Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Charleston, SC
VS
Concord, NC
🏆 Charleston leads 12 of 23 categories
Charleston
South Carolina
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
102.4⚠ High
Median Household Income
$83,891 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
94
Population
149,960 ✓ Larger
Concord
North Carolina
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
97.0 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$83,480
Violent Crime Index
42 ✓ Safer
Population
105,335
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Charleston, SC
Pros
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.0 pts lower (3.7%)
More college-educated — 57.4% hold a bachelor's or higher
Commutes run 4 min shorter each way
Milder winters — January highs near 58°F vs 53°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 5% higher than Concord
Concord, NC
Pros
Homes cost $151k less ($288,100 vs $438,900)
56% less violent crime than Charleston
Violent crime is well below the national average (159.0 vs 380/100k)
Rent averages $258/mo less ($1,259 vs $1,517)
5% cheaper overall cost of living than Charleston
Cons
Higher unemployment (4.7% vs 3.7%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Charleston
Unemployment
1.0 pp lower
3.7% vs 4.7% unemployment
Concord
Cost of Living
5% cheaper
COL index 97.0 vs 102.4 (100 = US avg)
Concord
Violent Crime
56% lower
159.0 vs 357.6 per 100k
Concord
Median Home Value
$151k less
$288,100 vs $438,900
Concord
Summer Heat
4.3°F warmer
July avg high 91.8°F vs 87.5°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Charleston, SC | Concord, NC |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 102.4⚠ High | 97.0 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $438,900⚠ High | $288,100 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,517⚠ High | $1,259 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $83,891 ✓ Higher | $83,480 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.7% ✓ Lower | 4.7%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 23.0 min ✓ Shorter | 27.3 min |
| Work From Home % | 14.6% ✓ Higher | 14.2% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 95 | 46 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 94 | 42 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 96 | 53 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (121) ✓ Better | B+ (106) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 13.0:1 ✓ Smaller | 16.4:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 57.4% ✓ Higher | 40.8% |
| High School or Higher | 95.7% ✓ Higher | 91.2% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Charleston 01 | Cabarrus County Schools |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 58.0°F ✓ Warmer | 52.8°F |
| Avg High — July | 87.5°F | 91.8°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 52.2" | 47.0" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.3" ✓ Less | 3.3" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 149,960 ✓ Larger | 105,335 |
| Median Age | 36.3 | 37.3 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 55.6% | 69.4% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 16.7% | 25.4% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 16.3% ✓ More | 12.3% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Charleston's cost of living index is 102.4 vs Concord's 97.0 (US average = 100).
Concord is 5% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Charleston leads 12 of 23 categories. Charleston wins 12 and Concord wins 11. 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 Concord or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($438,900 vs $288,100 median home), income ($83,891 vs $83,480), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Charleston, SC and Concord, NC are about 181 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.