Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Reading, PA
VS
St. Louis, MO
🏆 St. Louis leads 17 of 23 categories
Reading
Pennsylvania
6
wins
Cost of Living Index
92.5 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$42,852
Violent Crime Index
89 ✓ Safer
Population
94,601
St. Louis
Missouri
17
wins
Cost of Living Index
96.3
Median Household Income
$52,941 ✓ Higher
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.
Reading, PA
Pros
Homes cost $77k less ($96,900 vs $174,100)
75% less violent crime than St. Louis
Living costs sit below the national average (index 92.5)
4% cheaper overall cost of living than St. Louis
Cons
Median income trails St. Louis by $10,089/yr
Higher unemployment (11.3% vs 5.4%)
St. Louis, MO
Pros
Stronger job market — unemployment is 5.9 pts lower (5.4%)
Households earn $10,089 more per year on average
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
Cost of living runs 4% higher than Reading
Key Differences at a Glance
Reading
Cost of Living
4% cheaper
COL index 92.5 vs 96.3 (100 = US avg)
Reading
Violent Crime
75% lower
337.2 vs 1367.1 per 100k
Reading
Median Home Value
$77k less
$96,900 vs $174,100
St. Louis
Median Income
$10,089
$52,941 vs $42,852/yr
St. Louis
Unemployment
5.9 pp lower
5.4% vs 11.3% unemployment
St. Louis
Summer Heat
3.1°F warmer
July avg high 89.6°F vs 86.5°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Reading, PA | St. Louis, MO |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 92.5 ✓ Cheaper | 96.3 |
| Median Home Value | $96,900 ✓ Lower | $174,100 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $942 | $938 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $42,852 | $52,941 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 11.3%⚠ High | 5.4%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 24.3 min | 23.0 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 4.2% | 12.5% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 81 ✓ Safer | 325⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 89 ✓ Safer | 360⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 68 ✓ Safer | 272⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C (80) | B+ (107) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 15.2:1 | 11.4:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 11.7% | 38.6% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 71.6% | 90.0% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Reading SD | ST. LOUIS CITY |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 38.6°F | 40.6°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 86.5°F | 89.6°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 49.3" | 43.9" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 27.2" | 13.8" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 94,601 | 298,018 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 31.1 | 36.5 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 39.3% | 44.9% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 28.5% ✓ More | 18.5% |
| Over 65 | 10.5% | 14.5% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Reading's cost of living index is 92.5 vs St. Louis's 96.3 (US average = 100).
Reading is 4% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, St. Louis leads 17 of 23 categories. Reading wins 6 and St. Louis wins 17. 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 Reading to St. Louis or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($96,900 vs $174,100 median home), income ($42,852 vs $52,941), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Reading, PA and St. Louis, MO are about 772 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.