Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Norwalk, CT
VS
St. Louis, MO
🏆 St. Louis leads 13 of 23 categories
Norwalk
Connecticut
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
106.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$97,879 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
22 ✓ Safer
Population
91,050
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 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Norwalk, CT
Pros
Households earn $44,938 more per year on average
94% less violent crime than St. Louis
Violent crime is well below the national average (85.0 vs 380/100k)
More college-educated — 42.6% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $491,800
Higher rents — median is $1,861/mo
Cost of living runs 10% higher than St. Louis
St. Louis, MO
Pros
Homes cost $318k less ($174,100 vs $491,800)
Rent averages $923/mo less ($938 vs $1,861)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.5 pts lower (5.4%)
Commutes run 4 min shorter each way
10% cheaper overall cost of living than Norwalk
Cons
Median income trails Norwalk by $44,938/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
Norwalk
Median Income
$44,938
$97,879 vs $52,941/yr
Norwalk
Violent Crime
94% lower
85.0 vs 1367.1 per 100k
St. Louis
Cost of Living
10% cheaper
COL index 96.3 vs 106.5 (100 = US avg)
St. Louis
Median Home Value
$318k less
$174,100 vs $491,800
St. Louis
Unemployment
0.5 pp lower
5.4% vs 5.9% unemployment
St. Louis
Summer Heat
4.8°F warmer
July avg high 89.6°F vs 84.8°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Norwalk, CT | St. Louis, MO |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 106.5⚠ High | 96.3 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $491,800⚠ High | $174,100 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,861⚠ High | $938 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $97,879 ✓ Higher | $52,941 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.9%⚠ High | 5.4%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 27.3 min | 23.0 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 11.4% | 12.5% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 42 ✓ Safer | 325⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 22 ✓ Safer | 360⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 72 ✓ Safer | 272⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (113) ✓ Better | B+ (107) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 12.5:1 | 11.4:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 42.6% ✓ Higher | 38.6% |
| High School or Higher | 88.6% | 90.0% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Norwalk School District | ST. LOUIS CITY |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 38.0°F | 40.6°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 84.8°F | 89.6°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 51.4" | 43.9" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 34.0" | 13.8" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 91,050 | 298,018 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 40.0 ✓ Older | 36.5 |
| Homeownership Rate | 54.8% ✓ Higher | 44.9% |
| Under 18 | 19.4% ✓ More | 18.5% |
| Over 65 | 15.8% ✓ More | 14.5% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Norwalk's cost of living index is 106.5 vs St. Louis's 96.3 (US average = 100).
St. Louis is 10% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, St. Louis leads 13 of 23 categories. Norwalk wins 10 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 Norwalk to St. Louis or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($491,800 vs $174,100 median home), income ($97,879 vs $52,941), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Norwalk, CT and St. Louis, MO are about 907 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.