City comparison
St. Louis, MO vs Washington, DC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Washington, DC are 14.5% higher than in St. Louis, MO. Someone earning $100,000 in St. Louis, MO would need about $114,500 in Washington, DC to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,015 a month in Washington, DC versus $995 in St. Louis, MO. On $100,000, that's 33% of take-home pay in Washington, DC and 16% in St. Louis, MO.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,769 a year higher in Washington, DC than in St. Louis, MO.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +11.6% moving from St. Louis, MO to Washington, DC ($109,137 → $121,785), while prices change by +14.5%. Net effect of the transfer: −2.5% in real buying power.
- St. Louis, MO: price level 95.1 (cheaper)
- Washington, DC: price level 108.9 (much pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| St. Louis, MO | Washington, DC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.1 | 108.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $114,509 in Washington | $87,330 in St. Louis |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $995/mo | $2,015/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,417 | $73,649 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,763 (MO) | $5,532 (DC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 16% | 33% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,990 | $71,060 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington, MO-IL | Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA |
Rent areas: St. Louis, MO-IL HUD Metro FMR Area and Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: St. Louis, MO-IL and Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | St. Louis | Washington |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 79.0 | 151.1 |
| Goods | 100.0 | 104.8 |
| Utilities | 69.9 | 106.7 |
| Other services | 98.6 | 102.3 |
| Overall | 95.1 | 108.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
St. Louis, MO → Washington, DC
Same pay buys less
Buying power −12.7%; rent takes 33% of take-home; state tax +$1,769/yr.
26 Weak offer
Washington, DC → St. Louis, MO
Same pay goes further
Buying power +14.5%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$1,769/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
St. Louis, MO is in the St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington, MO-IL pay area; Washington, DC is in Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from St. Louis, MO to Washington, DC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | St. Louis, MO | Washington, DC | Real change, St. Louis → Washington |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,288 | $70,623 | −2.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $76,573 | $85,447 | −2.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $91,779 | $102,415 | −2.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $109,137 | $121,785 | −2.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $128,967 | $143,913 | −2.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | St. Louis, MO | Washington, DC | Washington pay in St. Louis dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,650 | $79,470 | $69,401 (+14.4%) |
| Software Developers | $129,030 | $154,930 | $135,300 (+4.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,880 | $102,140 | $89,198 (+13.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,180 | $102,710 | $89,696 (+7.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.