Head-to-Head · City Comparison
St. Louis, MO
VS
Vacaville, CA
🏆 Vacaville leads 13 of 22 categories
St. Louis
Missouri
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
96.3 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$52,941
Violent Crime Index
360⚠ High
Population
298,018 ✓ Larger
Vacaville
California
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
109.2⚠ High
Median Household Income
$106,764 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
77 ✓ Safer
Population
101,631
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
St. Louis, MO
Pros
Homes cost $386k less ($174,100 vs $560,400)
Rent averages $1203/mo less ($938 vs $2,141)
13% cheaper overall cost of living than Vacaville
Commutes run 6 min shorter each way
More college-educated — 38.6% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cooler summers — July highs near 90°F vs 95°F
Cons
Median income trails Vacaville by $53,823/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
Vacaville, CA
Pros
Households earn $53,823 more per year on average
79% less violent crime than St. Louis
Milder winters — January highs near 58°F vs 41°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $560,400
Higher rents — median is $2,141/mo
Cost of living runs 13% higher than St. Louis
Longer commutes — 28.9 min average each way
Key Differences at a Glance
St. Louis
Cost of Living
13% cheaper
COL index 96.3 vs 109.2 (100 = US avg)
St. Louis
Median Home Value
$386k less
$174,100 vs $560,400
Vacaville
Median Income
$53,823
$106,764 vs $52,941/yr
Vacaville
Violent Crime
79% lower
293.2 vs 1367.1 per 100k
Vacaville
Summer Heat
5.4°F warmer
July avg high 95.0°F vs 89.6°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | St. Louis, MO | Vacaville, CA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 96.3 ✓ Cheaper | 109.2⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $174,100 ✓ Lower | $560,400⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $938 ✓ Lower | $2,141⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $52,941 | $106,764 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.4%⚠ High | 5.4%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 23.0 min ✓ Shorter | 28.9 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 12.5% ✓ Higher | 9.7% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 325⚠ High | 79 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 360⚠ High | 77 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 272⚠ High | 83 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (107) ✓ Better | C+ (89) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 11.4:1 ✓ Smaller | 21.9:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 38.6% ✓ Higher | 26.3% |
| High School or Higher | 90.0% | 91.4% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | ST. LOUIS CITY | Vacaville Unified |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 40.6°F | 57.6°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 89.6°F | 95.0°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 43.9" | 24.8" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 13.8" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 298,018 ✓ Larger | 101,631 |
| Median Age | 36.5 | 37.3 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 44.9% | 66.2% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 18.5% | 22.5% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 14.5% | 14.6% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
St. Louis's cost of living index is 96.3 vs Vacaville's 109.2 (US average = 100).
St. Louis is 13% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, Vacaville leads 13 of 22 categories. St. Louis wins 9 and Vacaville 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 Vacaville or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($174,100 vs $560,400 median home), income ($52,941 vs $106,764), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
St. Louis, MO and Vacaville, CA are about 1,707 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.