Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Alexandria, VA
VS
Charleston, SC
🏆 Charleston leads 12 of 23 categories
Alexandria
Virginia
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
108.6⚠ High
Median Household Income
$113,179 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
58 ✓ Safer
Population
157,594 ✓ Larger
Charleston
South Carolina
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
102.4⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$83,891
Violent Crime Index
94
Population
149,960
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Alexandria, VA
Pros
39% less violent crime than Charleston
Households earn $29,288 more per year on average
Violent crime is well below the national average (219.1 vs 380/100k)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.5 pts lower (3.2%)
More college-educated — 66.0% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $655,700
Higher rents — median is $1,983/mo
Property crime (2640.0/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Longer commutes — 30.1 min average each way
Charleston, SC
Pros
Homes cost $217k less ($438,900 vs $655,700)
Rent averages $466/mo less ($1,517 vs $1,983)
Commutes run 7 min shorter each way
Milder winters — January highs near 58°F vs 45°F
6% cheaper overall cost of living than Alexandria
Smaller class sizes — 13.0:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Alexandria by $29,288/yr
Key Differences at a Glance
Alexandria
Median Income
$29,288
$113,179 vs $83,891/yr
Alexandria
Violent Crime
39% lower
219.1 vs 357.6 per 100k
Alexandria
Unemployment
0.5 pp lower
3.2% vs 3.7% unemployment
Charleston
Cost of Living
6% cheaper
COL index 102.4 vs 108.6 (100 = US avg)
Charleston
Median Home Value
$217k less
$438,900 vs $655,700
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Alexandria, VA | Charleston, SC |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 108.6⚠ High | 102.4⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $655,700⚠ High | $438,900⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,983⚠ High | $1,517⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $113,179 ✓ Higher | $83,891 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.2% ✓ Lower | 3.7% |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 30.1 min⚠ High | 23.0 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 22.1% ✓ Higher | 14.6% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 85 ✓ Safer | 95 |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 58 ✓ Safer | 94 |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 126⚠ High | 96 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (110) | A (121) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 15.1:1 | 13.0:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 66.0% ✓ Higher | 57.4% |
| High School or Higher | 93.7% | 95.7% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Alexandria City Public Schools | Charleston 01 |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 44.8°F | 58.0°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 89.6°F ✓ Warmer | 87.5°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 41.8" ✓ Drier | 52.2" |
| Annual Snowfall | 13.7" | 0.3" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 157,594 ✓ Larger | 149,960 |
| Median Age | 37.4 ✓ Older | 36.3 |
| Homeownership Rate | 42.7% | 55.6% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 18.1% ✓ More | 16.7% |
| Over 65 | 12.3% | 16.3% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Alexandria's cost of living index is 108.6 vs Charleston's 102.4 (US average = 100).
Charleston is 6% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Charleston leads 12 of 23 categories. Alexandria wins 11 and Charleston wins 12. The right choice depends on your priorities — use the Pros & Cons and full table above to weigh what matters to you.
Whether you're moving from Alexandria to Charleston or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($655,700 vs $438,900 median home), income ($113,179 vs $83,891), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Alexandria, VA and Charleston, SC are about 444 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.