Relocation profile · Federal data
St. Louis, MO-IL
BEA RPP 95.1 sits mid-pack (#222 of 387 metros); cost is not the extreme signal here.
- 95.1
- Cost index (US=100)
- $916
- 2BR rent / mo
- $68,074
- Median salary
- 52.1
- LiveAbility Score
The verdict
As of June 2026, St. Louis ranks #182 of 387 US metros on the LiveAbility Score (52.1/100), with its strongest marks in housing and schools.
- #182
- of 387 US metros · Above median
- 6,245,466
- metro-area population
- 463
- violent crimes per 100K (state-level)
- 2,321
- schools in the state (NCES)
Weakest dimension: air quality (7/100). Weigh every dimension against your own priorities, use the City Finder to re-rank by what matters to you.
According to PlainRelocate's LiveAbility composite (BEA, BLS, HUD, FBI, NCES, EPA, NOAA, and FEMA inputs), St. Louis ranks #182 of 387 scored US metros by LiveAbility Score (highest score = #1). Cost-of-living index 95.1 (100 = national average), median 2-bedroom rent $916/mo, median salary $68,074; LiveAbility Score 52.1/100, strongest in housing and schools.
Signature: BEA RPP 95.1 sits mid-pack (#222 of 387 metros); cost is not the extreme signal here.
Purchasing power sits mid-band: BEA RPP 95.1 between corpus terciles 91.5 and 97.0. Median 2BR rent $916/mo.
LiveAbility 52.1/100 keeps St. Louis in the middle third (#182 of 387).
BLS OEWS total employment in the St. Louis area is 1,311,920.
St. Louis vs all US metros by LiveAbility Score
Where this metro's LiveAbility Score falls among every scored US metro (composite placement, not a desirability verdict)
52 Top 47% higher than 53% of 387 US metros
Metros banded by LiveAbility Score (0–100)
Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more US metros. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count and share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source PlainRelocate LiveAbility Score · June 2026
St. Louis housing and rent
HUD Fair Market Rents for the St. Louis MSA; housing RPP 79.0 (100 = national average); 2BR $916/mo.
St. Louis wages and employment
St. Louis posts 1,311,920 total employment with median salary $68,074.
Top Occupations by Employment
| Occupation | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| General and Operations Managers | $93,140 |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | $34,490 |
| Registered Nurses | $83,180 |
| Cashiers | $32,380 |
| Retail Salespersons | $33,820 |
Schools & Education
State-level education data for the St. Louis area from NCES.
Life Score Breakdown
St. Louis's composite Life Score is 53/100 (D), computed across 6 of 7 dimensions (missing dims omitted; remaining weights renormalized).
LiveAbility Score
View full rankings →St. Louis ranks #182 out of 387 metros with a LiveAbility Score of 52.1/100 - a composite of 8 of 8 quality-of-life dimensions from federal data. Customize the weights to match your priorities →
St. Louis - dimension scores
Percentile vs all US metros (100 = best in the nation for that dimension)
- Housing
Housing
98 /100
- Schools
Schools
87 /100
- Job market
Job market
69 /100
- Climate
Climate
59 /100
- Cost of living
Cost of living
43 /100
- Low hazard 18
Low hazard
18 /100
- Safety 14
Safety
14 /100
- Air quality 7
Air quality
7 /100
What this shows St. Louis's strongest dimensions are housing and schools; its weakest among scored dims is air quality at 7/100. Default weights: cost 18%, jobs & housing 15% each, safety & schools 12%, air & hazard 10%, climate 8%.
Metros near St. Louis on cost, LiveAbility, or wages
Nearest out-of-state neighbors to St. Louis on BEA RPP, LiveAbility, or BLS median salary, a different lens than the size-ranked list.
Similar cost of living (BEA RPP)
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, HUD Fair Market Rents, BLS OES, FBI UCR, NCES, DOL, EPA June 2026
St. Louis cost figures follow BEA Regional Price Parities and HUD Fair Market Rents; St. Louis wages and LiveAbility inputs follow BLS OEWS plus the federal sources listed in methodology. This information is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. Scores are federal-data percentiles, not a move recommendation. How this data is sourced.
Verify with BEA → · Verify with BLS → · Verify with HUD → · Verify with NOAA → · Verify with FEMA → · Verify with Census →
Thinking about St. Louis?
St. Louis runs a $68,074 median salary at a 95.1 cost index, ranking #182 of 387 nationally on LiveAbility.
- See exactly what St. Louis's pay and cost figures mean for your own budget. Salary calculator
- Put St. Louis head-to-head against another city on the same dimensions. Compare St. Louis
- Abilene is the closest related metro in this corpus -- see how it stacks up. Abilene profile
- A cheaper cost index and a higher LiveAbility score don't always point the same direction -- here's how to weigh the trade-off. Cost vs quality guide
Cost, salary and score figures are federal-data percentiles, not a move recommendation.