Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Charleston, SC
VS
Overland Park, KS
🏆 Overland Park leads 19 of 23 categories
Charleston
South Carolina
4
wins
Cost of Living Index
102.4⚠ High
Median Household Income
$83,891
Violent Crime Index
94
Population
149,960
Overland Park
Kansas
19
wins
Cost of Living Index
93.3 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$100,876 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
49 ✓ Safer
Population
196,676 ✓ Larger
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
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $438,900
Median income trails Overland Park by $16,985/yr
Higher rents — median is $1,517/mo
Cost of living runs 9% higher than Overland Park
Overland Park, KS
Pros
48% less violent crime than Charleston
Violent crime is well below the national average (184.4 vs 380/100k)
Homes cost $77k less ($361,800 vs $438,900)
Households earn $16,985 more per year on average
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.5 pts lower (3.2%)
Rent averages $139/mo less ($1,378 vs $1,517)
Cons
Nothing stands out — a close match here.
Key Differences at a Glance
Overland Park
Cost of Living
9% cheaper
COL index 93.3 vs 102.4 (100 = US avg)
Overland Park
Median Income
$16,985
$100,876 vs $83,891/yr
Overland Park
Violent Crime
48% lower
184.4 vs 357.6 per 100k
Overland Park
Median Home Value
$77k less
$361,800 vs $438,900
Overland Park
Unemployment
0.5 pp lower
3.2% vs 3.7% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Charleston, SC | Overland Park, 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 | $361,800⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,517⚠ High | $1,378⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $83,891 | $100,876 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.7% | 3.2% ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 23.0 min | 19.9 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 14.6% | 19.5% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 95 | 63 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 94 | 49 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 96 | 84 ✓ 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 ✓ Smaller | 13.3:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 57.4% | 62.5% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 95.7% | 97.2% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Charleston 01 | Blue Valley |
| 🌤 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" | 40.6" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.3" ✓ Less | 13.8" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 149,960 | 196,676 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 36.3 | 38.4 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 55.6% | 62.4% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 16.7% | 22.0% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 16.3% ✓ More | 16.1% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Charleston's cost of living index is 102.4 vs Overland Park's 93.3 (US average = 100).
Overland Park is 9% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Overland Park leads 19 of 23 categories. Charleston wins 4 and Overland Park wins 19. 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 Overland Park or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($438,900 vs $361,800 median home), income ($83,891 vs $100,876), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Charleston, SC and Overland Park, KS are about 923 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.