Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Sandy Springs, GA
VS
St. Louis, MO
🏆 Sandy Springs leads 14 of 23 categories
Sandy Springs
Georgia
14
wins
Cost of Living Index
100.9⚠ High
Median Household Income
$93,303 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
37 ✓ Safer
Population
107,221
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 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Sandy Springs, GA
Pros
Households earn $40,362 more per year on average
90% less violent crime than St. Louis
More college-educated — 68.2% hold a bachelor's or higher
Violent crime is well below the national average (139.2 vs 380/100k)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.7 pts lower (3.7%)
Milder winters — January highs near 52°F vs 41°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $556,300
Higher rents — median is $1,670/mo
Cost of living runs 5% higher than St. Louis
St. Louis, MO
Pros
Homes cost $382k less ($174,100 vs $556,300)
Rent averages $732/mo less ($938 vs $1,670)
Commutes run 4 min shorter each way
Smaller class sizes — 11.4:1 student-teacher ratio
5% cheaper overall cost of living than Sandy Springs
Cons
Median income trails Sandy Springs by $40,362/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 3.7%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Sandy Springs
Median Income
$40,362
$93,303 vs $52,941/yr
Sandy Springs
Violent Crime
90% lower
139.2 vs 1367.1 per 100k
Sandy Springs
Unemployment
1.7 pp lower
3.7% vs 5.4% unemployment
St. Louis
Cost of Living
5% cheaper
COL index 96.3 vs 100.9 (100 = US avg)
St. Louis
Median Home Value
$382k less
$174,100 vs $556,300
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Sandy Springs, GA | St. Louis, MO |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 100.9⚠ High | 96.3 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $556,300⚠ High | $174,100 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,670⚠ High | $938 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $93,303 ✓ Higher | $52,941 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.7% ✓ Lower | 5.4%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 26.5 min | 23.0 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 24.8% ✓ Higher | 12.5% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 50 ✓ Safer | 325⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 37 ✓ Safer | 360⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 70 ✓ Safer | 272⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (117) ✓ Better | B+ (107) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 14.1:1 | 11.4:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 68.2% ✓ Higher | 38.6% |
| High School or Higher | 97.0% ✓ Higher | 90.0% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Fulton County | ST. LOUIS CITY |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 51.9°F ✓ Warmer | 40.6°F |
| Avg High — July | 89.4°F | 89.6°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 53.5" | 43.9" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.5" ✓ Less | 13.8" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 107,221 | 298,018 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 37.4 ✓ Older | 36.5 |
| Homeownership Rate | 50.5% ✓ Higher | 44.9% |
| Under 18 | 18.8% ✓ More | 18.5% |
| Over 65 | 14.2% | 14.5% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Sandy Springs's cost of living index is 100.9 vs St. Louis's 96.3 (US average = 100).
St. Louis is 5% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Sandy Springs leads 14 of 23 categories. Sandy Springs 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 Sandy Springs to St. Louis or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($556,300 vs $174,100 median home), income ($93,303 vs $52,941), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Sandy Springs, GA and St. Louis, MO are about 461 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.