Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Charleston, SC
VS
Fishers, IN
🏆 Fishers leads 15 of 23 categories
Charleston
South Carolina
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
102.4⚠ High
Median Household Income
$83,891
Violent Crime Index
94
Population
149,960 ✓ Larger
Fishers
Indiana
15
wins
Cost of Living Index
94.6 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$126,548 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
19 ✓ Safer
Population
99,041
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Charleston, SC
Pros
Milder winters — January highs near 58°F vs 35°F
Commutes run 3 min shorter each way
Smaller class sizes — 13.0:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Fishers by $42,657/yr
Pricier housing — median home is $438,900
Cost of living runs 8% higher than Fishers
Fishers, IN
Pros
80% less violent crime than Charleston
Households earn $42,657 more per year on average
Homes cost $100k less ($339,000 vs $438,900)
Violent crime is well below the national average (72.9 vs 380/100k)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.2 pts lower (2.5%)
More college-educated — 65.7% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cons
Nothing stands out — a close match here.
Key Differences at a Glance
Charleston
Summer Heat
3.1°F warmer
July avg high 87.5°F vs 84.4°F
Fishers
Cost of Living
8% cheaper
COL index 94.6 vs 102.4 (100 = US avg)
Fishers
Median Income
$42,657
$126,548 vs $83,891/yr
Fishers
Violent Crime
80% lower
72.9 vs 357.6 per 100k
Fishers
Median Home Value
$100k less
$339,000 vs $438,900
Fishers
Unemployment
1.2 pp lower
2.5% vs 3.7% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Charleston, SC | Fishers, IN |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 102.4⚠ High | 94.6 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $438,900⚠ High | $339,000⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,517⚠ High | $1,478⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $83,891 | $126,548 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.7% | 2.5% ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 23.0 min ✓ Shorter | 26.3 min |
| Work From Home % | 14.6% | 18.8% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 95 | 24 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 94 | 19 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 96 | 31 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (121) ✓ Better | A (118) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 13.0:1 ✓ Smaller | 17.5:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 57.4% | 65.7% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 95.7% | 98.0% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Charleston 01 | Hamilton Southeastern Schools |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 58.0°F ✓ Warmer | 34.5°F |
| Avg High — July | 87.5°F ✓ Warmer | 84.4°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 52.2" | 45.9" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.3" ✓ Less | 26.7" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 149,960 ✓ Larger | 99,041 |
| Median Age | 36.3 | 37.1 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 55.6% | 77.1% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 16.7% | 27.4% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 16.3% ✓ More | 10.7% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Charleston's cost of living index is 102.4 vs Fishers's 94.6 (US average = 100).
Fishers is 8% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Fishers leads 15 of 23 categories. Charleston wins 8 and Fishers 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 Charleston to Fishers or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($438,900 vs $339,000 median home), income ($83,891 vs $126,548), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Charleston, SC and Fishers, IN are about 595 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.