City comparison
Eugene, OR vs St. Louis, MO
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Eugene, OR are 6.8% higher than in St. Louis, MO. Someone earning $100,000 in St. Louis, MO would need about $106,800 in Eugene, OR to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,286 a month in Eugene, OR versus $995 in St. Louis, MO. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Eugene, OR and 16% in St. Louis, MO.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,158 a year higher in Eugene, OR than in St. Louis, MO.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +2.5% moving from Eugene, OR to St. Louis, MO ($106,437 → $109,137), while prices change by −6.4%. Net effect of the transfer: +9.5% in real buying power.
- Eugene, OR: price level 101.6 (about average)
- St. Louis, MO: price level 95.1 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Eugene, OR | St. Louis, MO | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 101.6 | 95.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $93,620 in St. Louis | $106,815 in Eugene |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,286/mo | $995/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $71,260 | $75,417 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $7,920 (OR) | $3,763 (MO) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,680 | $49,990 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington, MO-IL |
Rent areas: Eugene-Springfield, OR MSA and St. Louis, MO-IL HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Eugene-Springfield, OR and St. Louis, MO-IL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Eugene | St. Louis |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 98.3 | 79.0 |
| Goods | 105.3 | 100.0 |
| Utilities | 102.5 | 69.9 |
| Other services | 100.3 | 98.6 |
| Overall | 101.6 | 95.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Eugene, OR → St. Louis, MO
Same pay goes further
Buying power +6.8%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$4,158/yr.
90 Strong offer
St. Louis, MO → Eugene, OR
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.4%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$4,158/yr.
49 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Eugene, OR is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; St. Louis, MO is in St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington, MO-IL. The last column shows what a transfer from Eugene, OR to St. Louis, MO at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Eugene, OR | St. Louis, MO | Real change, Eugene → St. Louis |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $63,288 | +9.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $76,573 | +9.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $91,779 | +9.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $109,137 | +9.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $128,967 | +9.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Eugene, OR | St. Louis, MO | St. Louis pay in Eugene dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $64,260 | $60,650 | $64,783 (+0.8%) |
| Software Developers | $121,050 | $129,030 | $137,823 (+13.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,930 | $78,880 | $84,255 (+5.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $113,720 | $83,180 | $88,849 (−21.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.