Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Charleston, SC
VS
Hillsboro, OR
🏆 Charleston leads 18 of 23 categories
Charleston
South Carolina
18
wins
Cost of Living Index
102.4⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$83,891
Violent Crime Index
94
Population
149,960 ✓ Larger
Hillsboro
Oregon
5
wins
Cost of Living Index
106.6⚠ High
Median Household Income
$98,891 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
84 ✓ Safer
Population
106,612
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Charleston, SC
Pros
Rent averages $280/mo less ($1,517 vs $1,797)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.9 pts lower (3.7%)
More college-educated — 57.4% hold a bachelor's or higher
Milder winters — January highs near 58°F vs 47°F
Smaller class sizes — 13.0:1 student-teacher ratio
4% cheaper overall cost of living than Hillsboro
Cons
Median income trails Hillsboro by $15,000/yr
Hillsboro, OR
Pros
11% less violent crime than Charleston
Households earn $15,000 more per year on average
Cooler summers — July highs near 82°F vs 88°F
Cons
Higher rents — median is $1,797/mo
Higher unemployment (4.6% vs 3.7%)
Cost of living runs 4% higher than Charleston
Key Differences at a Glance
Charleston
Cost of Living
4% cheaper
COL index 102.4 vs 106.6 (100 = US avg)
Charleston
Median Home Value
$13k less
$438,900 vs $452,300
Charleston
Unemployment
0.9 pp lower
3.7% vs 4.6% unemployment
Charleston
Summer Heat
5.4°F warmer
July avg high 87.5°F vs 82.1°F
Hillsboro
Median Income
$15,000
$98,891 vs $83,891/yr
Hillsboro
Violent Crime
11% lower
317.7 vs 357.6 per 100k
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Charleston, SC | Hillsboro, OR |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 102.4⚠ High ✓ Cheaper | 106.6⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $438,900⚠ High ✓ Lower | $452,300⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,517⚠ High ✓ Lower | $1,797⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $83,891 | $98,891 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.7% ✓ Lower | 4.6%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 23.0 min ✓ Shorter | 23.1 min |
| Work From Home % | 14.6% | 17.4% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 95 ✓ Safer | 96 |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 94 | 84 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 96 ✓ Safer | 116⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (121) ✓ Better | B (101) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 13.0:1 ✓ Smaller | 19.2:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 57.4% ✓ Higher | 41.7% |
| High School or Higher | 95.7% ✓ Higher | 90.8% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Charleston 01 | Hillsboro SD 1J |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 58.0°F ✓ Warmer | 47.3°F |
| Avg High — July | 87.5°F ✓ Warmer | 82.1°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 52.2" | 35.9" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.3" ✓ Less | 2.7" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 149,960 ✓ Larger | 106,612 |
| Median Age | 36.3 ✓ Older | 34.5 |
| Homeownership Rate | 55.6% ✓ Higher | 50.5% |
| Under 18 | 16.7% | 21.8% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 16.3% ✓ More | 11.2% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Charleston's cost of living index is 102.4 vs Hillsboro's 106.6 (US average = 100).
Charleston is 4% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Charleston leads 18 of 23 categories. Charleston wins 18 and Hillsboro wins 5. 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 Hillsboro or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($438,900 vs $452,300 median home), income ($83,891 vs $98,891), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Charleston, SC and Hillsboro, OR are about 2,429 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.