Head-to-Head · City Comparison
El Cajon, CA
VS
St. Louis, MO
🏆 St. Louis leads 15 of 23 categories
El Cajon
California
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
111.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$64,128 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
114⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
105,721
St. Louis
Missouri
15
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.
El Cajon, CA
Pros
68% less violent crime than St. Louis
Households earn $11,187 more per year on average
Milder winters — January highs near 69°F vs 41°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $593,500
Higher rents — median is $1,686/mo
Cost of living runs 15% higher than St. Louis
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 111.5)
St. Louis, MO
Pros
Homes cost $419k less ($174,100 vs $593,500)
Rent averages $748/mo less ($938 vs $1,686)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 2.7 pts lower (5.4%)
15% cheaper overall cost of living than El Cajon
More college-educated — 38.6% hold a bachelor's or higher
Smaller class sizes — 11.4:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Violent crime (1367.1/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Median income trails El Cajon by $11,187/yr
Property crime (5706.9/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Key Differences at a Glance
El Cajon
Median Income
$11,187
$64,128 vs $52,941/yr
El Cajon
Violent Crime
68% lower
434.4 vs 1367.1 per 100k
St. Louis
Cost of Living
15% cheaper
COL index 96.3 vs 111.5 (100 = US avg)
St. Louis
Median Home Value
$419k less
$174,100 vs $593,500
St. Louis
Unemployment
2.7 pp lower
5.4% vs 8.1% unemployment
St. Louis
Summer Heat
3.5°F warmer
July avg high 89.6°F vs 86.1°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | El Cajon, CA | St. Louis, MO |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 111.5⚠ High | 96.3 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $593,500⚠ High | $174,100 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,686⚠ High | $938 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $64,128 ✓ Higher | $52,941 |
| Unemployment Rate | 8.1%⚠ High | 5.4%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 25.4 min | 23.0 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 8.8% | 12.5% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 97 ✓ Safer | 325⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 114⚠ High ✓ Safer | 360⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 71 ✓ Safer | 272⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C- (66) | B+ (107) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 23.8:1 | 11.4:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 23.0% | 38.6% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 84.8% | 90.0% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Cajon Valley Union | ST. LOUIS CITY |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 69.3°F ✓ Warmer | 40.6°F |
| Avg High — July | 86.1°F | 89.6°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 13.5" ✓ Drier | 43.9" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 13.8" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 105,721 | 298,018 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 35.6 | 36.5 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 41.7% | 44.9% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 24.6% ✓ More | 18.5% |
| Over 65 | 13.5% | 14.5% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
El Cajon's cost of living index is 111.5 vs St. Louis's 96.3 (US average = 100).
St. Louis is 15% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, St. Louis leads 15 of 23 categories. El Cajon wins 8 and St. Louis wins 15. 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 El Cajon to St. Louis or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($593,500 vs $174,100 median home), income ($64,128 vs $52,941), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
El Cajon, CA and St. Louis, MO are about 1,546 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.