Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Beaumont, TX
VS
Charleston, SC
🏆 Charleston leads 15 of 23 categories
Beaumont
Texas
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
90.2 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$53,745
Violent Crime Index
299⚠ High
Population
114,573
Charleston
South Carolina
15
wins
Cost of Living Index
102.4⚠ High
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.
Beaumont, TX
Pros
Homes cost $289k less ($150,400 vs $438,900)
Rent averages $525/mo less ($992 vs $1,517)
12% cheaper overall cost of living than Charleston
Commutes run 3 min shorter each way
Living costs sit below the national average (index 90.2)
Cons
Median income trails Charleston by $30,146/yr
Violent crime (1137.3/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (3302.2/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (5.3% vs 3.7%)
Charleston, SC
Pros
69% less violent crime than Beaumont
Households earn $30,146 more per year on average
More college-educated — 57.4% hold a bachelor's or higher
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.6 pts lower (3.7%)
Smaller class sizes — 13.0:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $438,900
Higher rents — median is $1,517/mo
Cost of living runs 12% higher than Beaumont
Key Differences at a Glance
Beaumont
Cost of Living
12% cheaper
COL index 90.2 vs 102.4 (100 = US avg)
Beaumont
Median Home Value
$289k less
$150,400 vs $438,900
Beaumont
Summer Heat
4.5°F warmer
July avg high 92.0°F vs 87.5°F
Charleston
Median Income
$30,146
$83,891 vs $53,745/yr
Charleston
Violent Crime
69% lower
357.6 vs 1137.3 per 100k
Charleston
Unemployment
1.6 pp lower
3.7% vs 5.3% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Beaumont, TX | Charleston, SC |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 90.2 ✓ Cheaper | 102.4⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $150,400 ✓ Lower | $438,900⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $992 ✓ Lower | $1,517⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $53,745 | $83,891 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.3%⚠ High | 3.7% ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 19.7 min ✓ Shorter | 23.0 min |
| Work From Home % | 3.6% | 14.6% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 242⚠ High | 95 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 299⚠ High | 94 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 157⚠ High | 96 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C+ (85) | A (121) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 16.9:1 | 13.0:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 25.8% | 57.4% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 86.2% | 95.7% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | BEAUMONT ISD | Charleston 01 |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 62.6°F ✓ Warmer | 58.0°F |
| Avg High — July | 92.0°F ✓ Warmer | 87.5°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 65.1" | 52.2" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.1" ✓ Less | 0.3" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 114,573 | 149,960 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 35.5 | 36.3 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 54.4% | 55.6% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 24.7% ✓ More | 16.7% |
| Over 65 | 15.9% | 16.3% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Beaumont's cost of living index is 90.2 vs Charleston's 102.4 (US average = 100).
Beaumont is 12% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Charleston leads 15 of 23 categories. Beaumont 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 Beaumont to Charleston or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($150,400 vs $438,900 median home), income ($53,745 vs $83,891), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Beaumont, TX and Charleston, SC are about 856 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.