Head-to-Head · City Comparison
St. Louis, MO
VS
Tucson, AZ
🏆 Tucson leads 13 of 23 categories
St. Louis
Missouri
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
96.3
Median Household Income
$52,941 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
360⚠ High
Population
298,018
Tucson
Arizona
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
94.3 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$52,049
Violent Crime Index
155⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
541,033 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
St. Louis, MO
Pros
Homes cost $44k less ($174,100 vs $218,200)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.1 pts lower (5.4%)
More college-educated — 38.6% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cooler summers — July highs near 90°F vs 100°F
Smaller class sizes — 11.4:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
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
Cost of living runs 2% higher than Tucson
Tucson, AZ
Pros
57% less violent crime than St. Louis
Milder winters — January highs near 67°F vs 41°F
Living costs sit below the national average (index 94.3)
2% cheaper overall cost of living than St. Louis
Cons
Violent crime (588.8/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (3313.1/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (6.5% vs 5.4%)
Hot summers — July highs average 100°F
Key Differences at a Glance
St. Louis
Median Income
$892
$52,941 vs $52,049/yr
St. Louis
Median Home Value
$44k less
$174,100 vs $218,200
St. Louis
Unemployment
1.1 pp lower
5.4% vs 6.5% unemployment
Tucson
Cost of Living
2% cheaper
COL index 94.3 vs 96.3 (100 = US avg)
Tucson
Violent Crime
57% lower
588.8 vs 1367.1 per 100k
Tucson
Summer Heat
10.6°F warmer
July avg high 100.2°F vs 89.6°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | St. Louis, MO | Tucson, AZ |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 96.3 | 94.3 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $174,100 ✓ Lower | $218,200 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $938 ✓ Lower | $991 |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $52,941 ✓ Higher | $52,049 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.4%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 6.5%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 23.0 min | 22.3 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 12.5% ✓ Higher | 10.7% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 325⚠ High | 156⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 360⚠ High | 155⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 272⚠ High | 158⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (107) ✓ Better | B- (95) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 11.4:1 ✓ Smaller | 14.8:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 38.6% ✓ Higher | 29.4% |
| High School or Higher | 90.0% ✓ Higher | 86.6% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | ST. LOUIS CITY | Tucson Unified District (4403) |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 40.6°F | 66.5°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 89.6°F | 100.2°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 43.9" | 12.1" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 13.8" | 0.1" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 298,018 | 541,033 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 36.5 ✓ Older | 33.9 |
| Homeownership Rate | 44.9% | 50.9% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 18.5% | 20.2% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 14.5% | 15.2% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
St. Louis's cost of living index is 96.3 vs Tucson's 94.3 (US average = 100).
Tucson is 2% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Tucson leads 13 of 23 categories. St. Louis wins 10 and Tucson wins 13. 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 Tucson or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($174,100 vs $218,200 median home), income ($52,941 vs $52,049), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
St. Louis, MO and Tucson, AZ are about 1,242 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.