Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Milwaukee, WI
VS
St. Louis, MO
🏆 St. Louis leads 15 of 23 categories
Milwaukee
Wisconsin
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
95.5 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$49,733
Violent Crime Index
377⚠ High
Population
573,299 ✓ Larger
St. Louis
Missouri
15
wins
Cost of Living Index
96.3
Median Household Income
$52,941 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
360⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
298,018
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Milwaukee, WI
Pros
Homes cost $16k less ($157,800 vs $174,100)
Cooler summers — July highs near 83°F vs 90°F
Cons
Violent crime (1430.9/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (2700.7/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Median income trails St. Louis by $3,208/yr
St. Louis, MO
Pros
4% less violent crime than Milwaukee
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.5 pts lower (5.4%)
More college-educated — 38.6% hold a bachelor's or higher
Milder winters — January highs near 41°F vs 30°F
Households earn $3,208 more per year on average
Smaller class sizes — 11.4:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
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
Milwaukee
Cost of Living
1% cheaper
COL index 95.5 vs 96.3 (100 = US avg)
Milwaukee
Median Home Value
$16k less
$157,800 vs $174,100
St. Louis
Median Income
$3,208
$52,941 vs $49,733/yr
St. Louis
Violent Crime
4% lower
1367.1 vs 1430.9 per 100k
St. Louis
Unemployment
0.5 pp lower
5.4% vs 5.9% unemployment
St. Louis
Summer Heat
6.8°F warmer
July avg high 89.6°F vs 82.8°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Milwaukee, WI | St. Louis, MO |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 95.5 ✓ Cheaper | 96.3 |
| Median Home Value | $157,800 ✓ Lower | $174,100 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $982 | $938 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $49,733 | $52,941 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.9%⚠ High | 5.4%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 22.2 min ✓ Shorter | 23.0 min |
| Work From Home % | 9.4% | 12.5% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 277⚠ High ✓ Safer | 325⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 377⚠ High | 360⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 129⚠ High ✓ Safer | 272⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C (82) | B+ (107) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 16.5:1 | 11.4:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 26.1% | 38.6% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 85.4% | 90.0% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Milwaukee School District | ST. LOUIS CITY |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 29.7°F | 40.6°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 82.8°F | 89.6°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 33.8" ✓ Drier | 43.9" |
| Annual Snowfall | 39.5" | 13.8" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 573,299 ✓ Larger | 298,018 |
| Median Age | 31.8 | 36.5 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 41.2% | 44.9% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 25.7% ✓ More | 18.5% |
| Over 65 | 11.3% | 14.5% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Milwaukee's cost of living index is 95.5 vs St. Louis's 96.3 (US average = 100).
Milwaukee is 1% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, St. Louis leads 15 of 23 categories. Milwaukee 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 Milwaukee to St. Louis or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($157,800 vs $174,100 median home), income ($49,733 vs $52,941), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Milwaukee, WI and St. Louis, MO are about 328 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.