Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Charleston, SC
VS
Lawrence, KS
🏆 Charleston leads 16 of 23 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 ✓ Larger
Lawrence
Kansas
7
wins
Cost of Living Index
91.0 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$59,834
Violent Crime Index
121⚠ High
Population
95,103
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Charleston, SC
Pros
Households earn $24,057 more per year on average
23% less violent crime than Lawrence
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.5 pts lower (3.7%)
Milder winters — January highs near 58°F vs 38°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $438,900
Higher rents — median is $1,517/mo
Cost of living runs 11% higher than Lawrence
Lawrence, KS
Pros
Homes cost $192k less ($247,300 vs $438,900)
Rent averages $479/mo less ($1,038 vs $1,517)
11% cheaper overall cost of living than Charleston
Commutes run 4 min shorter each way
Living costs sit below the national average (index 91.0)
Cons
Median income trails Charleston by $24,057/yr
Violent crime (461.5/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Higher unemployment (5.2% vs 3.7%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Charleston
Median Income
$24,057
$83,891 vs $59,834/yr
Charleston
Violent Crime
23% lower
357.6 vs 461.5 per 100k
Charleston
Unemployment
1.5 pp lower
3.7% vs 5.2% unemployment
Lawrence
Cost of Living
11% cheaper
COL index 91.0 vs 102.4 (100 = US avg)
Lawrence
Median Home Value
$192k less
$247,300 vs $438,900
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Charleston, SC | Lawrence, KS |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 102.4⚠ High | 91.0 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $438,900⚠ High | $247,300 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,517⚠ High | $1,038 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $83,891 ✓ Higher | $59,834 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.7% ✓ Lower | 5.2%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 23.0 min | 19.3 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 14.6% ✓ Higher | 11.7% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 95 ✓ Safer | 114⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 94 ✓ Safer | 121⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 96 ✓ Safer | 103⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (121) ✓ Better | A- (116) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 13.0:1 ✓ Smaller | 14.4:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 57.4% ✓ Higher | 55.5% |
| High School or Higher | 95.7% | 95.9% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Charleston 01 | Lawrence |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 58.0°F ✓ Warmer | 38.3°F |
| Avg High — July | 87.5°F | 88.6°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 52.2" | 39.4" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.3" ✓ Less | 10.4" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 149,960 ✓ Larger | 95,103 |
| Median Age | 36.3 ✓ Older | 28.8 |
| Homeownership Rate | 55.6% ✓ Higher | 43.7% |
| Under 18 | 16.7% ✓ More | 16.3% |
| Over 65 | 16.3% ✓ More | 12.4% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Charleston's cost of living index is 102.4 vs Lawrence's 91.0 (US average = 100).
Lawrence is 11% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Charleston leads 16 of 23 categories. Charleston wins 16 and Lawrence wins 7. 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 Lawrence or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($438,900 vs $247,300 median home), income ($83,891 vs $59,834), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Charleston, SC and Lawrence, KS are about 953 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.