Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Simi Valley, CA
VS
St. Louis, MO
🏆 Simi Valley leads 15 of 23 categories
Simi Valley
California
15
wins
Cost of Living Index
113.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$112,144 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
34 ✓ Safer
Population
126,153
St. Louis
Missouri
8
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.
Simi Valley, CA
Pros
Households earn $59,203 more per year on average
91% less violent crime than St. Louis
Violent crime is well below the national average (129.1 vs 380/100k)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.0 pts lower (4.4%)
Milder winters — January highs near 70°F vs 41°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $704,200
Higher rents — median is $2,402/mo
Cost of living runs 17% higher than St. Louis
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 113.5)
St. Louis, MO
Pros
Homes cost $530k less ($174,100 vs $704,200)
Rent averages $1464/mo less ($938 vs $2,402)
17% cheaper overall cost of living than Simi Valley
Commutes run 5 min shorter each way
Cooler summers — July highs near 90°F vs 95°F
Smaller class sizes — 11.4:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Simi Valley by $59,203/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 4.4%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Simi Valley
Median Income
$59,203
$112,144 vs $52,941/yr
Simi Valley
Violent Crime
91% lower
129.1 vs 1367.1 per 100k
Simi Valley
Unemployment
1.0 pp lower
4.4% vs 5.4% unemployment
Simi Valley
Summer Heat
5.5°F warmer
July avg high 95.1°F vs 89.6°F
St. Louis
Cost of Living
17% cheaper
COL index 96.3 vs 113.5 (100 = US avg)
St. Louis
Median Home Value
$530k less
$174,100 vs $704,200
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Simi Valley, CA | St. Louis, MO |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 113.5⚠ High | 96.3 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $704,200⚠ High | $174,100 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,402⚠ High | $938 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $112,144 ✓ Higher | $52,941 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.4%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 5.4%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 28.4 min⚠ High | 23.0 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 14.2% ✓ Higher | 12.5% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 38 ✓ Safer | 325⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 34 ✓ Safer | 360⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 44 ✓ Safer | 272⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B- (94) | B+ (107) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 21.9:1 | 11.4:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 36.0% | 38.6% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 91.3% ✓ Higher | 90.0% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Simi Valley Unified | ST. LOUIS CITY |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 69.8°F ✓ Warmer | 40.6°F |
| Avg High — July | 95.1°F ✓ Warmer | 89.6°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 17.4" ✓ Drier | 43.9" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 13.8" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 126,153 | 298,018 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 41.2 ✓ Older | 36.5 |
| Homeownership Rate | 72.8% ✓ Higher | 44.9% |
| Under 18 | 20.2% ✓ More | 18.5% |
| Over 65 | 16.5% ✓ More | 14.5% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Simi Valley's cost of living index is 113.5 vs St. Louis's 96.3 (US average = 100).
St. Louis is 17% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Simi Valley leads 15 of 23 categories. Simi Valley wins 15 and St. Louis wins 8. 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 Simi Valley to St. Louis or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($704,200 vs $174,100 median home), income ($112,144 vs $52,941), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Simi Valley, CA and St. Louis, MO are about 1,606 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.