Residential comparison · 13 facts
Columbia, MO vs St. Louis, MO
Compare the housing, tax, cost, income, safety, school, and climate facts that are available for both places. The table shows the numbers without declaring one city universally better.
A household earning $85,000 in Columbia needs about $89,000 in St. Louis to keep the same lifestyle.
Coming from St. Louis, $85,000 of lifestyle costs about $81,000 in Columbia.
A few differences
- Columbia is lower on property tax rate (0.88% vs 1.2%).
- Columbia is lower on sales tax (8.4% vs 9.7%).
- Columbia is higher on median household income ($66,498 vs $55,000).
Columbia vs St. Louis · facet by facet
| Facet | Columbia, MO | St. Louis, MO |
|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $284,600 | $190,000 |
| 2-bedroom rent | $1,032/mo | $1,350/mo |
| Property tax rate | 0.88% | 1.2% |
| State & local income tax | 2.95% | 3.95% |
| Sales tax | 8.4% | 9.7% |
| Cost of living index | 85 | 88 |
| Groceries index | 95 | 95 |
| Utilities | $165/mo | $170/mo |
| Median household income | $66,498 | $55,000 |
| Unemployment rate | 3.5% | 3.9% |
| Crime index | 55/100 | 66/100 |
| School rating | 5.5/10 | 5.0/10 |
| Sunny days / year | 205 days | 202 days |
Data: Census ACS 2024 · BLS · Tax Foundation 2024 brackets · HUD/Zillow · NOAA 1991–2020 · FEMA NRI · Values are shown as reported; no universal winner is implied.
Full profiles: Columbia, MO · St. Louis, MO
Questions & answers
- Is Columbia cheaper than St. Louis?
- Columbia has the lower day-to-day cost index (85 vs 88 against a national 100). The other differences are shown facet by facet in the table.
- What household income in St. Louis equals $85,000 in Columbia?
- A household earning $85,000 in Columbia needs about $89,000 in St. Louis to keep the same lifestyle; coming the other way, $85,000 of St. Louis lifestyle costs about $81,000 in Columbia.