Head-to-Head · City Comparison
St. Louis, MO
VS
Yakima, WA
🏆 St. Louis leads 14 of 23 categories
St. Louis
Missouri
14
wins
Cost of Living Index
96.3 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$52,941
Violent Crime Index
360⚠ High
Population
298,018 ✓ Larger
Yakima
Washington
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
101.6⚠ High
Median Household Income
$55,734 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
143⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
96,764
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
St. Louis, MO
Pros
Homes cost $69k less ($174,100 vs $243,300)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 2.7 pts lower (5.4%)
More college-educated — 38.6% hold a bachelor's or higher
Rent averages $76/mo less ($938 vs $1,014)
5% cheaper overall cost of living than Yakima
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
Median income trails Yakima by $2,793/yr
Yakima, WA
Pros
60% less violent crime than St. Louis
Commutes run 5 min shorter each way
Households earn $2,793 more per year on average
Cons
Violent crime (544.3/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Higher unemployment (8.1% vs 5.4%)
Cost of living runs 5% higher than St. Louis
Key Differences at a Glance
St. Louis
Cost of Living
5% cheaper
COL index 96.3 vs 101.6 (100 = US avg)
St. Louis
Median Home Value
$69k less
$174,100 vs $243,300
St. Louis
Unemployment
2.7 pp lower
5.4% vs 8.1% unemployment
Yakima
Median Income
$2,793
$55,734 vs $52,941/yr
Yakima
Violent Crime
60% lower
544.3 vs 1367.1 per 100k
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | St. Louis, MO | Yakima, WA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 96.3 ✓ Cheaper | 101.6⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $174,100 ✓ Lower | $243,300 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $938 ✓ Lower | $1,014 |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $52,941 | $55,734 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.4%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 8.1%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 23.0 min | 17.9 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 12.5% ✓ Higher | 5.3% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 325⚠ High | 125⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 360⚠ High | 143⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 272⚠ High | 97 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (107) ✓ Better | C (79) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 11.4:1 ✓ Smaller | 17.7:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 38.6% ✓ Higher | 19.3% |
| High School or Higher | 90.0% ✓ Higher | 77.2% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | ST. LOUIS CITY | Yakima School District |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 40.6°F ✓ Warmer | 39.6°F |
| Avg High — July | 89.6°F ✓ Warmer | 88.3°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 43.9" | 8.6" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 13.8" ✓ Less | 20.3" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 298,018 ✓ Larger | 96,764 |
| Median Age | 36.5 ✓ Older | 33.9 |
| Homeownership Rate | 44.9% | 53.1% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 18.5% | 27.8% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 14.5% | 15.8% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
St. Louis's cost of living index is 96.3 vs Yakima's 101.6 (US average = 100).
St. Louis is 5% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, St. Louis leads 14 of 23 categories. St. Louis wins 14 and Yakima wins 9. 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 Yakima or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($174,100 vs $243,300 median home), income ($52,941 vs $55,734), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
St. Louis, MO and Yakima, WA are about 1,624 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.