Living Cost Compare
Dover

Delaware

$1,270/mo est.

vs
St. Louis

Missouri

$1,060/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $1,270 in Dover, DE versus $1,060 in St. Louis, MO. Overall, St. Louis, MO is roughly 17% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Dover, DE, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $58,336 in Dover, DE and $55,279 in St. Louis, MO — about 5% higher in Dover, DE. Delaware has a top state income tax rate of 6.60% and no state sales tax; Missouri has a top state income tax rate of 4.70% and a 4.225% state sales tax.

Dover, DE
St. Louis, MO

Rent

Studio
$993
$864
+13% in Dover, DE
1 Bedroom
$1,047
$866
+17% in Dover, DE
2 Bedroom
$1,185
$1,109
+6% in Dover, DE
3 Bedroom
$1,634
$1,135
+31% in Dover, DE

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$248,500
$185,100
+26% in Dover, DE

Income

Median Household Income
$58,336
$55,279
+5% in Dover, DE
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$46,690
$49,990
+7% in St. Louis, MO

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
35.1 yr
36.6 yr
+1.5 yr in St. Louis, MO
Homeownership
47.0%
45.4%
+1.6 pp in Dover, DE
Bachelor's+ (25+)
27.1%
40.2%
+13.1 pp in St. Louis, MO
Avg Commute
24.0 min
22.2 min
+1.8 min in Dover, DE

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
1,025.3
1,372.9
+34% in St. Louis, MO
Property Crime
6,159.1
5,794.9
+6% in Dover, DE

FBI Crime Data Explorer. Offenses per 100,000 residents per year; agency reporting practices vary, so this is approximate.

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature
56.9°F
55.7°F
+1.2°F in Dover, DE
Annual Precipitation
46.0 in
40.9 in
+5.1 in in Dover, DE

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$3.94/gal
$3.85/gal
+2% in Dover, DE

Area: East Coast (PADD 1) vs Midwest (PADD 2).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
19.3
16.2
+16% in Dover, DE
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$29.73
$28.78
+3% in Dover, DE

Residential, state-level averages (EIA). MCF = 1,000 cubic feet.

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.00
$4.31
+8% in St. Louis, MO
Bread (lb)
$1.75
$1.66
+5% in Dover, DE
Eggs (doz)
$2.21
$3.63
+64% in St. Louis, MO
Ground Beef (lb)
$6.45
$6.77
+5% in St. Louis, MO
Chicken (lb)
$1.90
$2.10
+10% in St. Louis, MO
Bananas (lb)
$0.62
$0.62
about equal

Average prices — South vs Midwest (BLS). Regional where available, otherwise U.S. average.

State Taxes

Sales Tax (DE / MO)
None
4.225%
+4.2 pp in MO
Income Tax (top rate)
6.60%
4.70%
+1.9 pp in DE

Dover vs St. Louis — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Dover or St. Louis?
St. Louis, MO is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,060 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 17% below Dover, DE's $1,270, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Dover than in St. Louis?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $42,000 a year in Dover versus $35,000 in St. Louis.
Which has lower taxes, Dover or St. Louis?
Dover is taxed under Delaware's rules (a top state income tax rate of 6.60% and no state sales tax); St. Louis under Missouri's (a top state income tax rate of 4.70% and a 4.225% state sales tax).

Sources: US Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year (rent, income, home value, demographics); NOAA Climate Normals 1981–2010 (climate); EIA weekly retail (gas); Tax Foundation 2026 (state taxes).