Head-to-Head · City Comparison
San Mateo, CA
VS
St. Louis, MO
🏆 San Mateo leads 16 of 23 categories
San Mateo
California
16
wins
Cost of Living Index
118.2⚠ High
Median Household Income
$149,152 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
64 ✓ Safer
Population
104,165
St. Louis
Missouri
7
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.
San Mateo, CA
Pros
Households earn $96,211 more per year on average
82% less violent crime than St. Louis
Violent crime is well below the national average (243.2 vs 380/100k)
More college-educated — 58.2% hold a bachelor's or higher
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.7 pts lower (4.7%)
Milder winters — January highs near 58°F vs 41°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $1,508,900
Higher rents — median is $2,971/mo
Cost of living runs 22% higher than St. Louis
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 118.2)
St. Louis, MO
Pros
Homes cost $1335k less ($174,100 vs $1,508,900)
Rent averages $2033/mo less ($938 vs $2,971)
22% cheaper overall cost of living than San Mateo
Commutes run 6 min shorter each way
Smaller class sizes — 11.4:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails San Mateo by $96,211/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 Mateo
Median Income
$96,211
$149,152 vs $52,941/yr
San Mateo
Violent Crime
82% lower
243.2 vs 1367.1 per 100k
San Mateo
Unemployment
0.7 pp lower
4.7% vs 5.4% unemployment
St. Louis
Cost of Living
22% cheaper
COL index 96.3 vs 118.2 (100 = US avg)
St. Louis
Median Home Value
$1335k less
$174,100 vs $1,508,900
St. Louis
Summer Heat
17.0°F warmer
July avg high 89.6°F vs 72.6°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | San Mateo, CA | St. Louis, MO |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 118.2⚠ High | 96.3 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $1,508,900⚠ High | $174,100 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,971⚠ High | $938 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $149,152 ✓ Higher | $52,941 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.7%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 5.4%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 28.5 min⚠ High | 23.0 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 19.9% ✓ Higher | 12.5% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 74 ✓ Safer | 325⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 64 ✓ Safer | 360⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 90 ✓ Safer | 272⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (113) ✓ Better | B+ (107) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 21.0:1 | 11.4:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 58.2% ✓ Higher | 38.6% |
| High School or Higher | 91.5% ✓ Higher | 90.0% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | San Mateo-Foster City | ST. LOUIS CITY |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 58.0°F ✓ Warmer | 40.6°F |
| Avg High — July | 72.6°F | 89.6°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 19.3" ✓ Drier | 43.9" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 13.8" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 104,165 | 298,018 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 38.1 ✓ Older | 36.5 |
| Homeownership Rate | 51.6% ✓ Higher | 44.9% |
| Under 18 | 19.6% ✓ More | 18.5% |
| Over 65 | 16.4% ✓ More | 14.5% |
Frequently Asked Questions
San Mateo's cost of living index is 118.2 vs St. Louis's 96.3 (US average = 100).
St. Louis is 22% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, San Mateo leads 16 of 23 categories. San Mateo wins 16 and St. Louis wins 7. 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 Mateo to St. Louis or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($1,508,900 vs $174,100 median home), income ($149,152 vs $52,941), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
San Mateo, CA and St. Louis, MO are about 1,736 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.