Source-led head-to-head · 2024 ACS
Moving from St. Louis to New York
Based on 2024 ACS 5-year data, St. Louis offers lower housing costs relative to income with a median home value of $197,500 and rent of $997, compared to New York’s $777,600 home value and $1,821 rent. However, New York’s higher median income of $80,483 partially offsets this gap. Commute times favor St. Louis at 24 minutes versus New York’s 44 minutes. While New York applies a modeled 5.50% state income tax in the calculator, St. Louis excludes state tax due to lack of approved reference, making direct tax comparison inadvisable per data boundaries.
Corridor Direction & Trade-off Delta
⇄ Switch to New York → St. LouisMoving from St. Louis to New York
Median Rent Impact
+$824/mo
Moving to New York costs ~$9,888 more/yr in rent.
State Tax Treatment
+5.5%
~$5,500 more state tax on a $100k salary in New York.
Daily Commute Difference
+20 min / day
Difference of ~167 hours per year spent commuting based on 2024 ACS midpoint averages.
Your move
Compare the life behind the offer.
Adjust the assumptions. Every result updates instantly.
Search all 32,330 U.S. Census places directly below.Instant results use official 2024 ACS place data. Places with incomplete required signals remain visible in search but cannot be selected.
Directional estimate using ACS citywide benchmarks. Verified profiles may include a simplified state-tax reference; automatically added profiles exclude state tax until an official reference is approved. Exact tax, benefits, debt, housing, insurance, and personal circumstances may materially change the result.
LIVE VERDICTSTL → NYC
35/ 100
The offer needs work
The destination absorbs more of the offer.Estimated annual life delta−$3,664after essentials; unverified state tax excluded
Best gainThe deepest employment market and largest-city scale in the reviewed cohort
Watch closelyThe cohort's longest commute estimate plus a separate New York City resident income tax
The short answer
In the uniform one-person renting baseline, St. Louis is about $9,888 lower per year. This is not a verdict by itself: replace city medians with the actual offer, address, household, benefits, insurance, and tax details before deciding.
St. Louis household income$56,160
New York household income$80,483
St. Louis gross rent$997
New York gross rent$1,821
Housing, income, and tax reference
| Metric | St. Louis | New York |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 ACS population | 288,512 | 8,483,844 |
| Median household income | $56,160 | $80,483 |
| Median gross rent | $997 | $1,821 |
| Median owner-occupied home value | $197,500 | $777,600 |
| State-tax treatment | Excluded | 5.5% simplified |
Time and daily routine
The commute-time distribution produces a weighted one-way estimate of about 24 minutes in St. Louis and 44 minutes in New York. This citywide estimate cannot capture a specific route, remote-work schedule, or transit choice, so the calculator converts it into an explicit time difference instead of hiding it in a subjective lifestyle score.
Decision checklist
- Median household income
- Median gross rent
- Median owner-occupied home value
- One-way commute time
What each city wins
St. Louis
Affordable options available. Watch rent vs owner-occupied costs.
New York
The deepest employment market and largest-city scale in the reviewed cohort. Watch the cohort's longest commute estimate plus a separate new york city resident income tax.
Frequently asked questions
How do housing costs compare between the two cities relative to income?
St. Louis has a median gross rent of $997 and home value of $197,500, while New York’s are $1,821 and $777,600 respectively. Despite New York’s higher income ($80,483 vs $56,160), housing costs consume a larger share of income there.
What is the difference in commute times between St. Louis and New York?
St. Louis has a derived one-way commute estimate of 24 minutes, compared to New York’s 44 minutes, based on weighted midpoints from the 2024 ACS table B08303. This reflects a 20-minute shorter average commute in St. Louis.
Source boundary: Core figures come from the 2024 ACS five-year tables linked on each city profile. Commute is derived from B08303 midpoint weighting. A state-tax value without an approved official reference is excluded and disclosed. This comparison becomes index-eligible only after its unique analysis clears the content quality gate.