Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Lakewood, CO
VS
St. Louis, MO
🏆 Lakewood leads 13 of 23 categories
Lakewood
Colorado
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
105.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$82,786 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
207⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
156,149
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 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Lakewood, CO
Pros
Households earn $29,845 more per year on average
42% less violent crime than St. Louis
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.0 pts lower (4.4%)
More college-educated — 44.4% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $494,100
Higher rents — median is $1,665/mo
Violent crime (787.2/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (5093.4/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
St. Louis, MO
Pros
Homes cost $320k less ($174,100 vs $494,100)
Rent averages $727/mo less ($938 vs $1,665)
Commutes run 4 min shorter each way
9% cheaper overall cost of living than Lakewood
Smaller class sizes — 11.4:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Lakewood by $29,845/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 4.4%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Lakewood
Median Income
$29,845
$82,786 vs $52,941/yr
Lakewood
Violent Crime
42% lower
787.2 vs 1367.1 per 100k
Lakewood
Unemployment
1.0 pp lower
4.4% 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
$320k less
$174,100 vs $494,100
St. Louis
Summer Heat
3.7°F warmer
July avg high 89.6°F vs 85.9°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Lakewood, 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 | $494,100⚠ High | $174,100 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,665⚠ High | $938 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $82,786 ✓ Higher | $52,941 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.4%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 5.4%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 27.0 min | 23.0 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 16.9% ✓ Higher | 12.5% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 221⚠ High ✓ Safer | 325⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 207⚠ High ✓ Safer | 360⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 243⚠ High ✓ Safer | 272⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (105) | B+ (107) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 16.7:1 | 11.4:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 44.4% ✓ Higher | 38.6% |
| High School or Higher | 93.1% ✓ Higher | 90.0% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Jefferson County School District No. R-1 | ST. LOUIS CITY |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 44.8°F ✓ Warmer | 40.6°F |
| Avg High — July | 85.9°F | 89.6°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 17.8" ✓ Drier | 43.9" |
| Annual Snowfall | 58.0" | 13.8" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 156,149 | 298,018 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 38.1 ✓ Older | 36.5 |
| Homeownership Rate | 58.0% ✓ Higher | 44.9% |
| Under 18 | 16.8% | 18.5% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 17.4% ✓ More | 14.5% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Lakewood'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, Lakewood leads 13 of 23 categories. Lakewood wins 13 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 Lakewood to St. Louis or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($494,100 vs $174,100 median home), income ($82,786 vs $52,941), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Lakewood, CO and St. Louis, MO are about 799 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.