Springfield vs St. Louis
Compare Springfield, IL and St. Louis, MO on cost, HUD rent, safety, climate, commute, schools, outdoor access, food, and source-labeled relocation data.
The verdict
Housing costs are close: ACS median rent is $921/mo in Springfield and $1,033/mo in St. Louis, with HUD 2-bedroom benchmarks of $1,070/mo and $1,209/mo. Across the four public-data screens (cost/climate, work, daily life, community) the metros land close together (245 vs 256 summed points), so the right pick depends on which tradeoffs you can live with.
Their climates screen similarly — summer highs near 90°F and 90°F respectively. If lower housing cost leads your list, start with Springfield; if walkable daily life matters more, St. Louis screens stronger on the walkability proxy (16 vs 9). These are metro-level public-data screens — verify neighborhoods, school districts, commutes, and actual listings before deciding.
Category summary
Springfield leads 70 to 64 on the cost and climate screen.
St. Louis leads 83 to 78 on the work screen.
St. Louis leads 50 to 45 on the daily life screen.
St. Louis leads 59 to 52 on the community screen.
$85,000 in Springfield is roughly $42,712 in St. Louis using WhereToThrive's cost index and state-tax adjustment.
Category comparison
| Metric | Springfield | St. Louis | Edge |
|---|---|---|---|
| ACS median gross rent | $921/mo | $1,033/mo | Springfield |
| HUD 2BR FMR | $1,070/mo | $1,209/mo | Springfield |
| Median home value | $163,000 | $219,000 | Springfield |
| State income tax | 5.0% | 4.7% | St. Louis |
| Average commute | 21.4 min | 27.3 min | Springfield |
| Safety score | 56/100 | 61/100 | St. Louis |
| School score | 7/10 | 7/10 | Tie |
| Walkability estimate | 9/100 | 16/100 | St. Louis |
| Outdoor score | 6/10 | 6/10 | Tie |
| Restaurants per 100k | 202.0 | 173.9 | Springfield |
| Mountain distance | 73 mi | 14 mi | St. Louis |
| Coast distance | 634 mi | 560 mi | St. Louis |
What stands out
Springfield stronger signals
- Strong food and nightlife amenities score
- Public park/protected-area signal within 0 miles
- Ski location within 104 miles
- Mountain access within 73 miles
Springfield tradeoffs
- Higher natural disaster risk
St. Louis stronger signals
- Major airport access
- Public park/protected-area signal within 1 miles
- Ski location within 25 miles
- Mountain access within 14 miles
St. Louis tradeoffs
- Higher natural disaster risk
Common questions
Is Springfield cheaper than St. Louis?
On public benchmarks Springfield is the cheaper metro: ACS median rent is $921/mo in Springfield vs $1,033/mo in St. Louis; HUD 2-bedroom Fair Market Rents are $1,070/mo vs $1,209/mo; state income tax is 5.0% vs 4.7%.
Is Springfield or St. Louis safer?
St. Louis screens safer at the metro level: safety scores are 56/100 for Springfield and 61/100 for St. Louis (FBI-reported metro rates; neighborhood variation is larger than metro averages).
Which is better for families, Springfield or St. Louis?
School screens show 7/10 for Springfield vs 7/10 for St. Louis, alongside the safety scores above. Both screen similarly — district-level research will matter more than the metro gap.
How different is the climate between Springfield and St. Louis?
Springfield: summer highs near 90°F, winter lows near 21°F, disaster-risk band 3/3. St. Louis: 90°F / 21°F, disaster-risk band 3/3 (NOAA climate normals).
Keep researching
Score this comparison with your own constraints
Public comparison pages use equal-weighted signals. The questionnaire reweights cities around your housing budget, climate preferences, work needs, family needs, and daily-life priorities.
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