Head-to-Head · City Comparison
St. Louis, MO
VS
Thousand Oaks, CA
🏆 Thousand Oaks leads 16 of 23 categories
St. Louis
Missouri
7
wins
Cost of Living Index
96.3 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$52,941
Violent Crime Index
360⚠ High
Population
298,018 ✓ Larger
Thousand Oaks
California
16
wins
Cost of Living Index
113.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$125,399 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
27 ✓ Safer
Population
126,532
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
St. Louis, MO
Pros
Homes cost $727k less ($174,100 vs $900,600)
Rent averages $1545/mo less ($938 vs $2,483)
17% cheaper overall cost of living than Thousand Oaks
Smaller class sizes — 11.4:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Thousand Oaks by $72,458/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
Thousand Oaks, CA
Pros
Households earn $72,458 more per year on average
93% less violent crime than St. Louis
Violent crime is well below the national average (102.2 vs 380/100k)
Milder winters — January highs near 68°F vs 41°F
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.6 pts lower (4.8%)
More college-educated — 49.6% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $900,600
Higher rents — median is $2,483/mo
Cost of living runs 17% higher than St. Louis
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 113.5)
Key Differences at a Glance
St. Louis
Cost of Living
17% cheaper
COL index 96.3 vs 113.5 (100 = US avg)
St. Louis
Median Home Value
$727k less
$174,100 vs $900,600
St. Louis
Summer Heat
11.6°F warmer
July avg high 89.6°F vs 78.0°F
Thousand Oaks
Median Income
$72,458
$125,399 vs $52,941/yr
Thousand Oaks
Violent Crime
93% lower
102.2 vs 1367.1 per 100k
Thousand Oaks
Unemployment
0.6 pp lower
4.8% vs 5.4% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | St. Louis, MO | Thousand Oaks, CA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 96.3 ✓ Cheaper | 113.5⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $174,100 ✓ Lower | $900,600⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $938 ✓ Lower | $2,483⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $52,941 | $125,399 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.4%⚠ High | 4.8%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 23.0 min ✓ Shorter | 25.1 min |
| Work From Home % | 12.5% | 18.4% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 325⚠ High | 36 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 360⚠ High | 27 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 272⚠ High | 49 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (107) | B+ (109) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 11.4:1 ✓ Smaller | 20.9:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 38.6% | 49.6% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 90.0% | 94.0% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | ST. LOUIS CITY | Conejo Valley Unified |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 40.6°F | 68.0°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 89.6°F ✓ Warmer | 78.0°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 43.9" | 16.1" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 13.8" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 298,018 ✓ Larger | 126,532 |
| Median Age | 36.5 | 44.4 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 44.9% | 69.2% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 18.5% | 20.3% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 14.5% | 19.9% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
St. Louis's cost of living index is 96.3 vs Thousand Oaks's 113.5 (US average = 100).
St. Louis is 17% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Thousand Oaks leads 16 of 23 categories. St. Louis wins 7 and Thousand Oaks wins 16. 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 St. Louis to Thousand Oaks or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($174,100 vs $900,600 median home), income ($52,941 vs $125,399), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
St. Louis, MO and Thousand Oaks, CA are about 1,614 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.