Is Wichita cheaper than St Louis?

Yes. Typical rent in Wichita is $1,099 a month versus $1,218 in St Louis — 10% cheaper. Median household income is $60,712 in Wichita compared with $52,941 in St Louis, so Wichita has the stronger local pay picture.

Which city is safer, Wichita or St Louis?

Wichita is safer on this comparison. Its crime index is 115 versus 116 in St Louis — 1% 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, Wichita or St Louis?

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

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City comparison

Wichita, KS vs St Louis, MO

Wichita, KS 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 $1,099 a month in Wichita and $1,218 in St Louis, and median household income lands at $60,712 versus $52,941. Open either city's full report when you want the block-level detail behind these headlines.

Wichita takes affordability, job market, and safety, while St Louis takes weather. The widest gap is typical weather, where St Louis leads by 27% — 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 Wichita can feel further apart than Wichita and St Louis do on paper. Use this page to pick a city, then use the Wichita and St Louis reports to pick a neighborhood — and visit in the season you like least before you sign anything.

Full Wichita report Full St Louis report

Wichita, KS

Rent: $1,099/mo
Median income: $60,712
Crime index: 115
Schools: A-
Weather: 85°F

St Louis, MO

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

Rent

10% cheaper

Wichita rent is 10% cheaper than St Louis

Wichita

Winner

$1,099/mo

St Louis

$1,218/mo

What this means for your life

Typical rent runs $1,099 a month in Wichita versus $1,218 in St Louis, so Wichita is 10% cheaper. A meaningful but not dramatic gap. Factor it into your budget alongside salary differences between the two markets. Over a year the spread is about $1,428 — enough to notice in savings, not enough to ignore schools, safety, or pay. Wichita still wins on housing cost; just do not let a 10–20% rent edge override a job that only exists in St Louis.

Median income

15% higher

Wichita's median income is 15% higher than St Louis

Wichita

Winner

$60,712

St Louis

$52,941

What this means for your life

Median household income is $60,712 in Wichita versus $52,941 in St Louis, so typical pay runs 15% higher in Wichita — about $7,771 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, Wichita 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

1% lower crime

Wichita's crime index is 1% lower than St Louis

Wichita

Winner

115 (100 = avg)

St Louis

116 (100 = avg)

What this means for your life

Wichita's crime index is 115 versus 116 in St Louis (100 = national average), so citywide crime runs 1% lower in Wichita. The difference is noticeable without being night-and-day. You will still want to pick the neighborhood carefully in Wichita, but you will usually spend less energy on constant vigilance than you would in St Louis. Tour both cities after dark before you let a modest index gap close the decision.

School scores

Neck and neck

Wichita and St Louis are about even on school scores.

Wichita

A- · 84/100

St Louis

A- · 84/100

What this means for your life

School composites are effectively even (A- in Wichita, 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

27% more comfortable

St Louis weather is 27% more comfortable than Wichita

Wichita

85°F typical

St Louis

Winner

78°F typical

What this means for your life

St Louis scores 27% more comfortable on this page's weather index, which rewards temperatures closer to a livable outdoor day. Typical temperatures sit around 85°F in Wichita and 78°F in St Louis. Wichita reads as hot, long summers; St Louis reads as warm weather most of the year. Climate affects quality of life more than most people anticipate when planning a move. Consider how much time you spend outdoors and whether extreme heat or cold impacts your mood or productivity. St Louis is the better default if you want year-round outdoor access. Wichita can still be right if you love that climate on purpose — beach heat, dry heat, or a real winter — but you cannot return a city's weather.

Fit check

Who should choose Wichita

Career-focused movers who want salary upside and professional growth

Wichita is the clearer landing pad if housing cost is what keeps you up at night. Typical rent is 10% cheaper here at about $1,099 a month. Choose Wichita if you are stretching a salary, starting over, or want slack for travel and debt instead of a flashier skyline.

Wichita is the better city for career-focused movers who want salary upside and professional growth. Median household income is 15% higher here ($60,712). Start with Wichita if your next chapter is about building earnings, and make weather or nightlife a secondary screen.

Wichita is the better fit for families with young children and retirees who prioritize peace of mind over urban energy. The crime index is 1% lower than St Louis (115 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 Wichita report →

Fit check

Who should choose St Louis

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

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 Wichita on this page's weather index by 27%. Wichita may pay more or cost less, but St Louis is the city where the forecast fights you less.

Open the St Louis report →

Bottom line

Wichita vs St Louis, called

If weather is your priority, St Louis is the clear choice.

If the job market matters more to you, Wichita pulls ahead.

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

Common questions

Wichita vs St Louis FAQ

Is Wichita cheaper than St Louis?: Yes. Typical rent in Wichita is $1,099 a month versus $1,218 in St Louis — 10% cheaper. Median household income is $60,712 in Wichita compared with $52,941 in St Louis, so Wichita has the stronger local pay picture.
Which city is safer, Wichita or St Louis?: Wichita is safer on this comparison. Its crime index is 115 versus 116 in St Louis — 1% 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, Wichita or St Louis?: School composites are close: A- in Wichita and A- in St Louis. Tour specific campuses rather than picking a city on the letter grade alone.

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