Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Charleston, SC
VS
Odessa, TX
🏆 It's a dead heat — 10 categories each
Charleston
South Carolina
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
102.4⚠ High
Median Household Income
$83,891 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
94
Population
149,960 ✓ Larger
Odessa
Texas
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
92.1 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$71,293
Violent Crime Index
83 ✓ Safer
Population
113,353
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
Stronger job market — unemployment is 2.4 pts lower (3.7%)
Households earn $12,598 more per year on average
Cooler summers — July highs near 88°F vs 94°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $438,900
Higher rents — median is $1,517/mo
Cost of living runs 10% higher than Odessa
Odessa, TX
Pros
Homes cost $245k less ($193,500 vs $438,900)
12% less violent crime than Charleston
Rent averages $235/mo less ($1,282 vs $1,517)
10% cheaper overall cost of living than Charleston
Living costs sit below the national average (index 92.1)
Cons
Median income trails Charleston by $12,598/yr
Higher unemployment (6.1% vs 3.7%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Charleston
Median Income
$12,598
$83,891 vs $71,293/yr
Charleston
Unemployment
2.4 pp lower
3.7% vs 6.1% unemployment
Odessa
Cost of Living
10% cheaper
COL index 92.1 vs 102.4 (100 = US avg)
Odessa
Violent Crime
12% lower
316.3 vs 357.6 per 100k
Odessa
Median Home Value
$245k less
$193,500 vs $438,900
Odessa
Summer Heat
6.5°F warmer
July avg high 94.0°F vs 87.5°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Charleston, SC | Odessa, TX |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 102.4⚠ High | 92.1 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $438,900⚠ High | $193,500 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,517⚠ High | $1,282 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $83,891 ✓ Higher | $71,293 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.7% ✓ Lower | 6.1%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 23.0 min | 23.0 min |
| Work From Home % | 14.6% ✓ Higher | 3.2% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 95 | 85 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 94 | 83 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 96 | 88 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (121) | — |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 13.0:1 | — |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 57.4% ✓ Higher | 18.4% |
| High School or Higher | 95.7% ✓ Higher | 81.0% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Charleston 01 | UTPB STEM ACADEMY |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 58.0°F ✓ Warmer | 56.9°F |
| Avg High — July | 87.5°F | 94.0°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 52.2" | 12.3" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.3" ✓ Less | 0.9" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 149,960 ✓ Larger | 113,353 |
| Median Age | 36.3 ✓ Older | 30.7 |
| Homeownership Rate | 55.6% | 59.1% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 16.7% | 29.4% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 16.3% ✓ More | 9.9% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Charleston's cost of living index is 102.4 vs Odessa's 92.1 (US average = 100).
Odessa is 10% less expensive overall.
Based on the 20 decided categories above, It's a dead heat — 10 categories each. Charleston wins 10 and Odessa wins 10. 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 Odessa or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($438,900 vs $193,500 median home), income ($83,891 vs $71,293), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Charleston, SC and Odessa, TX are about 1,305 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.