Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Santa Rosa, CA
VS
St. Louis, MO
🏆 Santa Rosa leads 12 of 23 categories
Santa Rosa
California
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
110.1⚠ High
Median Household Income
$92,604 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
90 ✓ Safer
Population
178,221
St. Louis
Missouri
11
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.
Santa Rosa, CA
Pros
Households earn $39,663 more per year on average
75% less violent crime than St. Louis
Milder winters — January highs near 60°F vs 41°F
Cooler summers — July highs near 82°F vs 90°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $661,700
Higher rents — median is $2,024/mo
Cost of living runs 14% higher than St. Louis
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 110.1)
St. Louis, MO
Pros
Homes cost $488k less ($174,100 vs $661,700)
Rent averages $1086/mo less ($938 vs $2,024)
14% cheaper overall cost of living than Santa Rosa
More college-educated — 38.6% hold a bachelor's or higher
Smaller class sizes — 11.4:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Santa Rosa by $39,663/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
Santa Rosa
Median Income
$39,663
$92,604 vs $52,941/yr
Santa Rosa
Violent Crime
75% lower
342.6 vs 1367.1 per 100k
St. Louis
Cost of Living
14% cheaper
COL index 96.3 vs 110.1 (100 = US avg)
St. Louis
Median Home Value
$488k less
$174,100 vs $661,700
St. Louis
Summer Heat
8.0°F warmer
July avg high 89.6°F vs 81.6°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Santa Rosa, CA | St. Louis, MO |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 110.1⚠ High | 96.3 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $661,700⚠ High | $174,100 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,024⚠ High | $938 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $92,604 ✓ Higher | $52,941 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.6%⚠ High | 5.4%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 22.7 min ✓ Shorter | 23.0 min |
| Work From Home % | 8.9% | 12.5% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 79 ✓ Safer | 325⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 90 ✓ Safer | 360⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 63 ✓ Safer | 272⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B- (90) | B+ (107) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 19.5:1 | 11.4:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 34.7% | 38.6% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 85.4% | 90.0% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Rincon Valley Union Elementary | ST. LOUIS CITY |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 59.7°F ✓ Warmer | 40.6°F |
| Avg High — July | 81.6°F | 89.6°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 31.5" ✓ Drier | 43.9" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 13.8" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 178,221 | 298,018 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 40.4 ✓ Older | 36.5 |
| Homeownership Rate | 55.7% ✓ Higher | 44.9% |
| Under 18 | 20.5% ✓ More | 18.5% |
| Over 65 | 18.3% ✓ More | 14.5% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Santa Rosa's cost of living index is 110.1 vs St. Louis's 96.3 (US average = 100).
St. Louis is 14% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Santa Rosa leads 12 of 23 categories. Santa Rosa wins 12 and St. Louis wins 11. 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 Santa Rosa to St. Louis or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($661,700 vs $174,100 median home), income ($92,604 vs $52,941), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Santa Rosa, CA and St. Louis, MO are about 1,745 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.