City comparison
No. Toledo's crime index is 221 versus 352 in St Louis, and its violent crime index is 279 versus 376, using 2024-2025 FBI data.
Toledo is cheaper. Median rent is $934 a month versus $997 in St Louis.
Safety is where St Louis and Toledo split most clearly. Toledo scores 131 points better on the crime index, a gap that shows up in evening walks, parking situations, and insurance rates. Rent runs $997 in St Louis and $934 in Toledo.
Toledo is not a close call here. It leads on cost of living, the job market, and safety by margins that add up in daily life. St Louis makes sense if you have a specific reason, a job offer, family, or a neighborhood you already know, but on the numbers alone Toledo is the stronger move.
The crime gap is citywide. Toledo has rougher pockets and St Louis has quiet ones: the index tells you the average, not your block.
The move
St Louis and Toledo are 409 miles apart in a straight line.
Median rent goes from $997 a month in St Louis to $934 a month in Toledo, down $63 a month (6%).
Median household income goes from $56,160 in St Louis to $62,224 in Toledo, up $6,064 (11%).
The crime index goes from 352 in St Louis to 221 in Toledo, down 131 points (37%).
The move
Toledo and St Louis are 409 miles apart in a straight line.
Median rent goes from $934 a month in Toledo to $997 a month in St Louis, up $63 a month (7%).
Median household income goes from $62,224 in Toledo to $56,160 in St Louis, down $6,064 (10%).
The crime index goes from 221 in Toledo to 352 in St Louis, up 131 points (59%).
St Louis, MO
School quality varies by neighborhood. Check GreatSchools.org for current ratings.
Toledo, OH
School quality varies by neighborhood. Check GreatSchools.org for current ratings.
Comparing St Louis and Toledo? Check mortgage rates before you decide where to buy.
Rent
6% cheaper
Toledo rent is 6% cheaper than St Louis
St Louis
$997/mo
Toledo
Winner$934/mo
Typical rent runs $934 a month in Toledo versus $997 in St Louis, so Toledo is 6% cheaper. The monthly spread is about $63, or $756 a year: noticeable, but rent alone should not pick the city. Use this as a tie-breaker after you compare income, schools, and crime, unless you are already stretching every dollar.
Planning to buy in Toledo? Check mortgage rates before you decide.
Median income
11% higher
Toledo's median income is 11% higher than St Louis
St Louis
$56,160
Toledo
Winner$62,224
Median household income is $62,224 in Toledo versus $56,160 in St Louis, so typical pay runs 11% higher in Toledo (about $6,064 more household income a year). Higher median income usually signals a stronger local job market and better negotiating leverage on salary. Remote workers should weigh this against cost of living rather than treating it as a direct personal benefit. For people who will actually work in town, Toledo is the stronger labor market on paper. St Louis can still win if housing is cheap enough to offset the weaker median or if your specific role already pays well there.
Crime index
37% lower crime
Toledo's crime index is 37% lower than St Louis
St Louis
352 (100 = avg)
Toledo
Winner221 (100 = avg)
Toledo's crime index is 221 versus 352 in St Louis (100 = national average), so citywide crime runs 37% lower in Toledo. That gap is meaningful day-to-day. It affects whether you feel comfortable walking at night, leaving your car on the street, or letting kids play outside unsupervised. Indexes still compress a lot of reality: a calmer city has blocks you would skip, and a higher-crime city has streets that feel neighborly at 10 p.m. On the everyday test of walking from the car to the door, Toledo is the easier city. St Louis can still work if you pick the right pocket. Just budget more diligence before you sign a lease.
Typical weather
31% more comfortable
St Louis weather is 31% more comfortable than Toledo
St Louis
Winner58°F avg · 67°F highs · comfort 80/100
Toledo
51°F avg · 58°F highs · comfort 61/100
St Louis averages about 58°F (67°F highs); Toledo averages about 51°F (58°F highs). St Louis averages around 58°F, so jackets, heating bills, and shorter outdoor seasons are part of daily life. Toledo averages around 51°F, so jackets, heating bills, and shorter outdoor seasons are part of daily life. St Louis scores 31% closer to the 65-80°F comfort band on this page, so it is the easier default for year-round outdoor errands and evenings. Choose Toledo if you already prefer its hotter or cooler pattern and have budgeted for the AC or heating that comes with it.
Fit check
Outdoor enthusiasts and people who need year-round access to nature for their wellbeing
Pick St Louis if you are an outdoor enthusiast or you need year-round access to nature for your wellbeing. Typical conditions (58°F) beat Toledo on this page's weather index by 31%. Toledo may pay more or cost less, but St Louis is the city where the forecast fights you less.
Fit check
Career-focused movers who want salary upside and professional growth
Toledo is the clearer landing pad if housing cost is what keeps you up at night. Typical rent is 6% cheaper here at about $934 a month. Choose Toledo if you are stretching a salary, starting over, or want slack for travel and debt instead of a flashier skyline.
Toledo is the better city for career-focused movers who want salary upside and professional growth. Median household income is 11% higher here ($62,224). Start with Toledo if your next chapter is about building earnings, and make weather or nightlife a secondary screen.
Toledo is the better fit for families with young children and retirees who prioritize peace of mind over urban energy. The crime index is 37% lower than St Louis (221 vs a 100 national average). That gap shows up in how freely you walk at night and how much attention you spend on the car and the deadbolt.
Bottom line
Neither city is a free pass on neighborhood choice, but Toledo leads on safety (36/100 vs 22/100 in St Louis). Typical rent is $934 in Toledo and $997 in St Louis; do not assume the cheaper lease buys the calmer blocks.
Safety still diverges (36/100 in Toledo vs 22/100 in St Louis), so climate preference should not be the only filter.
Median income is $62,224 in Toledo versus $56,160 in St Louis.
Most movers who prioritize safety land in Toledo; St Louis only makes sense when you have walked the St Louis ZIP you would rent and accept the trade for $997 rent.
Common questions
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Next steps
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Nearby research
Open full neighborhood reports for St Louis and Toledo, plus other cities in MO and OH.
