HEAD TO HEAD
Columbia vs St. Louis
Columbia leads St. Louis on 3 of 5 factors — but the right pick depends on your priorities.
Columbia, MO
wins 3 of 5 factors
St. Louis, MO
wins 2 of 5 factors
Match scores, side by side
| Factor | Columbia | St. Louis |
|---|---|---|
| Affordable to buy | 86 | 89 ◆ |
| Affordable to rent | 79 ◆ | 78 |
| Climate comfort | 86 ◆ | 63 |
| Plenty of sunshine | 58 ◆ | 48 |
| Big-city amenities | 47 | 95 ◆ |
By the numbers
| Figure | Columbia | St. Louis |
|---|---|---|
| Typical home value | $324K | $277K |
| Typical rent | $1,427/mo | $1,451/mo |
| Average temperature | 17.5°C | 13.1°C |
| Sunshine (solar) | 4.54 kWh/m²/day | 4.17 kWh/m²/day |
| Metro size rank | #219 | #21 |
Home & rent Zillow, May 2026 · climate & sunshine NASA POWER climatology. Scores are normalised 0–100 across all metros; higher is better. A research aid, not advice.