Head-to-Head · City Comparison
St. Louis, MO
VS
West Valley City, UT
🏆 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 Valley City
Utah
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
96.7
Median Household Income
$81,719 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
124⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
138,868
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
St. Louis, MO
Pros
Homes cost $160k less ($174,100 vs $333,600)
Rent averages $422/mo less ($938 vs $1,360)
More college-educated — 38.6% hold a bachelor's or higher
Smaller class sizes — 11.4:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails West Valley City by $28,778/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
Higher unemployment (5.4% vs 4.0%)
West Valley City, UT
Pros
66% less violent crime than St. Louis
Households earn $28,778 more per year on average
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.4 pts lower (4.0%)
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $333,600
Higher rents — median is $1,360/mo
Violent crime (469.5/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Snowy winters — about 52" of snow per year
Key Differences at a Glance
St. Louis
Median Home Value
$160k less
$174,100 vs $333,600
Both cities
Cost of Living
≈ Equal
Both near 96.3 on the COL index
West Valley City
Median Income
$28,778
$81,719 vs $52,941/yr
West Valley City
Violent Crime
66% lower
469.5 vs 1367.1 per 100k
West Valley City
Unemployment
1.4 pp lower
4.0% vs 5.4% unemployment
West Valley City
Summer Heat
4.4°F warmer
July avg high 94.0°F vs 89.6°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | St. Louis, MO | West Valley City, UT |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 96.3 ✓ Cheaper | 96.7 |
| Median Home Value | $174,100 ✓ Lower | $333,600⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $938 ✓ Lower | $1,360⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $52,941 | $81,719 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.4%⚠ High | 4.0%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 23.0 min | 21.9 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 12.5% ✓ Higher | 8.3% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 325⚠ High | 109⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 360⚠ High | 124⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 272⚠ High | 88 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (107) ✓ Better | C- (73) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 11.4:1 ✓ Smaller | 22.5:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 38.6% ✓ Higher | 15.8% |
| High School or Higher | 90.0% ✓ Higher | 83.2% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | ST. LOUIS CITY | Granite District |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 40.6°F ✓ Warmer | 38.6°F |
| Avg High — July | 89.6°F | 94.0°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 43.9" | 17.7" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 13.8" ✓ Less | 51.9" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 298,018 ✓ Larger | 138,868 |
| Median Age | 36.5 ✓ Older | 30.2 |
| Homeownership Rate | 44.9% | 71.1% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 18.5% | 31.2% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 14.5% ✓ More | 9.0% |
Frequently Asked Questions
St. Louis's cost of living index is 96.3 vs West Valley City's 96.7 (US average = 100).
St. Louis is 0% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, St. Louis leads 13 of 23 categories. St. Louis wins 13 and West Valley City 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 Valley City or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($174,100 vs $333,600 median home), income ($52,941 vs $81,719), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
St. Louis, MO and West Valley City, UT are about 1,163 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.