Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Charleston, SC
VS
Montgomery, AL
🏆 Charleston leads 14 of 22 categories
Charleston
South Carolina
14
wins
Cost of Living Index
102.4⚠ High
Median Household Income
$83,891 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
94 ✓ Safer
Population
149,960
Montgomery
Alabama
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
90.8 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$54,166
Violent Crime Index
156⚠ High
Population
199,819 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Charleston, SC
Pros
Households earn $29,725 more per year on average
40% less violent crime than Montgomery
Stronger job market — unemployment is 3.5 pts lower (3.7%)
More college-educated — 57.4% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cooler summers — July highs near 88°F vs 94°F
Smaller class sizes — 13.0:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $438,900
Higher rents — median is $1,517/mo
Cost of living runs 12% higher than Montgomery
Montgomery, AL
Pros
Homes cost $297k less ($141,900 vs $438,900)
Rent averages $491/mo less ($1,026 vs $1,517)
12% cheaper overall cost of living than Charleston
Commutes run 3 min shorter each way
Living costs sit below the national average (index 90.8)
Cons
Median income trails Charleston by $29,725/yr
Violent crime (594.6/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Higher unemployment (7.2% vs 3.7%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Charleston
Median Income
$29,725
$83,891 vs $54,166/yr
Charleston
Violent Crime
40% lower
357.6 vs 594.6 per 100k
Charleston
Unemployment
3.5 pp lower
3.7% vs 7.2% unemployment
Montgomery
Cost of Living
12% cheaper
COL index 90.8 vs 102.4 (100 = US avg)
Montgomery
Median Home Value
$297k less
$141,900 vs $438,900
Montgomery
Summer Heat
6.7°F warmer
July avg high 94.2°F vs 87.5°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Charleston, SC | Montgomery, AL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 102.4⚠ High | 90.8 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $438,900⚠ High | $141,900 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,517⚠ High | $1,026 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $83,891 ✓ Higher | $54,166 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.7% ✓ Lower | 7.2%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 23.0 min | 19.9 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 14.6% ✓ Higher | 6.3% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 95 ✓ Safer | 136⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 94 ✓ Safer | 156⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 96 ✓ Safer | 106⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (121) ✓ Better | B- (93) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 13.0:1 ✓ Smaller | 17.6:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 57.4% ✓ Higher | 33.1% |
| High School or Higher | 95.7% ✓ Higher | 87.6% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Charleston 01 | Montgomery County |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 58.0°F | 60.2°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 87.5°F | 94.2°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 52.2" ✓ Drier | 54.6" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.3" | 0.3" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 149,960 | 199,819 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 36.3 ✓ Older | 36.1 |
| Homeownership Rate | 55.6% ✓ Higher | 53.5% |
| Under 18 | 16.7% | 23.7% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 16.3% ✓ More | 15.3% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Charleston's cost of living index is 102.4 vs Montgomery's 90.8 (US average = 100).
Montgomery is 12% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, Charleston leads 14 of 22 categories. Charleston wins 14 and Montgomery wins 8. 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 Montgomery or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($438,900 vs $141,900 median home), income ($83,891 vs $54,166), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Charleston, SC and Montgomery, AL are about 368 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.