Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Centennial, CO
VS
North Charleston, SC
🏆 Centennial leads 13 of 23 categories
Centennial
Colorado
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
105.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$124,617 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
45 ✓ Safer
Population
107,702
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 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Centennial, CO
Pros
Households earn $66,083 more per year on average
79% less violent crime than North Charleston
More college-educated — 61.3% hold a bachelor's or higher
Violent crime is well below the national average (172.8 vs 380/100k)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.9 pts lower (3.4%)
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $586,500
Higher rents — median is $1,949/mo
Cost of living runs 7% higher than North Charleston
Snowy winters — about 64" of snow per year
North Charleston, SC
Pros
Homes cost $343k less ($243,300 vs $586,500)
Rent averages $661/mo less ($1,288 vs $1,949)
Milder winters — January highs near 60°F vs 45°F
7% cheaper overall cost of living than Centennial
Smaller class sizes — 13.0:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Centennial by $66,083/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 3.4%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Centennial
Median Income
$66,083
$124,617 vs $58,534/yr
Centennial
Violent Crime
79% lower
172.8 vs 810.5 per 100k
Centennial
Unemployment
0.9 pp lower
3.4% vs 4.3% unemployment
North Charleston
Cost of Living
7% cheaper
COL index 98.2 vs 105.5 (100 = US avg)
North Charleston
Median Home Value
$343k less
$243,300 vs $586,500
North Charleston
Summer Heat
4.0°F warmer
July avg high 91.3°F vs 87.3°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Centennial, CO | North Charleston, SC |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 105.5⚠ High | 98.2 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $586,500⚠ High | $243,300 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,949⚠ High | $1,288 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $124,617 ✓ Higher | $58,534 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.4% ✓ Lower | 4.3%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 26.0 min | 24.6 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 21.2% ✓ Higher | 6.6% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 60 ✓ Safer | 203⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 45 ✓ Safer | 213⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 81 ✓ Safer | 188⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (115) ✓ Better | B (101) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 16.2:1 | 13.0:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 61.3% ✓ Higher | 26.7% |
| High School or Higher | 97.4% ✓ Higher | 87.3% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Cherry Creek School District No. 5 in the county of Arapah | Charleston 01 |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 44.6°F | 60.2°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 87.3°F | 91.3°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 15.0" ✓ Drier | 53.6" |
| Annual Snowfall | 64.0" | 0.3" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 107,702 | 115,755 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 41.6 ✓ Older | 33.8 |
| Homeownership Rate | 82.3% ✓ Higher | 49.4% |
| Under 18 | 22.5% | 23.0% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 17.9% ✓ More | 11.7% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Centennial's cost of living index is 105.5 vs North Charleston's 98.2 (US average = 100).
North Charleston is 7% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Centennial leads 13 of 23 categories. Centennial 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 Centennial to North Charleston or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($586,500 vs $243,300 median home), income ($124,617 vs $58,534), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Centennial, CO and North Charleston, SC are about 1,451 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.