Head-to-Head · City Comparison
St. Louis, MO
VS
West Palm Beach, FL
🏆 St. Louis leads 13 of 23 categories
St. Louis
Missouri
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
96.3 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$52,941
Violent Crime Index
360⚠ High
Population
298,018 ✓ Larger
West Palm Beach
Florida
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
111.8⚠ High
Median Household Income
$64,044 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
152⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
117,588
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
St. Louis, MO
Pros
Homes cost $151k less ($174,100 vs $324,800)
Rent averages $676/mo less ($938 vs $1,614)
16% cheaper overall cost of living than West Palm Beach
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.8 pts lower (5.4%)
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 West Palm Beach by $11,103/yr
Property crime (5706.9/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
West Palm Beach, FL
Pros
58% less violent crime than St. Louis
Households earn $11,103 more per year on average
Milder winters — January highs near 75°F vs 41°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $324,800
Higher rents — median is $1,614/mo
Violent crime (575.8/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Cost of living runs 16% higher than St. Louis
Key Differences at a Glance
St. Louis
Cost of Living
16% cheaper
COL index 96.3 vs 111.8 (100 = US avg)
St. Louis
Median Home Value
$151k less
$174,100 vs $324,800
St. Louis
Unemployment
0.8 pp lower
5.4% vs 6.2% unemployment
West Palm Beach
Median Income
$11,103
$64,044 vs $52,941/yr
West Palm Beach
Violent Crime
58% lower
575.8 vs 1367.1 per 100k
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | St. Louis, MO | West Palm Beach, FL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 96.3 ✓ Cheaper | 111.8⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $174,100 ✓ Lower | $324,800⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $938 ✓ Lower | $1,614⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $52,941 | $64,044 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.4%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 6.2%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 23.0 min ✓ Shorter | 23.8 min |
| Work From Home % | 12.5% ✓ Higher | 11.6% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 325⚠ High | 132⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 360⚠ High | 152⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 272⚠ High | 102⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (107) ✓ Better | B (103) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 11.4:1 ✓ Smaller | 16.4:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 38.6% ✓ Higher | 37.5% |
| High School or Higher | 90.0% ✓ Higher | 86.7% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | ST. LOUIS CITY | PALM BEACH |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 40.6°F | 74.7°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 89.6°F | 90.0°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 43.9" ✓ Drier | 61.7" |
| Annual Snowfall | 13.8" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 298,018 ✓ Larger | 117,588 |
| Median Age | 36.5 | 40.2 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 44.9% | 49.8% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 18.5% ✓ More | 17.6% |
| Over 65 | 14.5% | 19.9% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
St. Louis's cost of living index is 96.3 vs West Palm Beach's 111.8 (US average = 100).
St. Louis is 16% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, St. Louis leads 13 of 23 categories. St. Louis wins 13 and West Palm Beach wins 10. 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 West Palm Beach or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($174,100 vs $324,800 median home), income ($52,941 vs $64,044), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
St. Louis, MO and West Palm Beach, FL are about 1,009 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.