Head-to-Head · City Comparison
O'Fallon, MO
VS
Reading, PA
🏆 O'Fallon leads 17 of 23 categories
O'Fallon
Missouri
17
wins
Cost of Living Index
96.3
Median Household Income
$104,863 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
16 ✓ Safer
Population
91,825
Reading
Pennsylvania
6
wins
Cost of Living Index
92.5 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$42,852
Violent Crime Index
89
Population
94,601 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
O'Fallon, MO
Pros
Households earn $62,011 more per year on average
Stronger job market — unemployment is 8.2 pts lower (3.1%)
83% less violent crime than Reading
More college-educated — 42.4% hold a bachelor's or higher
Violent crime is well below the national average (59.0 vs 380/100k)
Smaller class sizes — 12.7:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Cost of living runs 4% higher than Reading
Reading, PA
Pros
Homes cost $187k less ($96,900 vs $283,600)
Rent averages $369/mo less ($942 vs $1,311)
Living costs sit below the national average (index 92.5)
4% cheaper overall cost of living than O'Fallon
Cons
Median income trails O'Fallon by $62,011/yr
Higher unemployment (11.3% vs 3.1%)
Key Differences at a Glance
O'Fallon
Median Income
$62,011
$104,863 vs $42,852/yr
O'Fallon
Violent Crime
83% lower
59.0 vs 337.2 per 100k
O'Fallon
Unemployment
8.2 pp lower
3.1% vs 11.3% unemployment
Reading
Cost of Living
4% cheaper
COL index 92.5 vs 96.3 (100 = US avg)
Reading
Median Home Value
$187k less
$96,900 vs $283,600
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | O'Fallon, MO | Reading, PA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 96.3 | 92.5 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $283,600 | $96,900 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,311 | $942 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $104,863 ✓ Higher | $42,852 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.1% ✓ Lower | 11.3%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 26.1 min | 24.3 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 14.0% ✓ Higher | 4.2% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 18 ✓ Safer | 81 |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 16 ✓ Safer | 89 |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 23 ✓ Safer | 68 |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (118) ✓ Better | C (80) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 12.7:1 ✓ Smaller | 15.2:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 42.4% ✓ Higher | 11.7% |
| High School or Higher | 95.4% ✓ Higher | 71.6% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | FORT ZUMWALT SCHOOL DISTRICT | Reading SD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 39.3°F ✓ Warmer | 38.6°F |
| Avg High — July | 87.5°F ✓ Warmer | 86.5°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 44.4" ✓ Drier | 49.3" |
| Annual Snowfall | 13.5" ✓ Less | 27.2" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 91,825 | 94,601 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 38.0 ✓ Older | 31.1 |
| Homeownership Rate | 80.9% ✓ Higher | 39.3% |
| Under 18 | 24.9% | 28.5% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 13.2% ✓ More | 10.5% |
Frequently Asked Questions
O'Fallon's cost of living index is 96.3 vs Reading's 92.5 (US average = 100).
Reading is 4% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, O'Fallon leads 17 of 23 categories. O'Fallon wins 17 and Reading wins 6. 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 O'Fallon to Reading or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($283,600 vs $96,900 median home), income ($104,863 vs $42,852), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
O'Fallon, MO and Reading, PA are about 794 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.