Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Arlington, VA
VS
North Charleston, SC
🏆 Arlington leads 13 of 23 categories
Arlington
Virginia
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
108.6⚠ High
Median Household Income
$137,387 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
67 ✓ Safer
Population
235,845 ✓ Larger
North Charleston
South Carolina
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
98.2 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$58,534
Violent Crime Index
213⚠ High
Population
115,755
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Arlington, VA
Pros
Households earn $78,853 more per year on average
69% less violent crime than North Charleston
More college-educated — 76.8% hold a bachelor's or higher
Violent crime is well below the national average (254.4 vs 380/100k)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.5 pts lower (2.8%)
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $833,300
Higher rents — median is $2,227/mo
Cost of living runs 10% higher than North Charleston
Longer commutes — 27.7 min average each way
North Charleston, SC
Pros
Homes cost $590k less ($243,300 vs $833,300)
Rent averages $939/mo less ($1,288 vs $2,227)
10% cheaper overall cost of living than Arlington
Milder winters — January highs near 60°F vs 45°F
Commutes run 3 min shorter each way
Cons
Median income trails Arlington by $78,853/yr
Violent crime (810.5/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (3955.9/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (4.3% vs 2.8%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Arlington
Median Income
$78,853
$137,387 vs $58,534/yr
Arlington
Violent Crime
69% lower
254.4 vs 810.5 per 100k
Arlington
Unemployment
1.5 pp lower
2.8% vs 4.3% unemployment
North Charleston
Cost of Living
10% cheaper
COL index 98.2 vs 108.6 (100 = US avg)
North Charleston
Median Home Value
$590k less
$243,300 vs $833,300
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Arlington, VA | North Charleston, SC |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 108.6⚠ High | 98.2 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $833,300⚠ High | $243,300 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,227⚠ High | $1,288 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $137,387 ✓ Higher | $58,534 |
| Unemployment Rate | 2.8% ✓ Lower | 4.3%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 27.7 min⚠ High | 24.6 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 27.0% ✓ Higher | 6.6% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 73 ✓ Safer | 203⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 67 ✓ Safer | 213⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 83 ✓ Safer | 188⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (121) ✓ Better | B (101) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 12.8:1 ✓ Smaller | 13.0:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 76.8% ✓ Higher | 26.7% |
| High School or Higher | 95.3% ✓ Higher | 87.3% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Arlington County Public Schools | Charleston 01 |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 44.8°F | 60.2°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 89.6°F | 91.3°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 47.2" ✓ Drier | 53.6" |
| Annual Snowfall | 13.7" | 0.3" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 235,845 ✓ Larger | 115,755 |
| Median Age | 35.3 ✓ Older | 33.8 |
| Homeownership Rate | 42.2% | 49.4% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 18.1% | 23.0% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 11.3% | 11.7% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Arlington's cost of living index is 108.6 vs North Charleston's 98.2 (US average = 100).
North Charleston is 10% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Arlington leads 13 of 23 categories. Arlington wins 13 and North Charleston wins 10. 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 Arlington to North Charleston or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($833,300 vs $243,300 median home), income ($137,387 vs $58,534), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Arlington, VA and North Charleston, SC are about 444 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.