Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Charleston, SC
VS
Cleveland, OH
🏆 Charleston leads 16 of 22 categories
Charleston
South Carolina
16
wins
Cost of Living Index
102.4⚠ High
Median Household Income
$83,891 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
94 ✓ Safer
Population
149,960
Cleveland
Ohio
6
wins
Cost of Living Index
88.4 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$37,271
Violent Crime Index
411⚠ High
Population
370,365 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Charleston, SC
Pros
Households earn $46,620 more per year on average
Stronger job market — unemployment is 8.2 pts lower (3.7%)
77% less violent crime than Cleveland
More college-educated — 57.4% hold a bachelor's or higher
Milder winters — January highs near 58°F vs 35°F
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 14% higher than Cleveland
Cleveland, OH
Pros
Homes cost $352k less ($87,400 vs $438,900)
Rent averages $666/mo less ($851 vs $1,517)
14% cheaper overall cost of living than Charleston
Living costs sit below the national average (index 88.4)
Cooler summers — July highs near 81°F vs 88°F
Cons
Median income trails Charleston by $46,620/yr
Violent crime (1561.1/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (4426.3/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (11.9% vs 3.7%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Charleston
Median Income
$46,620
$83,891 vs $37,271/yr
Charleston
Violent Crime
77% lower
357.6 vs 1561.1 per 100k
Charleston
Unemployment
8.2 pp lower
3.7% vs 11.9% unemployment
Charleston
Summer Heat
6.8°F warmer
July avg high 87.5°F vs 80.7°F
Cleveland
Cost of Living
14% cheaper
COL index 88.4 vs 102.4 (100 = US avg)
Cleveland
Median Home Value
$352k less
$87,400 vs $438,900
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Charleston, SC | Cleveland, OH |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 102.4⚠ High | 88.4 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $438,900⚠ High | $87,400 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,517⚠ High | $851 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $83,891 ✓ Higher | $37,271 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.7% ✓ Lower | 11.9%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 23.0 min ✓ Shorter | 23.3 min |
| Work From Home % | 14.6% ✓ Higher | 8.7% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 95 ✓ Safer | 331⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 94 ✓ Safer | 411⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 96 ✓ Safer | 211⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (121) ✓ Better | C (82) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 13.0:1 ✓ Smaller | 16.7:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 57.4% ✓ Higher | 20.3% |
| High School or Higher | 95.7% ✓ Higher | 82.9% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Charleston 01 | Cleveland Municipal |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 58.0°F ✓ Warmer | 35.3°F |
| Avg High — July | 87.5°F ✓ Warmer | 80.7°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 52.2" | 33.3" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.3" ✓ Less | 63.8" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 149,960 | 370,365 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 36.3 | 36.3 |
| Homeownership Rate | 55.6% ✓ Higher | 40.9% |
| Under 18 | 16.7% | 21.2% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 16.3% ✓ More | 14.6% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Charleston's cost of living index is 102.4 vs Cleveland's 88.4 (US average = 100).
Cleveland is 14% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, Charleston leads 16 of 22 categories. Charleston wins 16 and Cleveland wins 6. 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 Charleston to Cleveland or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($438,900 vs $87,400 median home), income ($83,891 vs $37,271), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Charleston, SC and Cleveland, OH are about 605 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.