Median rent is 11% lower in St. Louis ($997/mo vs $1,120/mo). Buying is cheaper in St. Louis, where the median home runs $197,500 versus $233,900. Households earn more in Louisville/Jefferson County ($66,849 vs $56,160 a year).
City A
Louisville/Jefferson County, KY
City B
St. Louis, MO
How much would you need to earn in St. Louis, MO to maintain your standard of living from Louisville/Jefferson County, KY?
A cost-of-living index isn't available for one of these cities yet, so we can't compute an equivalent salary.
Based on BEA Regional Price Parity (cost index) for each metro area. This estimates overall purchasing power; it does not account for taxes or take-home pay differences.
Metric
Louisville/Jefferson County
Kentucky
St. Louis
Missouri
Population
Median Household Income
Annual
Median Gross Rent
Per month
Median Home Value
Cost of Living Index
US avg = 100
1BR Fair Market Rent
HUD FMR
2BR Fair Market Rent
HUD FMR
3BR Fair Market Rent
HUD FMR
Air Quality Index
Lower = cleaner
Top State Income Tax
Top marginal rate
State Sales Tax
Statewide base rate
Median Age
Years
✓ = better value · Sources: Census ACS, BEA, HUD Fair Market Rents, EPA AirNow, Tax Foundation
Median rent is modestly lower in St. Louis at $997/mo compared to $1,120/mo in Louisville/Jefferson County (11% gap). Median home values are within 16% of each other: $233,900 in Louisville/Jefferson County and $197,500 in St. Louis.
BLS OEWS 2023 — metro-level data
State tax data is not yet available for these cities.
Louisville/Jefferson County
Income tax: N/A
Sales tax: N/A
St. Louis
Income tax: N/A
Sales tax: N/A
Both cities have similar air quality: Louisville/Jefferson County averages 32.0 AQI (Good) and St. Louis averages 33.0 AQI (Good).
Pick Louisville/Jefferson County if you prioritize higher median household income ($66,849/yr).
Pick St. Louis if you prioritize cheaper rent ($997/mo median).
Is Louisville/Jefferson County cheaper than St. Louis?
Cost of living index data is not yet available for one or both cities.
How much is rent in Louisville/Jefferson County vs St. Louis?
Median rent is $1,120/mo in Louisville/Jefferson County, KY and $997/mo in St. Louis, MO. St. Louis, MO has the lower rent by about 11%.
Which has higher salaries — Louisville/Jefferson County or St. Louis?
Median household income is $66,849 in Louisville/Jefferson County, KY and $56,160 in St. Louis, MO. Louisville/Jefferson County, KY has the higher median income. Note that BLS occupational wages in the table above show wages for specific jobs.
Which city has better air quality?
Louisville/Jefferson County, KY has better air quality on average: 32.0 AQI versus 33.0 AQI. Both are EPA AirNow annual averages; lower is better.
Which has lower taxes — Louisville/Jefferson County or St. Louis?
State tax data is not yet available for one or both cities.
What salary do I need in St. Louis to match my Louisville/Jefferson County income?
RPP data needed for salary equivalence calculation is not yet available.
Data last updated: December 1, 2026 · Sources: US Census ACS, BEA RPP, BLS OEWS, HUD FMR, EPA AirNow, Tax Foundation · Methodology
