Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Charleston, SC
VS
Edinburg, TX
🏆 Edinburg leads 12 of 23 categories
Charleston
South Carolina
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
102.4⚠ High
Median Household Income
$83,891 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
94
Population
149,960 ✓ Larger
Edinburg
Texas
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
85.6 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$54,139
Violent Crime Index
71 ✓ Safer
Population
100,964
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Charleston, SC
Pros
Households earn $29,752 more per year on average
Stronger job market — unemployment is 3.5 pts lower (3.7%)
More college-educated — 57.4% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cooler summers — July highs near 88°F vs 97°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 17% higher than Edinburg
Edinburg, TX
Pros
Homes cost $279k less ($159,600 vs $438,900)
Rent averages $597/mo less ($920 vs $1,517)
25% less violent crime than Charleston
17% cheaper overall cost of living than Charleston
Commutes run 3 min shorter each way
Milder winters — January highs near 70°F vs 58°F
Cons
Median income trails Charleston by $29,752/yr
Higher unemployment (7.2% vs 3.7%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Charleston
Median Income
$29,752
$83,891 vs $54,139/yr
Charleston
Unemployment
3.5 pp lower
3.7% vs 7.2% unemployment
Edinburg
Cost of Living
17% cheaper
COL index 85.6 vs 102.4 (100 = US avg)
Edinburg
Violent Crime
25% lower
269.6 vs 357.6 per 100k
Edinburg
Median Home Value
$279k less
$159,600 vs $438,900
Edinburg
Summer Heat
9.2°F warmer
July avg high 96.7°F vs 87.5°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Charleston, SC | Edinburg, TX |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 102.4⚠ High | 85.6 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $438,900⚠ High | $159,600 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,517⚠ High | $920 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $83,891 ✓ Higher | $54,139 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.7% ✓ Lower | 7.2%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 23.0 min | 19.8 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 14.6% ✓ Higher | 9.3% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 95 | 76 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 94 | 71 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 96 | 84 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (121) ✓ Better | B- (95) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 13.0:1 ✓ Smaller | 14.7:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 57.4% ✓ Higher | 28.4% |
| High School or Higher | 95.7% ✓ Higher | 79.8% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Charleston 01 | EDINBURG CISD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 58.0°F | 70.2°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 87.5°F | 96.7°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 52.2" | 26.0" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.3" | 0.2" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 149,960 ✓ Larger | 100,964 |
| Median Age | 36.3 ✓ Older | 29.9 |
| Homeownership Rate | 55.6% ✓ Higher | 53.6% |
| Under 18 | 16.7% | 27.7% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 16.3% ✓ More | 9.5% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Charleston's cost of living index is 102.4 vs Edinburg's 85.6 (US average = 100).
Edinburg is 17% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Edinburg leads 12 of 23 categories. Charleston wins 11 and Edinburg wins 12. 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 Edinburg or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($438,900 vs $159,600 median home), income ($83,891 vs $54,139), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Charleston, SC and Edinburg, TX are about 1,180 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.