Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Long Beach, CA
VS
St. Louis, MO
🏆 St. Louis leads 13 of 22 categories
Long Beach
California
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$78,995 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
178⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
462,293 ✓ Larger
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
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Long Beach, CA
Pros
Households earn $26,054 more per year on average
51% less violent crime than St. Louis
Milder winters — January highs near 67°F vs 41°F
Cooler summers — July highs near 81°F vs 90°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $709,700
Higher rents — median is $1,698/mo
Violent crime (676.4/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Cost of living runs 19% higher than St. Louis
St. Louis, MO
Pros
Homes cost $536k less ($174,100 vs $709,700)
Rent averages $760/mo less ($938 vs $1,698)
19% cheaper overall cost of living than Long Beach
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.2 pts lower (5.4%)
Commutes run 7 min shorter each way
More college-educated — 38.6% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cons
Median income trails Long Beach by $26,054/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
Long Beach
Median Income
$26,054
$78,995 vs $52,941/yr
Long Beach
Violent Crime
51% lower
676.4 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
$536k less
$174,100 vs $709,700
St. Louis
Unemployment
1.2 pp lower
5.4% vs 6.6% unemployment
St. Louis
Summer Heat
8.2°F warmer
July avg high 89.6°F vs 81.4°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Long Beach, 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 | $709,700⚠ High | $174,100 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,698⚠ High | $938 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $78,995 ✓ Higher | $52,941 |
| Unemployment Rate | 6.6%⚠ High | 5.4%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 30.4 min⚠ High | 23.0 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 12.5% | 12.5% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 173⚠ High ✓ Safer | 325⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 178⚠ High ✓ Safer | 360⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 166⚠ High ✓ Safer | 272⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B- (91) | B+ (107) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 23.7:1 | 11.4:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 33.7% | 38.6% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 81.2% | 90.0% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Long Beach Unified | ST. LOUIS CITY |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 67.4°F ✓ Warmer | 40.6°F |
| Avg High — July | 81.4°F | 89.6°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 12.0" ✓ Drier | 43.9" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 13.8" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 462,293 ✓ Larger | 298,018 |
| Median Age | 36.1 | 36.5 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 40.6% | 44.9% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 20.7% ✓ More | 18.5% |
| Over 65 | 12.5% | 14.5% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Long Beach'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, St. Louis leads 13 of 22 categories. Long Beach wins 9 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 Long Beach to St. Louis or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($709,700 vs $174,100 median home), income ($78,995 vs $52,941), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Long Beach, CA and St. Louis, MO are about 1,586 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.