Head-to-Head · City Comparison
San Francisco, CA
VS
St. Louis, MO
🏆 San Francisco leads 13 of 22 categories
San Francisco
California
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
117.1⚠ High
Median Household Income
$136,689 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
157⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
851,036 ✓ Larger
St. Louis
Missouri
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
96.3 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$52,941
Violent Crime Index
360⚠ High
Population
298,018
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
San Francisco, CA
Pros
Households earn $83,748 more per year on average
56% less violent crime than St. Louis
More college-educated — 59.8% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cooler summers — July highs near 62°F vs 90°F
Milder winters — January highs near 59°F vs 41°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $1,348,700
Higher rents — median is $2,316/mo
Violent crime (596.5/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Cost of living runs 21% higher than St. Louis
St. Louis, MO
Pros
Homes cost $1175k less ($174,100 vs $1,348,700)
Rent averages $1378/mo less ($938 vs $2,316)
21% cheaper overall cost of living than San Francisco
Commutes run 9 min shorter each way
Smaller class sizes — 11.4:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails San Francisco by $83,748/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
San Francisco
Median Income
$83,748
$136,689 vs $52,941/yr
San Francisco
Violent Crime
56% lower
596.5 vs 1367.1 per 100k
St. Louis
Cost of Living
21% cheaper
COL index 96.3 vs 117.1 (100 = US avg)
St. Louis
Median Home Value
$1175k less
$174,100 vs $1,348,700
St. Louis
Summer Heat
27.8°F warmer
July avg high 89.6°F vs 61.8°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | San Francisco, CA | St. Louis, MO |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 117.1⚠ High | 96.3 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $1,348,700⚠ High | $174,100 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,316⚠ High | $938 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $136,689 ✓ Higher | $52,941 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.4%⚠ High | 5.4%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 31.8 min⚠ High | 23.0 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 23.4% ✓ Higher | 12.5% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 169⚠ High ✓ Safer | 325⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 157⚠ High ✓ Safer | 360⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 187⚠ High ✓ Safer | 272⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (108) ✓ Better | B+ (107) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 21.0:1 | 11.4:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 59.8% ✓ Higher | 38.6% |
| High School or Higher | 88.8% | 90.0% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | San Francisco Unified | ST. LOUIS CITY |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 59.0°F ✓ Warmer | 40.6°F |
| Avg High — July | 61.8°F | 89.6°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 30.0" ✓ Drier | 43.9" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 13.8" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 851,036 ✓ Larger | 298,018 |
| Median Age | 39.3 ✓ Older | 36.5 |
| Homeownership Rate | 38.6% | 44.9% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 13.6% | 18.5% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 16.7% ✓ More | 14.5% |
Frequently Asked Questions
San Francisco's cost of living index is 117.1 vs St. Louis's 96.3 (US average = 100).
St. Louis is 21% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, San Francisco leads 13 of 22 categories. San Francisco wins 13 and St. Louis wins 9. 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 San Francisco to St. Louis or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($1,348,700 vs $174,100 median home), income ($136,689 vs $52,941), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
San Francisco, CA and St. Louis, MO are about 1,772 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.