Indianapolis vs St. Louis
The short version
- Overall prices are about the same in both metro areas (BEA 2024).
- The median home costs $197,500 in St. Louis and $224,800 in Indianapolis.
- Households earn more in Indianapolis ($66,219 vs $56,160 median).
- St. Louis has the warmer winter: January highs of 40°F vs 36°F.
- Indianapolis gets far more snow: 26 inches a year vs 17.
- St. Louis has more scorching days: 47 a year at 90°F or hotter vs 20.
- Indianapolis is growing faster: +1.5% since 2020 vs -7.7%.
Side by side
| Indianapolis, IN | St. Louis, MO | |
|---|---|---|
| People | ||
| Population (2025) | 901,116 | 278,144 |
| Growth since 2020 | +1.5% | -7.7% |
| People per square mile | 2,496 | 4,507 |
| Median age | 34.3 | 36.8 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 35% | 41% |
| Money and housing | ||
| Median household income | $66,219 | $56,160 |
| Median home value | $224,800 | $197,500 |
| Home value to income | 3.4× | 3.5× |
| Median rent (with utilities) | $1,156 | $997 |
| Metro price level (US = 100) | 95.7 | 95.1 |
| Housing price level (US = 100) | 88.9 | 79.0 |
| $75,000 elsewhere equals | $71,800 | $71,300 |
| Homeowners | 56% | 45% |
| Top state income tax | 2.95% | 4.7% |
| Combined sales tax | 7% | 8.44% |
| Work and commute | ||
| Average commute (minutes) | 24.6 | 22.1 |
| Work from home | 14% | 17% |
| Take public transit | 1% | 6% |
| Unemployment (2020-24 avg) | 5.1% | 5% |
| Poverty rate | 15.8% | 20.6% |
| Weather | ||
| January high / low | 36° / 21° | 40° / 24° |
| July high / low | 85° / 66° | 90° / 71° |
| Precipitation per year | 44 in | 42 in |
| Snowfall per year | 26 in | 17 in |
| Days 90°F or hotter | 20 | 47 |
| Nights below freezing | 105 | 85 |
| Comfortable months | 5 | 3 |
| Risks, air and home prices | ||
| Natural hazard risk (FEMA, county) | Relatively High | Relatively High |
| FEMA risk score (lower is safer) | 97.5 | 98.7 |
| Good air days, 2025 | 38% | 31% |
| Home prices, past year | +3.5% | +4.1% |
| Home prices, past 5 years | +43.8% | +40.5% |
Highlighted cells are the better value where "better" is clear (lower prices, higher income, shorter commutes). Sources: Census Bureau 2025 estimates and ACS 2020-2024, BEA 2024, NOAA 1991-2020, Tax Foundation 2026.
Weather, month by month
Most comfortable months: Indianapolis: April and July to October. St. Louis: June and September to October.
Full monthly tables: Indianapolis weather by month and St. Louis weather by month.
What $75,000 is worth
A $75,000 salary in an average-priced US city buys about the same as $71,800 in Indianapolis and $71,300 in St. Louis. Moving from Indianapolis to St. Louis, you would need about $74,500 to match a $75,000 salary.
Moving between Indianapolis and St. Louis
IRS county-to-county migration, 2022 to 2023 tax years, for the counties that contain each city. See where else people move from Indianapolis and St. Louis.
Which would you pick?
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