Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Charleston, SC
VS
Mount Pleasant, SC
🏆 Mount Pleasant leads 14 of 20 categories
Charleston
South Carolina
6
wins
Cost of Living Index
102.4⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$83,891
Violent Crime Index
94
Population
149,960 ✓ Larger
Mount Pleasant
South Carolina
14
wins
Cost of Living Index
105.9⚠ High
Median Household Income
$115,167 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
34 ✓ Safer
Population
90,945
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Charleston, SC
Pros
Homes cost $170k less ($438,900 vs $608,600)
Rent averages $384/mo less ($1,517 vs $1,901)
4% cheaper overall cost of living than Mount Pleasant
Cons
Median income trails Mount Pleasant by $31,276/yr
Mount Pleasant, SC
Pros
64% less violent crime than Charleston
Households earn $31,276 more per year on average
Violent crime is well below the national average (128.4 vs 380/100k)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.5 pts lower (3.2%)
More college-educated — 65.4% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $608,600
Higher rents — median is $1,901/mo
Cost of living runs 4% higher than Charleston
Key Differences at a Glance
Charleston
Cost of Living
4% cheaper
COL index 102.4 vs 105.9 (100 = US avg)
Charleston
Median Home Value
$170k less
$438,900 vs $608,600
Mount Pleasant
Median Income
$31,276
$115,167 vs $83,891/yr
Mount Pleasant
Violent Crime
64% lower
128.4 vs 357.6 per 100k
Mount Pleasant
Unemployment
0.5 pp lower
3.2% vs 3.7% unemployment
Mount Pleasant
Summer Heat
3.6°F warmer
July avg high 91.1°F vs 87.5°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Charleston, SC | Mount Pleasant, SC |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 102.4⚠ High ✓ Cheaper | 105.9⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $438,900⚠ High ✓ Lower | $608,600⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,517⚠ High ✓ Lower | $1,901⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $83,891 | $115,167 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.7% | 3.2% ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 23.0 min ✓ Shorter | 25.2 min |
| Work From Home % | 14.6% | 19.7% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 95 | 43 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 94 | 34 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 96 | 56 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (121) | A (121) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 13.0:1 | 13.0:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 57.4% | 65.4% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 95.7% | 97.7% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Charleston 01 | Charleston 01 |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 58.0°F | 59.2°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 87.5°F | 91.1°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 52.2" ✓ Drier | 54.3" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.3" | 0.3" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 149,960 ✓ Larger | 90,945 |
| Median Age | 36.3 | 42.4 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 55.6% | 72.5% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 16.7% | 22.5% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 16.3% | 17.5% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Charleston's cost of living index is 102.4 vs Mount Pleasant's 105.9 (US average = 100).
Charleston is 4% less expensive overall.
Based on the 20 decided categories above, Mount Pleasant leads 14 of 20 categories. Charleston wins 6 and Mount Pleasant wins 14. 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 Mount Pleasant or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($438,900 vs $608,600 median home), income ($83,891 vs $115,167), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Charleston, SC and Mount Pleasant, SC are about 6 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.