Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Charleston, SC
VS
Miami, FL
🏆 Charleston leads 15 of 22 categories
Charleston
South Carolina
15
wins
Cost of Living Index
102.4⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$83,891 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
94 ✓ Safer
Population
149,960
Miami
Florida
7
wins
Cost of Living Index
111.8⚠ High
Median Household Income
$54,858
Violent Crime Index
125⚠ High
Population
443,665 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Charleston, SC
Pros
Households earn $29,033 more per year on average
24% less violent crime than Miami
More college-educated — 57.4% hold a bachelor's or higher
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.3 pts lower (3.7%)
Commutes run 5 min shorter each way
9% cheaper overall cost of living than Miami
Cons
Nothing stands out — a close match here.
Miami, FL
Pros
Milder winters — January highs near 74°F vs 58°F
Cons
Median income trails Charleston by $29,033/yr
Violent crime (473.3/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (2995.1/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 111.8)
Key Differences at a Glance
Charleston
Cost of Living
9% cheaper
COL index 102.4 vs 111.8 (100 = US avg)
Charleston
Median Income
$29,033
$83,891 vs $54,858/yr
Charleston
Violent Crime
24% lower
357.6 vs 473.3 per 100k
Charleston
Unemployment
1.3 pp lower
3.7% vs 5.0% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Charleston, SC | Miami, FL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 102.4⚠ High ✓ Cheaper | 111.8⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $438,900⚠ High | $433,900⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,517⚠ High | $1,494⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $83,891 ✓ Higher | $54,858 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.7% ✓ Lower | 5.0%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 23.0 min ✓ Shorter | 28.2 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 14.6% ✓ Higher | 11.9% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 95 ✓ Safer | 132⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 94 ✓ Safer | 125⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 96 ✓ Safer | 143⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (121) ✓ Better | B- (96) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 13.0:1 ✓ Smaller | 19.4:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 57.4% ✓ Higher | 34.2% |
| High School or Higher | 95.7% ✓ Higher | 78.8% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Charleston 01 | MIAMI-DADE |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 58.0°F | 73.6°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 87.5°F | 87.8°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 52.2" ✓ Drier | 57.2" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.3" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 149,960 | 443,665 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 36.3 | 39.7 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 55.6% ✓ Higher | 30.1% |
| Under 18 | 16.7% ✓ More | 16.5% |
| Over 65 | 16.3% | 16.3% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Charleston's cost of living index is 102.4 vs Miami's 111.8 (US average = 100).
Charleston is 9% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, Charleston leads 15 of 22 categories. Charleston wins 15 and Miami 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 Miami or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($438,900 vs $433,900 median home), income ($83,891 vs $54,858), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Charleston, SC and Miami, FL are about 488 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.