Living Cost Compare
St. Louis

Missouri

$1,030/mo est.

vs
Wilmington

Delaware

$1,230/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $1,030 in St. Louis, MO versus $1,230 in Wilmington, DE. Overall, St. Louis, MO is roughly 16% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Wilmington, DE, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $55,279 in St. Louis, MO and $55,269 in Wilmington, DE. Missouri has a top state income tax rate of 4.70% and a 4.225% state sales tax; Delaware has a top state income tax rate of 6.60% and no state sales tax.

St. Louis, MO
Wilmington, DE

Rent

Studio
$864
$1,103
+28% in Wilmington, DE
1 Bedroom
$866
$1,024
+18% in Wilmington, DE
2 Bedroom
$1,109
$1,213
+9% in Wilmington, DE
3 Bedroom
$1,135
$1,394
+23% in Wilmington, DE

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$185,100
$224,500
+21% in Wilmington, DE

Income

Median Household Income
$55,279
$55,269
+0% in St. Louis, MO
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$49,990
$54,310
+9% in Wilmington, DE

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
36.6 yr
37.0 yr
+0.4 yr in Wilmington, DE
Homeownership
45.4%
46.0%
+0.6 pp in Wilmington, DE
Bachelor's+ (25+)
40.2%
33.1%
+7.1 pp in St. Louis, MO
Avg Commute
22.2 min
23.0 min
+0.8 min in Wilmington, DE

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
1,372.9
1,138.2
+17% in St. Louis, MO
Property Crime
5,794.9
3,182.4
+45% in St. Louis, MO

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

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature
55.7°F
54.9°F
+0.8°F in St. Louis, MO
Annual Precipitation
40.9 in
43.1 in
+2.1 in in Wilmington, DE

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$3.94/gal
$3.86/gal
+2% in St. Louis, MO

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
13.7
19.4
+42% in Wilmington, DE
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$24.13
$22.51
+7% in St. Louis, MO

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.31
$4.00
+7% in St. Louis, MO
Bread (lb)
$1.66
$1.75
+5% in Wilmington, DE
Eggs (doz)
$3.63
$2.21
+39% in St. Louis, MO
Ground Beef (lb)
$6.77
$6.45
+5% in St. Louis, MO
Chicken (lb)
$2.10
$1.90
+9% in St. Louis, MO
Bananas (lb)
$0.62
$0.62
about equal

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

State Taxes

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

St. Louis vs Wilmington — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in St. Louis or Wilmington?
St. Louis, MO is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,030 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 16% below Wilmington, DE's $1,230, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in St. Louis than in Wilmington?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $35,000 a year in St. Louis versus $41,000 in Wilmington.
Which has lower taxes, St. Louis or Wilmington?
St. Louis is taxed under Missouri's rules (a top state income tax rate of 4.70% and a 4.225% state sales tax); Wilmington under Delaware's (a top state income tax rate of 6.60% and no 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).