Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Irvine, CA
VS
St. Louis, MO
🏆 Irvine leads 12 of 22 categories
Irvine
California
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$122,948 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
22 ✓ Safer
Population
304,527 ✓ Larger
St. Louis
Missouri
10
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.
Irvine, CA
Pros
Households earn $70,007 more per year on average
94% less violent crime than St. Louis
More college-educated — 70.0% hold a bachelor's or higher
Violent crime is well below the national average (84.0 vs 380/100k)
Milder winters — January highs near 68°F vs 41°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $1,025,700
Higher rents — median is $2,749/mo
Cost of living runs 19% higher than St. Louis
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 115.5)
St. Louis, MO
Pros
Homes cost $852k less ($174,100 vs $1,025,700)
Rent averages $1811/mo less ($938 vs $2,749)
19% cheaper overall cost of living than Irvine
Smaller class sizes — 11.4:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Irvine by $70,007/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
Irvine
Median Income
$70,007
$122,948 vs $52,941/yr
Irvine
Violent Crime
94% lower
84.0 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
$852k less
$174,100 vs $1,025,700
St. Louis
Summer Heat
4.5°F warmer
July avg high 89.6°F vs 85.1°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Irvine, 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 | $1,025,700⚠ High | $174,100 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,749⚠ High | $938 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $122,948 ✓ Higher | $52,941 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.5%⚠ High | 5.4%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 24.3 min | 23.0 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 23.1% ✓ Higher | 12.5% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 40 ✓ Safer | 325⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 22 ✓ Safer | 360⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 66 ✓ Safer | 272⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (107) | B+ (107) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 26.5:1 | 11.4:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 70.0% ✓ Higher | 38.6% |
| High School or Higher | 96.3% ✓ Higher | 90.0% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Irvine Unified | ST. LOUIS CITY |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 67.8°F ✓ Warmer | 40.6°F |
| Avg High — July | 85.1°F | 89.6°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 14.1" ✓ Drier | 43.9" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 13.8" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 304,527 ✓ Larger | 298,018 |
| Median Age | 33.8 | 36.5 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 43.9% | 44.9% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 21.8% ✓ More | 18.5% |
| Over 65 | 10.4% | 14.5% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Irvine'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 22 decided categories above, Irvine leads 12 of 22 categories. Irvine wins 12 and St. Louis wins 10. 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 Irvine to St. Louis or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($1,025,700 vs $174,100 median home), income ($122,948 vs $52,941), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Irvine, CA and St. Louis, MO are about 1,567 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.