Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Fullerton, CA
VS
St. Louis, MO
🏆 St. Louis leads 13 of 23 categories
Fullerton
California
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$99,279 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
120⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
142,280
St. Louis
Missouri
13
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.
Fullerton, CA
Pros
Households earn $46,338 more per year on average
67% less violent crime than St. Louis
Milder winters — January highs near 69°F vs 41°F
More college-educated — 44.0% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cooler summers — July highs near 84°F vs 90°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $791,000
Higher rents — median is $1,989/mo
Violent crime (455.3/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Cost of living runs 19% higher than St. Louis
St. Louis, MO
Pros
Homes cost $617k less ($174,100 vs $791,000)
Rent averages $1051/mo less ($938 vs $1,989)
19% cheaper overall cost of living than Fullerton
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.5 pts lower (5.4%)
Commutes run 7 min shorter each way
Smaller class sizes — 11.4:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Fullerton by $46,338/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
Key Differences at a Glance
Fullerton
Median Income
$46,338
$99,279 vs $52,941/yr
Fullerton
Violent Crime
67% lower
455.3 vs 1367.1 per 100k
St. Louis
Cost of Living
19% cheaper
COL index 96.3 vs 115.5 (100 = US avg)
St. Louis
Median Home Value
$617k less
$174,100 vs $791,000
St. Louis
Unemployment
1.5 pp lower
5.4% vs 6.9% unemployment
St. Louis
Summer Heat
5.2°F warmer
July avg high 89.6°F vs 84.4°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Fullerton, CA | St. Louis, MO |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 115.5⚠ High | 96.3 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $791,000⚠ High | $174,100 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,989⚠ High | $938 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $99,279 ✓ Higher | $52,941 |
| Unemployment Rate | 6.9%⚠ High | 5.4%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 30.0 min⚠ High | 23.0 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 11.3% | 12.5% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 110⚠ High ✓ Safer | 325⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 120⚠ High ✓ Safer | 360⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 96 ✓ Safer | 272⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B- (93) | B+ (107) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 25.3:1 | 11.4:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 44.0% ✓ Higher | 38.6% |
| High School or Higher | 89.7% | 90.0% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Fullerton Elementary | ST. LOUIS CITY |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 68.8°F ✓ Warmer | 40.6°F |
| Avg High — July | 84.4°F | 89.6°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 11.9" ✓ Drier | 43.9" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 13.8" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 142,280 | 298,018 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 35.5 | 36.5 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 51.6% ✓ Higher | 44.9% |
| Under 18 | 22.4% ✓ More | 18.5% |
| Over 65 | 13.8% | 14.5% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Fullerton's cost of living index is 115.5 vs St. Louis's 96.3 (US average = 100).
St. Louis is 19% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, St. Louis leads 13 of 23 categories. Fullerton wins 10 and St. Louis wins 13. 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 Fullerton to St. Louis or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($791,000 vs $174,100 median home), income ($99,279 vs $52,941), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Fullerton, CA and St. Louis, MO are about 1,571 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.