Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Scottsdale, AZ
VS
St. Louis, MO
🏆 Scottsdale leads 17 of 23 categories
Scottsdale
Arizona
17
wins
Cost of Living Index
104.0⚠ High
Median Household Income
$104,197 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
40 ✓ Safer
Population
240,537
St. Louis
Missouri
6
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.
Scottsdale, AZ
Pros
Households earn $51,256 more per year on average
89% less violent crime than St. Louis
Violent crime is well below the national average (152.5 vs 380/100k)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.9 pts lower (3.5%)
More college-educated — 61.3% hold a bachelor's or higher
Milder winters — January highs near 64°F vs 41°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $651,800
Higher rents — median is $1,768/mo
Hot summers — July highs average 99°F
Cost of living runs 8% higher than St. Louis
St. Louis, MO
Pros
Homes cost $478k less ($174,100 vs $651,800)
Rent averages $830/mo less ($938 vs $1,768)
8% cheaper overall cost of living than Scottsdale
Cooler summers — July highs near 90°F vs 99°F
Smaller class sizes — 11.4:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Scottsdale by $51,256/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 3.5%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Scottsdale
Median Income
$51,256
$104,197 vs $52,941/yr
Scottsdale
Violent Crime
89% lower
152.5 vs 1367.1 per 100k
Scottsdale
Unemployment
1.9 pp lower
3.5% vs 5.4% unemployment
Scottsdale
Summer Heat
9.8°F warmer
July avg high 99.4°F vs 89.6°F
St. Louis
Cost of Living
8% cheaper
COL index 96.3 vs 104.0 (100 = US avg)
St. Louis
Median Home Value
$478k less
$174,100 vs $651,800
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Scottsdale, AZ | St. Louis, MO |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 104.0⚠ High | 96.3 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $651,800⚠ High | $174,100 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,768⚠ High | $938 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $104,197 ✓ Higher | $52,941 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.5% ✓ Lower | 5.4%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 21.4 min ✓ Shorter | 23.0 min |
| Work From Home % | 26.5% ✓ Higher | 12.5% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 60 ✓ Safer | 325⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 40 ✓ Safer | 360⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 89 ✓ Safer | 272⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (116) ✓ Better | B+ (107) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 16.3:1 | 11.4:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 61.3% ✓ Higher | 38.6% |
| High School or Higher | 97.3% ✓ Higher | 90.0% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Scottsdale Unified District (4240) | ST. LOUIS CITY |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 63.5°F ✓ Warmer | 40.6°F |
| Avg High — July | 99.4°F ✓ Warmer | 89.6°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 11.2" ✓ Drier | 43.9" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 13.8" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 240,537 | 298,018 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 48.4 ✓ Older | 36.5 |
| Homeownership Rate | 67.0% ✓ Higher | 44.9% |
| Under 18 | 14.3% | 18.5% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 25.1% ✓ More | 14.5% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Scottsdale's cost of living index is 104.0 vs St. Louis's 96.3 (US average = 100).
St. Louis is 8% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Scottsdale leads 17 of 23 categories. Scottsdale wins 17 and St. Louis wins 6. 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 Scottsdale to St. Louis or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($651,800 vs $174,100 median home), income ($104,197 vs $52,941), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Scottsdale, AZ and St. Louis, MO are about 1,250 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.