Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Columbia, MO
VS
St. Louis, MO
🏆 Columbia leads 12 of 23 categories
Columbia
Missouri
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
89.3 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$60,455 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
91 ✓ Safer
Population
126,172
St. Louis
Missouri
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
96.3
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.
Columbia, MO
Pros
75% less violent crime than St. Louis
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.4 pts lower (4.0%)
More college-educated — 55.3% hold a bachelor's or higher
Commutes run 7 min shorter each way
Households earn $7,514 more per year on average
Living costs sit below the national average (index 89.3)
Cons
Nothing stands out — a close match here.
St. Louis, MO
Pros
Homes cost $75k less ($174,100 vs $248,600)
Cons
Violent crime (1367.1/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Median income trails Columbia by $7,514/yr
Property crime (5706.9/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (5.4% vs 4.0%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Columbia
Cost of Living
7% cheaper
COL index 89.3 vs 96.3 (100 = US avg)
Columbia
Median Income
$7,514
$60,455 vs $52,941/yr
Columbia
Violent Crime
75% lower
347.5 vs 1367.1 per 100k
Columbia
Unemployment
1.4 pp lower
4.0% vs 5.4% unemployment
St. Louis
Median Home Value
$75k less
$174,100 vs $248,600
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Columbia, MO | St. Louis, MO |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 89.3 ✓ Cheaper | 96.3 |
| Median Home Value | $248,600 | $174,100 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $997 | $938 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $60,455 ✓ Higher | $52,941 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.0%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 5.4%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 16.5 min ✓ Shorter | 23.0 min |
| Work From Home % | 7.6% | 12.5% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 99 ✓ Safer | 325⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 91 ✓ Safer | 360⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 110⚠ High ✓ Safer | 272⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (123) ✓ Better | B+ (107) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 12.8:1 | 11.4:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 55.3% ✓ Higher | 38.6% |
| High School or Higher | 95.4% ✓ Higher | 90.0% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | COLUMBIA 93 | ST. LOUIS CITY |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 39.3°F | 40.6°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 88.6°F | 89.6°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 44.8" | 43.9" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 17.4" | 13.8" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 126,172 | 298,018 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 28.8 | 36.5 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 48.8% ✓ Higher | 44.9% |
| Under 18 | 19.0% ✓ More | 18.5% |
| Over 65 | 11.1% | 14.5% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Columbia's cost of living index is 89.3 vs St. Louis's 96.3 (US average = 100).
Columbia is 7% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Columbia leads 12 of 23 categories. Columbia wins 12 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 Columbia to St. Louis or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($248,600 vs $174,100 median home), income ($60,455 vs $52,941), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Columbia, MO and St. Louis, MO are about 114 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.