Which city is safer, Colorado Springs or St Louis?

St Louis is safer on this comparison. Its crime index is 116 versus 137 in Colorado Springs — 15% lower (100 is the national average). Citywide indexes still hide neighborhood variation, so walk the block you would actually rent.

Which city has better schools, Colorado Springs or St Louis?

School composites are close: A- in Colorado Springs and A- in St Louis. Tour specific campuses rather than picking a city on the letter grade alone.

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City comparison

Colorado Springs, CO vs St Louis, MO

Colorado Springs, CO versus St Louis, MO is a real move, not a trivia matchup. This comparison uses the same 2026 neighborhood report data we publish on each city page — typical rent, median household income, crime indexes, school composites, and typical weather — so you can see which city actually fits how you live, work, and spend. Typical rents sit near $1,735 a month in Colorado Springs and $1,218 in St Louis, and median household income lands at $79,026 versus $52,941. Open either city's full report when you want the block-level detail behind these headlines.

Colorado Springs takes job market and weather, while St Louis takes affordability and safety. The widest gap is median income, where Colorado Springs leads by 49% — the kind of spread you feel in a monthly budget or a nightly walk, not just on a chart. Read the category rows as a filter: if cheaper housing would change your life more than a stronger job market, weight rent first. If you are moving with kids, weight schools and crime. If you picked a city after one good weekend, use the weather and income rows to test whether that weekend survives a full year.

Numbers below are citywide, not a guarantee about the street you will actually live on. Two ZIP codes in Colorado Springs can feel further apart than Colorado Springs and St Louis do on paper. Use this page to pick a city, then use the Colorado Springs and St Louis reports to pick a neighborhood — and visit in the season you like least before you sign anything.

Full Colorado Springs report Full St Louis report

Colorado Springs, CO

Rent: $1,735/mo
Median income: $79,026
Crime index: 137
Schools: A-
Weather: 77°F

St Louis, MO

Rent: $1,218/mo
Median income: $52,941
Crime index: 116
Schools: A-
Weather: 78°F

Rent

30% cheaper

St Louis rent is 30% cheaper than Colorado Springs

Colorado Springs

$1,735/mo

St Louis

Winner

$1,218/mo

What this means for your life

Typical rent runs $1,218 a month in St Louis versus $1,735 in Colorado Springs, so St Louis is 30% cheaper. That's roughly $517/month back in your pocket — $6,204/year. Over five years that's $31,020 you could redirect toward a down payment, travel, or investments. Housing is the bill you pay before groceries, childcare, or a social life, so that gap shows up in how often you eat out and how panicked a rent hike feels. If you already have a high-paying offer in Colorado Springs, the extra rent can be rational. If you do not, St Louis is the easier city to land in without blowing up your budget.

Median income

49% higher

Colorado Springs's median income is 49% higher than St Louis

Colorado Springs

Winner

$79,026

St Louis

$52,941

What this means for your life

Median household income is $79,026 in Colorado Springs versus $52,941 in St Louis, so typical pay runs 49% higher in Colorado Springs — about $26,085 more household income a year. Higher median income usually signals a stronger local job market and better negotiating leverage on salary. Remote workers should weigh this against cost of living rather than treating it as a direct personal benefit. For people who will actually work in town, Colorado Springs is the stronger labor market on paper. St Louis can still win if housing is cheap enough to offset the weaker median or if your specific role already pays well there.

Crime index

15% lower crime

St Louis's crime index is 15% lower than Colorado Springs

Colorado Springs

137 (100 = avg)

St Louis

Winner

116 (100 = avg)

What this means for your life

St Louis's crime index is 116 versus 137 in Colorado Springs (100 = national average), so citywide crime runs 15% lower in St Louis. The difference is noticeable without being night-and-day. You will still want to pick the neighborhood carefully in St Louis, but you will usually spend less energy on constant vigilance than you would in Colorado Springs. Tour both cities after dark before you let a modest index gap close the decision.

School scores

Neck and neck

Colorado Springs and St Louis are about even on school scores.

Colorado Springs

A- · 84/100

St Louis

A- · 84/100

What this means for your life

School composites are effectively even (A- in Colorado Springs, A- in St Louis). For families with kids this is a warning if you assumed one city was obviously better — at this range the campus, not the city name, decides it. Tour the zoned elementary you would actually use.

Typical weather

4% more comfortable

Colorado Springs weather is 4% more comfortable than St Louis

Colorado Springs

Winner

77°F typical

St Louis

78°F typical

What this means for your life

Colorado Springs scores 4% more comfortable on this page's weather index, which rewards temperatures closer to a livable outdoor day. Typical temperatures sit around 77°F in Colorado Springs and 78°F in St Louis. Colorado Springs reads as warm weather most of the year; St Louis reads as warm weather most of the year. The comfort edge is real but not a personality transplant. If you already know you want St Louis's season, a modest index lead should not talk you out of it. If you are undecided, Colorado Springs is the city where the forecast fights you less.

Fit check

Who should choose Colorado Springs

Career-focused movers who want salary upside plus year-round outdoor access

It is also a match for career-focused movers who want salary upside and year-round outdoor access. Median household income runs 49% higher ($79,026), and typical weather is the more comfortable of the two — around 77°F. That pairing is for people who will work hard and then actually use the evenings.

Open the Colorado Springs report →

Fit check

Who should choose St Louis

Families with young children and retirees who prioritize peace of mind over urban energy

St Louis is the clearer landing pad if housing cost is what keeps you up at night. Typical rent is 30% cheaper here at about $1,218 a month. Choose St Louis if you are stretching a salary, starting over, or want slack for travel and debt instead of a flashier skyline.

St Louis is the better fit for families with young children and retirees who prioritize peace of mind over urban energy. The crime index is 15% lower than Colorado Springs (116 vs a 100 national average). That gap shows up in how freely you walk at night and how much attention you spend on the car and the deadbolt.

Open the St Louis report →

Bottom line

Colorado Springs vs St Louis, called

If the job market is your priority, Colorado Springs is the clear choice.

If cost of living matters more to you, St Louis pulls ahead.

For most movers comparing these two cities, St Louis offers the better overall package.

Common questions

Colorado Springs vs St Louis FAQ

Is Colorado Springs cheaper than St Louis?: No. St Louis is cheaper: typical rent is $1,218 a month versus $1,735 in Colorado Springs — 30% lower. Median household income is $79,026 in Colorado Springs compared with $52,941 in St Louis, so Colorado Springs has the stronger local pay picture.
Which city is safer, Colorado Springs or St Louis?: St Louis is safer on this comparison. Its crime index is 116 versus 137 in Colorado Springs — 15% lower (100 is the national average). Citywide indexes still hide neighborhood variation, so walk the block you would actually rent.
Which city has better schools, Colorado Springs or St Louis?: School composites are close: A- in Colorado Springs and A- in St Louis. Tour specific campuses rather than picking a city on the letter grade alone.

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