Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Denver, CO
VS
St. Louis, MO
🏆 Denver leads 15 of 23 categories
Denver
Colorado
15
wins
Cost of Living Index
105.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$85,853 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
261⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
710,800 ✓ Larger
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
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Denver, CO
Pros
Households earn $32,912 more per year on average
27% less violent crime than St. Louis
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.7 pts lower (4.7%)
More college-educated — 54.2% hold a bachelor's or higher
Milder winters — January highs near 47°F vs 41°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $540,400
Higher rents — median is $1,665/mo
Violent crime (993.0/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (4761.6/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
St. Louis, MO
Pros
Homes cost $366k less ($174,100 vs $540,400)
Rent averages $727/mo less ($938 vs $1,665)
9% cheaper overall cost of living than Denver
Smaller class sizes — 11.4:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Denver by $32,912/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 4.7%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Denver
Median Income
$32,912
$85,853 vs $52,941/yr
Denver
Violent Crime
27% lower
993.0 vs 1367.1 per 100k
Denver
Unemployment
0.7 pp lower
4.7% 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
$366k less
$174,100 vs $540,400
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Denver, 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 | $540,400⚠ High | $174,100 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,665⚠ High | $938 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $85,853 ✓ Higher | $52,941 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.7%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 5.4%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 25.3 min | 23.0 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 20.9% ✓ Higher | 12.5% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 247⚠ High ✓ Safer | 325⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 261⚠ High ✓ Safer | 360⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 227⚠ High ✓ Safer | 272⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (110) ✓ Better | B+ (107) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 15.1:1 | 11.4:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 54.2% ✓ Higher | 38.6% |
| High School or Higher | 90.5% ✓ Higher | 90.0% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | School District No. 1 in the county of Denver and State of C | ST. LOUIS CITY |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 46.5°F ✓ Warmer | 40.6°F |
| Avg High — July | 90.2°F ✓ Warmer | 89.6°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 15.4" ✓ Drier | 43.9" |
| Annual Snowfall | 49.0" | 13.8" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 710,800 ✓ Larger | 298,018 |
| Median Age | 34.9 | 36.5 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 49.4% ✓ Higher | 44.9% |
| Under 18 | 18.7% ✓ More | 18.5% |
| Over 65 | 12.0% | 14.5% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Denver'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, Denver leads 15 of 23 categories. Denver 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 Denver to St. Louis or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($540,400 vs $174,100 median home), income ($85,853 vs $52,941), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Denver, CO and St. Louis, MO are about 787 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.