Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Arden-Arcade, CA
VS
Charleston, SC
🏆 Charleston leads 15 of 23 categories
Arden-Arcade
California
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
108.9⚠ High
Median Household Income
$64,479
Violent Crime Index
136⚠ High
Population
96,076
Charleston
South Carolina
15
wins
Cost of Living Index
102.4⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$83,891 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
94 ✓ Safer
Population
149,960 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Arden-Arcade, CA
Pros
Rent averages $132/mo less ($1,385 vs $1,517)
Cons
Violent crime (518.1/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Median income trails Charleston by $19,412/yr
Higher unemployment (8.1% vs 3.7%)
Cost of living runs 7% higher than Charleston
Charleston, SC
Pros
31% less violent crime than Arden-Arcade
Stronger job market — unemployment is 4.4 pts lower (3.7%)
Households earn $19,412 more per year on average
More college-educated — 57.4% hold a bachelor's or higher
7% cheaper overall cost of living than Arden-Arcade
Cooler summers — July highs near 88°F vs 94°F
Cons
Higher rents — median is $1,517/mo
Key Differences at a Glance
Arden-Arcade
Summer Heat
6.9°F warmer
July avg high 94.4°F vs 87.5°F
Charleston
Cost of Living
7% cheaper
COL index 102.4 vs 108.9 (100 = US avg)
Charleston
Median Income
$19,412
$83,891 vs $64,479/yr
Charleston
Violent Crime
31% lower
357.6 vs 518.1 per 100k
Charleston
Median Home Value
$27k less
$438,900 vs $466,300
Charleston
Unemployment
4.4 pp lower
3.7% vs 8.1% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Arden-Arcade, CA | Charleston, SC |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 108.9⚠ High | 102.4⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $466,300⚠ High | $438,900⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,385⚠ High ✓ Lower | $1,517⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $64,479 | $83,891 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 8.1%⚠ High | 3.7% ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 25.4 min | 23.0 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 13.9% | 14.6% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 119⚠ High | 95 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 136⚠ High | 94 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 92 ✓ Safer | 96 |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B- (93) | A (121) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 22.6:1 | 13.0:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 36.3% | 57.4% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 88.9% | 95.7% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | San Juan Unified | Charleston 01 |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 56.5°F | 58.0°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 94.4°F ✓ Warmer | 87.5°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 21.5" ✓ Drier | 52.2" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 0.3" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 96,076 | 149,960 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 37.0 ✓ Older | 36.3 |
| Homeownership Rate | 44.9% | 55.6% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 22.8% ✓ More | 16.7% |
| Over 65 | 16.6% ✓ More | 16.3% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Arden-Arcade's cost of living index is 108.9 vs Charleston's 102.4 (US average = 100).
Charleston is 6% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Charleston leads 15 of 23 categories. Arden-Arcade wins 8 and Charleston wins 15. 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 Arden-Arcade to Charleston or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($466,300 vs $438,900 median home), income ($64,479 vs $83,891), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Arden-Arcade, CA and Charleston, SC are about 2,337 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.