Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Charleston, SC
VS
Meridian, ID
🏆 Meridian 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
Meridian
Idaho
15
wins
Cost of Living Index
93.4 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$93,296 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
39 ✓ Safer
Population
119,872
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Charleston, SC
Pros
More college-educated — 57.4% hold a bachelor's or higher
Milder winters — January highs near 58°F vs 39°F
Cooler summers — July highs near 88°F vs 93°F
Smaller class sizes — 13.0:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Meridian by $9,405/yr
Cost of living runs 9% higher than Meridian
Meridian, ID
Pros
59% less violent crime than Charleston
Violent crime is well below the national average (146.8 vs 380/100k)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.0 pts lower (2.7%)
Households earn $9,405 more per year on average
9% cheaper overall cost of living than Charleston
Living costs sit below the national average (index 93.4)
Cons
Nothing stands out — a close match here.
Key Differences at a Glance
Meridian
Cost of Living
9% cheaper
COL index 93.4 vs 102.4 (100 = US avg)
Meridian
Median Income
$9,405
$93,296 vs $83,891/yr
Meridian
Violent Crime
59% lower
146.8 vs 357.6 per 100k
Meridian
Median Home Value
$13k less
$425,800 vs $438,900
Meridian
Unemployment
1.0 pp lower
2.7% vs 3.7% unemployment
Meridian
Summer Heat
5.2°F warmer
July avg high 92.7°F vs 87.5°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Charleston, SC | Meridian, ID |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 102.4⚠ High | 93.4 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $438,900⚠ High | $425,800⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,517⚠ High ✓ Lower | $1,548⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $83,891 | $93,296 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.7% | 2.7% ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 23.0 min | 22.1 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 14.6% | 14.8% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 95 | 34 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 94 | 39 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 96 | 27 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (121) ✓ Better | B (103) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 13.0:1 ✓ Smaller | 18.4:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 57.4% ✓ Higher | 43.5% |
| High School or Higher | 95.7% | 96.1% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Charleston 01 | JOINT SCHOOL DISTRICT NO. 2 |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 58.0°F ✓ Warmer | 38.8°F |
| Avg High — July | 87.5°F | 92.7°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 52.2" | 12.4" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.3" ✓ Less | 18.3" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 149,960 ✓ Larger | 119,872 |
| Median Age | 36.3 | 37.1 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 55.6% | 76.3% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 16.7% | 27.1% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 16.3% ✓ More | 13.4% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Charleston's cost of living index is 102.4 vs Meridian's 93.4 (US average = 100).
Meridian is 9% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Meridian leads 15 of 23 categories. Charleston wins 8 and Meridian 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 Meridian or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($438,900 vs $425,800 median home), income ($83,891 vs $93,296), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Charleston, SC and Meridian, ID are about 2,093 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.