Head-to-Head · City Comparison
San Jose, CA
VS
St. Louis, MO
🏆 San Jose leads 14 of 23 categories
San Jose
California
14
wins
Cost of Living Index
112.9⚠ High
Median Household Income
$136,010 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
160⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
1,001,176 ✓ 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 Jose, CA
Pros
Households earn $83,069 more per year on average
56% less violent crime than St. Louis
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.7 pts lower (4.7%)
Milder winters — January highs near 59°F vs 41°F
More college-educated — 46.0% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cooler summers — July highs near 82°F vs 90°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $1,149,600
Higher rents — median is $2,526/mo
Violent crime (606.8/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Cost of living runs 17% higher than St. Louis
St. Louis, MO
Pros
Homes cost $976k less ($174,100 vs $1,149,600)
Rent averages $1588/mo less ($938 vs $2,526)
17% cheaper overall cost of living than San Jose
Commutes run 6 min shorter each way
Smaller class sizes — 11.4:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails San Jose by $83,069/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
Higher unemployment (5.4% vs 4.7%)
Key Differences at a Glance
San Jose
Median Income
$83,069
$136,010 vs $52,941/yr
San Jose
Violent Crime
56% lower
606.8 vs 1367.1 per 100k
San Jose
Unemployment
0.7 pp lower
4.7% vs 5.4% unemployment
St. Louis
Cost of Living
17% cheaper
COL index 96.3 vs 112.9 (100 = US avg)
St. Louis
Median Home Value
$976k less
$174,100 vs $1,149,600
St. Louis
Summer Heat
7.4°F warmer
July avg high 89.6°F vs 82.2°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | San Jose, CA | St. Louis, MO |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 112.9⚠ High | 96.3 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $1,149,600⚠ High | $174,100 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,526⚠ High | $938 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $136,010 ✓ Higher | $52,941 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.7%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 5.4%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 28.8 min⚠ High | 23.0 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 16.3% ✓ Higher | 12.5% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 145⚠ High ✓ Safer | 325⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 160⚠ High ✓ Safer | 360⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 123⚠ High ✓ Safer | 272⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (104) | B+ (107) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 20.8:1 | 11.4:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 46.0% ✓ Higher | 38.6% |
| High School or Higher | 85.5% | 90.0% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | San Jose Unified | ST. LOUIS CITY |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 59.0°F ✓ Warmer | 40.6°F |
| Avg High — July | 82.2°F | 89.6°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 18.8" ✓ Drier | 43.9" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 13.8" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 1,001,176 ✓ Larger | 298,018 |
| Median Age | 37.8 ✓ Older | 36.5 |
| Homeownership Rate | 55.8% ✓ Higher | 44.9% |
| Under 18 | 21.2% ✓ More | 18.5% |
| Over 65 | 13.7% | 14.5% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
San Jose's cost of living index is 112.9 vs St. Louis's 96.3 (US average = 100).
St. Louis is 17% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, San Jose leads 14 of 23 categories. San Jose wins 14 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 Jose to St. Louis or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($1,149,600 vs $174,100 median home), income ($136,010 vs $52,941), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
San Jose, CA and St. Louis, MO are about 1,714 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.