287,900 | $174,100 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,389⚠ High | $938 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $59,358 ✓ Higher | $52,941 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.7%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 5.4%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 22.8 min ✓ Shorter | 23.0 min |
| Work From Home % | 16.4% ✓ Higher | 12.5% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 99 ✓ Safer | 325⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 104⚠ High ✓ Safer | 360⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 90 ✓ Safer | 272⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B (101) | B+ (107) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 15.9:1 | 11.4:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 31.9% | 38.6% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 90.8% ✓ Higher | 90.0% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | PINELLAS | ST. LOUIS CITY |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 70.6°F ✓ Warmer | 40.6°F |
| Avg High — July | 90.3°F ✓ Warmer | 89.6°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 56.1" | 43.9" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 13.8" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 116,984 | 298,018 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 46.0 ✓ Older | 36.5 |
| Homeownership Rate | 58.8% ✓ Higher | 44.9% |
| Under 18 | 17.6% | 18.5% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 23.5% ✓ More | 14.5% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Clearwater's cost of living index is 103.4 vs St. Louis's 96.3 (US average = 100).
St. Louis is 7% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Clearwater leads 14 of 23 categories. Clearwater wins 14 and St. Louis wins 9. 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 Clearwater to St. Louis or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($287,900 vs $174,100 median home), income ($59,358 vs $52,941), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Clearwater, FL and St. Louis, MO are about 853 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.