Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Springfield, IL
VS
St. Louis, MO
🏆 Springfield leads 15 of 23 categories
Springfield
Illinois
15
wins
Cost of Living Index
90.5 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$62,419 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
237⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
114,214
St. Louis
Missouri
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
96.3
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.
Springfield, IL
Pros
34% less violent crime than St. Louis
Households earn $9,478 more per year on average
Homes cost $26k less ($147,700 vs $174,100)
Commutes run 5 min shorter each way
Living costs sit below the national average (index 90.5)
6% cheaper overall cost of living than St. Louis
Cons
Violent crime (901.2/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (4911.4/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (6.6% vs 5.4%)
St. Louis, MO
Pros
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.2 pts lower (5.4%)
More college-educated — 38.6% hold a bachelor's or higher
Smaller class sizes — 11.4:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Violent crime (1367.1/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Median income trails Springfield by $9,478/yr
Property crime (5706.9/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Cost of living runs 6% higher than Springfield
Key Differences at a Glance
Springfield
Cost of Living
6% cheaper
COL index 90.5 vs 96.3 (100 = US avg)
Springfield
Median Income
$9,478
$62,419 vs $52,941/yr
Springfield
Violent Crime
34% lower
901.2 vs 1367.1 per 100k
Springfield
Median Home Value
$26k less
$147,700 vs $174,100
St. Louis
Unemployment
1.2 pp lower
5.4% vs 6.6% unemployment
St. Louis
Summer Heat
4.1°F warmer
July avg high 89.6°F vs 85.5°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Springfield, IL | St. Louis, MO |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 90.5 ✓ Cheaper | 96.3 |
| Median Home Value | $147,700 ✓ Lower | $174,100 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $913 ✓ Lower | $938 |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $62,419 ✓ Higher | $52,941 |
| Unemployment Rate | 6.6%⚠ High | 5.4%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 17.6 min ✓ Shorter | 23.0 min |
| Work From Home % | 10.2% | 12.5% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 236⚠ High ✓ Safer | 325⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 237⚠ High ✓ Safer | 360⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 234⚠ High ✓ Safer | 272⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (111) ✓ Better | B+ (107) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 13.0:1 | 11.4:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 34.7% | 38.6% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 92.0% ✓ Higher | 90.0% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Springfield SD 186 | ST. LOUIS CITY |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 35.8°F | 40.6°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 85.5°F | 89.6°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 40.4" ✓ Drier | 43.9" |
| Annual Snowfall | 21.8" | 13.8" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 114,214 | 298,018 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 40.1 ✓ Older | 36.5 |
| Homeownership Rate | 62.4% ✓ Higher | 44.9% |
| Under 18 | 21.6% ✓ More | 18.5% |
| Over 65 | 18.7% ✓ More | 14.5% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Springfield's cost of living index is 90.5 vs St. Louis's 96.3 (US average = 100).
Springfield is 6% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Springfield leads 15 of 23 categories. Springfield 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 Springfield to St. Louis or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($147,700 vs $174,100 median home), income ($62,419 vs $52,941), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Springfield, IL and St. Louis, MO are about 86 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.