Is Nashville cheaper than St Louis?

No. St Louis is cheaper: typical rent is $1,218 a month versus $1,730 in Nashville — 30% lower. Median household income is $71,328 in Nashville compared with $52,941 in St Louis, so Nashville has the stronger local pay picture.

Which city is safer, Nashville or St Louis?

St Louis is safer on this comparison. Its crime index is 116 versus 140 in Nashville — 17% 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, Nashville or St Louis?

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

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City comparison

Nashville, TN vs St Louis, MO

Nashville, TN 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 $1,730 a month in Nashville and $1,218 in St Louis, and median household income lands at $71,328 versus $52,941. Open either city's full report when you want the block-level detail behind these headlines.

Nashville takes job market, while St Louis takes affordability, safety, and weather. The widest gap is median income, where Nashville leads by 35% — 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 Nashville can feel further apart than Nashville and St Louis do on paper. Use this page to pick a city, then use the Nashville and St Louis reports to pick a neighborhood — and visit in the season you like least before you sign anything.

Full Nashville report Full St Louis report

Nashville, TN

Rent: $1,730/mo
Median income: $71,328
Crime index: 140
Schools: A-
Weather: 79°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 Nashville

Nashville

$1,730/mo

St Louis

Winner

$1,218/mo

What this means for your life

Typical rent runs $1,218 a month in St Louis versus $1,730 in Nashville, so St Louis is 30% cheaper. That's roughly $512/month back in your pocket — $6,144/year. Over five years that's $30,720 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 Nashville, 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

35% higher

Nashville's median income is 35% higher than St Louis

Nashville

Winner

$71,328

St Louis

$52,941

What this means for your life

Median household income is $71,328 in Nashville versus $52,941 in St Louis, so typical pay runs 35% higher in Nashville — about $18,387 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, Nashville 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

17% lower crime

St Louis's crime index is 17% lower than Nashville

Nashville

140 (100 = avg)

St Louis

Winner

116 (100 = avg)

What this means for your life

St Louis's crime index is 116 versus 140 in Nashville (100 = national average), so citywide crime runs 17% lower in St Louis. That gap is meaningful day-to-day — it affects whether you feel comfortable walking at night, leaving your car on the street, or letting kids play outside unsupervised. Indexes still compress a lot of reality: a calmer city has blocks you would skip, and a higher-crime city has streets that feel neighborly at 10 p.m. On the everyday test of walking from the car to the door, St Louis is the easier city. Nashville can still work if you pick the right pocket — just budget more diligence before you sign a lease.

School scores

Neck and neck

Nashville and St Louis are about even on school scores.

Nashville

A- · 84/100

St Louis

A- · 84/100

What this means for your life

School composites are effectively even (A- in Nashville, 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

3% more comfortable

St Louis weather is 3% more comfortable than Nashville

Nashville

79°F typical

St Louis

Winner

78°F typical

What this means for your life

St Louis scores 3% more comfortable on this page's weather index, which rewards temperatures closer to a livable outdoor day. Typical temperatures sit around 79°F in Nashville and 78°F in St Louis. Nashville 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 Nashville's season, a modest index lead should not talk you out of it. If you are undecided, St Louis is the city where the forecast fights you less.

Fit check

Who should choose Nashville

Career-focused movers who want salary upside and professional growth

Nashville is the better city for career-focused movers who want salary upside and professional growth. Median household income is 35% higher here ($71,328). Start with Nashville if your next chapter is about building earnings, and make weather or nightlife a secondary screen.

Open the Nashville report →

Fit check

Who should choose St Louis

Outdoor enthusiasts and people who need year-round access to nature for their wellbeing

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.

Pick St Louis if you are an outdoor enthusiast or you need year-round access to nature for your wellbeing. Typical conditions (78°F) beat Nashville on this page's weather index by 3%. Nashville may pay more or cost less, but St Louis is the city where the forecast fights you less.

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 17% lower than Nashville (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

Nashville vs St Louis, called

If the job market is your priority, Nashville 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

Nashville vs St Louis FAQ

Is Nashville cheaper than St Louis?: No. St Louis is cheaper: typical rent is $1,218 a month versus $1,730 in Nashville — 30% lower. Median household income is $71,328 in Nashville compared with $52,941 in St Louis, so Nashville has the stronger local pay picture.
Which city is safer, Nashville or St Louis?: St Louis is safer on this comparison. Its crime index is 116 versus 140 in Nashville — 17% 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, Nashville or St Louis?: School composites are close: A- in Nashville and A- in St Louis. Tour specific campuses rather than picking a city on the letter grade alone.

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