Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Charleston, SC
VS
Olathe, KS
🏆 Olathe leads 16 of 22 categories
Charleston
South Carolina
6
wins
Cost of Living Index
102.4⚠ High
Median Household Income
$83,891
Violent Crime Index
94
Population
149,960 ✓ Larger
Olathe
Kansas
16
wins
Cost of Living Index
93.3 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$108,077 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
52 ✓ Safer
Population
142,114
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Charleston, SC
Pros
Milder winters — January highs near 58°F vs 39°F
More college-educated — 57.4% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $438,900
Median income trails Olathe by $24,186/yr
Higher rents — median is $1,517/mo
Cost of living runs 9% higher than Olathe
Olathe, KS
Pros
45% less violent crime than Charleston
Homes cost $121k less ($317,900 vs $438,900)
Households earn $24,186 more per year on average
Rent averages $288/mo less ($1,229 vs $1,517)
Violent crime is well below the national average (196.0 vs 380/100k)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.5 pts lower (3.2%)
Cons
Nothing stands out — a close match here.
Key Differences at a Glance
Olathe
Cost of Living
9% cheaper
COL index 93.3 vs 102.4 (100 = US avg)
Olathe
Median Income
$24,186
$108,077 vs $83,891/yr
Olathe
Violent Crime
45% lower
196.0 vs 357.6 per 100k
Olathe
Median Home Value
$121k less
$317,900 vs $438,900
Olathe
Unemployment
0.5 pp lower
3.2% vs 3.7% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Charleston, SC | Olathe, KS |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 102.4⚠ High | 93.3 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $438,900⚠ High | $317,900⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,517⚠ High | $1,229 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $83,891 | $108,077 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.7% | 3.2% ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 23.0 min | 21.5 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 14.6% | 16.3% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 95 | 49 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 94 | 52 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 96 | 45 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (121) | A (125) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 13.0:1 | 4.7:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 57.4% ✓ Higher | 50.9% |
| High School or Higher | 95.7% ✓ Higher | 94.7% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Charleston 01 | School for Deaf |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 58.0°F ✓ Warmer | 38.7°F |
| Avg High — July | 87.5°F | 88.2°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 52.2" | 40.7" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.3" ✓ Less | 13.8" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 149,960 ✓ Larger | 142,114 |
| Median Age | 36.3 | 36.3 |
| Homeownership Rate | 55.6% | 73.5% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 16.7% | 26.8% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 16.3% ✓ More | 12.6% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Charleston's cost of living index is 102.4 vs Olathe's 93.3 (US average = 100).
Olathe is 9% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, Olathe leads 16 of 22 categories. Charleston wins 6 and Olathe wins 16. 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 Olathe or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($438,900 vs $317,900 median home), income ($83,891 vs $108,077), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Charleston, SC and Olathe, KS are about 929 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.