Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Charleston, SC
VS
New Haven, CT
🏆 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
New Haven
Connecticut
7
wins
Cost of Living Index
98.6 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$54,305
Violent Crime Index
141⚠ High
Population
135,736
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Charleston, SC
Pros
Households earn $29,586 more per year on average
33% less violent crime than New Haven
Stronger job market — unemployment is 4.1 pts lower (3.7%)
More college-educated — 57.4% hold a bachelor's or higher
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 4% higher than New Haven
New Haven, CT
Pros
Homes cost $202k less ($236,500 vs $438,900)
Rent averages $115/mo less ($1,402 vs $1,517)
Cooler summers — July highs near 82°F vs 88°F
4% cheaper overall cost of living than Charleston
Cons
Median income trails Charleston by $29,586/yr
Violent crime (534.8/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (3587.1/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (7.8% vs 3.7%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Charleston
Median Income
$29,586
$83,891 vs $54,305/yr
Charleston
Violent Crime
33% lower
357.6 vs 534.8 per 100k
Charleston
Unemployment
4.1 pp lower
3.7% vs 7.8% unemployment
Charleston
Summer Heat
5.4°F warmer
July avg high 87.5°F vs 82.1°F
New Haven
Cost of Living
4% cheaper
COL index 98.6 vs 102.4 (100 = US avg)
New Haven
Median Home Value
$202k less
$236,500 vs $438,900
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Charleston, SC | New Haven, CT |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 102.4⚠ High | 98.6 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $438,900⚠ High | $236,500 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,517⚠ High | $1,402⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $83,891 ✓ Higher | $54,305 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.7% ✓ Lower | 7.8%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 23.0 min | 21.7 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 14.6% ✓ Higher | 11.6% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 95 ✓ Safer | 153⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 94 ✓ Safer | 141⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 96 ✓ Safer | 171⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (121) ✓ Better | B+ (107) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 13.0:1 | 12.0:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 57.4% ✓ Higher | 38.5% |
| High School or Higher | 95.7% ✓ Higher | 85.7% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Charleston 01 | New Haven School District |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 58.0°F ✓ Warmer | 38.1°F |
| Avg High — July | 87.5°F ✓ Warmer | 82.1°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 52.2" | 41.8" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.3" ✓ Less | 33.6" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 149,960 ✓ Larger | 135,736 |
| Median Age | 36.3 ✓ Older | 31.0 |
| Homeownership Rate | 55.6% ✓ Higher | 28.6% |
| Under 18 | 16.7% | 22.0% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 16.3% ✓ More | 10.8% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Charleston's cost of living index is 102.4 vs New Haven's 98.6 (US average = 100).
New Haven is 4% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Charleston leads 16 of 23 categories. Charleston wins 16 and New Haven 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 New Haven or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($438,900 vs $236,500 median home), income ($83,891 vs $54,305), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Charleston, SC and New Haven, CT are about 703 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.