Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Portsmouth, VA
VS
St. Louis, MO
🏆 St. Louis leads 14 of 23 categories
Portsmouth
Virginia
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
97.4
Median Household Income
$57,154 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
198⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
97,384
St. Louis
Missouri
14
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.
Portsmouth, VA
Pros
45% less violent crime than St. Louis
Households earn $4,213 more per year on average
Milder winters — January highs near 49°F vs 41°F
Cons
Violent crime (752.4/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (3860.8/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (6.6% vs 5.4%)
St. Louis, MO
Pros
Rent averages $287/mo less ($938 vs $1,225)
Homes cost $39k less ($174,100 vs $213,300)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.2 pts lower (5.4%)
More college-educated — 38.6% hold a bachelor's or higher
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
Median income trails Portsmouth by $4,213/yr
Key Differences at a Glance
Portsmouth
Median Income
$4,213
$57,154 vs $52,941/yr
Portsmouth
Violent Crime
45% lower
752.4 vs 1367.1 per 100k
St. Louis
Cost of Living
1% cheaper
COL index 96.3 vs 97.4 (100 = US avg)
St. Louis
Median Home Value
$39k less
$174,100 vs $213,300
St. Louis
Unemployment
1.2 pp lower
5.4% vs 6.6% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Portsmouth, VA | St. Louis, MO |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 97.4 | 96.3 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $213,300 | $174,100 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,225 | $938 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $57,154 ✓ Higher | $52,941 |
| Unemployment Rate | 6.6%⚠ High | 5.4%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 23.2 min | 23.0 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 6.6% | 12.5% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 192⚠ High ✓ Safer | 325⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 198⚠ High ✓ Safer | 360⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 184⚠ High ✓ Safer | 272⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B- (94) | B+ (107) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 13.7:1 | 11.4:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 21.2% | 38.6% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 89.5% | 90.0% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Portsmouth City Public Schools | ST. LOUIS CITY |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 48.8°F ✓ Warmer | 40.6°F |
| Avg High — July | 88.0°F | 89.6°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 50.0" | 43.9" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 3.0" ✓ Less | 13.8" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 97,384 | 298,018 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 35.6 | 36.5 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 56.1% ✓ Higher | 44.9% |
| Under 18 | 23.1% ✓ More | 18.5% |
| Over 65 | 15.1% ✓ More | 14.5% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Portsmouth's cost of living index is 97.4 vs St. Louis's 96.3 (US average = 100).
St. Louis is 1% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, St. Louis leads 14 of 23 categories. Portsmouth wins 9 and St. Louis wins 14. 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 Portsmouth to St. Louis or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($213,300 vs $174,100 median home), income ($57,154 vs $52,941), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Portsmouth, VA and St. Louis, MO are about 768 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.