Head-to-Head · City Comparison
New Orleans, LA
VS
St. Louis, MO
🏆 New Orleans leads 13 of 23 categories
New Orleans
Louisiana
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
91.1 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$51,116
Violent Crime Index
380⚠ High
Population
380,408 ✓ Larger
St. Louis
Missouri
10
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.
New Orleans, LA
Pros
Milder winters — January highs near 61°F vs 41°F
Living costs sit below the national average (index 91.1)
5% cheaper overall cost of living than St. Louis
Cons
Violent crime (1444.1/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (4640.8/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (8.4% vs 5.4%)
St. Louis, MO
Pros
Homes cost $107k less ($174,100 vs $281,500)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 3.0 pts lower (5.4%)
5% less violent crime than New Orleans
Rent averages $224/mo less ($938 vs $1,162)
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
Cost of living runs 5% higher than New Orleans
Key Differences at a Glance
New Orleans
Cost of Living
5% cheaper
COL index 91.1 vs 96.3 (100 = US avg)
St. Louis
Median Income
$1,825
$52,941 vs $51,116/yr
St. Louis
Violent Crime
5% lower
1367.1 vs 1444.1 per 100k
St. Louis
Median Home Value
$107k less
$174,100 vs $281,500
St. Louis
Unemployment
3.0 pp lower
5.4% vs 8.4% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | New Orleans, LA | St. Louis, MO |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 91.1 ✓ Cheaper | 96.3 |
| Median Home Value | $281,500 | $174,100 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,162 | $938 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $51,116 | $52,941 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 8.4%⚠ High | 5.4%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 23.4 min | 23.0 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 11.3% | 12.5% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 316⚠ High ✓ Safer | 325⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 380⚠ High | 360⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 221⚠ High ✓ Safer | 272⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (112) ✓ Better | B+ (107) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 14.8:1 | 11.4:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 40.7% ✓ Higher | 38.6% |
| High School or Higher | 88.7% | 90.0% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Einstein Charter Middle Sch at Sarah Towles Reed | ST. LOUIS CITY |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 61.0°F ✓ Warmer | 40.6°F |
| Avg High — July | 90.6°F ✓ Warmer | 89.6°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 60.1" | 43.9" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.1" ✓ Less | 13.8" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 380,408 ✓ Larger | 298,018 |
| Median Age | 37.9 ✓ Older | 36.5 |
| Homeownership Rate | 49.3% ✓ Higher | 44.9% |
| Under 18 | 19.6% ✓ More | 18.5% |
| Over 65 | 15.9% ✓ More | 14.5% |
Frequently Asked Questions
New Orleans's cost of living index is 91.1 vs St. Louis's 96.3 (US average = 100).
New Orleans is 5% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, New Orleans leads 13 of 23 categories. New Orleans 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 New Orleans to St. Louis or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($281,500 vs $174,100 median home), income ($51,116 vs $52,941), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
New Orleans, LA and St. Louis, MO are about 593 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.