Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Charleston, SC
VS
Provo, UT
🏆 Charleston leads 13 of 23 categories
Charleston
South Carolina
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
102.4⚠ High
Median Household Income
$83,891 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
94
Population
149,960 ✓ Larger
Provo
Utah
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
95.8 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$57,943
Violent Crime Index
54 ✓ Safer
Population
114,400
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Charleston, SC
Pros
Households earn $25,948 more per year on average
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.7 pts lower (3.7%)
More college-educated — 57.4% hold a bachelor's or higher
Milder winters — January highs near 58°F vs 41°F
Cooler summers — July highs near 88°F vs 95°F
Smaller class sizes — 13.0:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Higher rents — median is $1,517/mo
Pricier housing — median home is $438,900
Cost of living runs 7% higher than Provo
Provo, UT
Pros
42% less violent crime than Charleston
Rent averages $428/mo less ($1,089 vs $1,517)
Violent crime is well below the national average (206.6 vs 380/100k)
Homes cost $47k less ($391,500 vs $438,900)
Commutes run 5 min shorter each way
7% cheaper overall cost of living than Charleston
Cons
Median income trails Charleston by $25,948/yr
Higher unemployment (4.4% vs 3.7%)
Snowy winters — about 45" of snow per year
Key Differences at a Glance
Charleston
Median Income
$25,948
$83,891 vs $57,943/yr
Charleston
Unemployment
0.7 pp lower
3.7% vs 4.4% unemployment
Provo
Cost of Living
7% cheaper
COL index 95.8 vs 102.4 (100 = US avg)
Provo
Violent Crime
42% lower
206.6 vs 357.6 per 100k
Provo
Median Home Value
$47k less
$391,500 vs $438,900
Provo
Summer Heat
7.7°F warmer
July avg high 95.2°F vs 87.5°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Charleston, SC | Provo, UT |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 102.4⚠ High | 95.8 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $438,900⚠ High | $391,500⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,517⚠ High | $1,089 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $83,891 ✓ Higher | $57,943 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.7% ✓ Lower | 4.4%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 23.0 min | 18.4 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 14.6% ✓ Higher | 12.5% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 95 | 57 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 94 | 54 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 96 | 61 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (121) ✓ Better | B (102) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 13.0:1 ✓ Smaller | 20.9:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 57.4% ✓ Higher | 44.4% |
| High School or Higher | 95.7% ✓ Higher | 92.8% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Charleston 01 | Provo District |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 58.0°F ✓ Warmer | 41.2°F |
| Avg High — July | 87.5°F | 95.2°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 52.2" | 17.2" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.3" ✓ Less | 44.9" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 149,960 ✓ Larger | 114,400 |
| Median Age | 36.3 ✓ Older | 23.6 |
| Homeownership Rate | 55.6% ✓ Higher | 39.1% |
| Under 18 | 16.7% | 18.9% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 16.3% ✓ More | 6.4% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Charleston's cost of living index is 102.4 vs Provo's 95.8 (US average = 100).
Provo is 7% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Charleston leads 13 of 23 categories. Charleston wins 13 and Provo 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 Provo or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($438,900 vs $391,500 median home), income ($83,891 vs $57,943), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Charleston, SC and Provo, UT are about 1,821 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.