Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Charleston, SC
VS
Shreveport, LA
🏆 Charleston leads 12 of 23 categories
Charleston
South Carolina
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
102.4⚠ High
Median Household Income
$83,891 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
94 ✓ Safer
Population
149,960
Shreveport
Louisiana
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
87.1 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$45,967
Violent Crime Index
323⚠ High
Population
186,183 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Charleston, SC
Pros
Households earn $37,924 more per year on average
71% less violent crime than Shreveport
Stronger job market — unemployment is 5.5 pts lower (3.7%)
More college-educated — 57.4% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cooler summers — July highs near 88°F vs 94°F
Smaller class sizes — 13.0:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $438,900
Higher rents — median is $1,517/mo
Cost of living runs 15% higher than Shreveport
Shreveport, LA
Pros
Homes cost $270k less ($168,900 vs $438,900)
Rent averages $572/mo less ($945 vs $1,517)
15% cheaper overall cost of living than Charleston
Commutes run 4 min shorter each way
Living costs sit below the national average (index 87.1)
Cons
Median income trails Charleston by $37,924/yr
Violent crime (1228.5/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (3990.5/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (9.2% vs 3.7%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Charleston
Median Income
$37,924
$83,891 vs $45,967/yr
Charleston
Violent Crime
71% lower
357.6 vs 1228.5 per 100k
Charleston
Unemployment
5.5 pp lower
3.7% vs 9.2% unemployment
Shreveport
Cost of Living
15% cheaper
COL index 87.1 vs 102.4 (100 = US avg)
Shreveport
Median Home Value
$270k less
$168,900 vs $438,900
Shreveport
Summer Heat
6.8°F warmer
July avg high 94.3°F vs 87.5°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Charleston, SC | Shreveport, LA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 102.4⚠ High | 87.1 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $438,900⚠ High | $168,900 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,517⚠ High | $945 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $83,891 ✓ Higher | $45,967 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.7% ✓ Lower | 9.2%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 23.0 min | 19.2 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 14.6% ✓ Higher | 4.7% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 95 ✓ Safer | 270⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 94 ✓ Safer | 323⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 96 ✓ Safer | 190⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (121) ✓ Better | B- (94) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 13.0:1 ✓ Smaller | 15.2:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 57.4% ✓ Higher | 26.6% |
| High School or Higher | 95.7% ✓ Higher | 87.5% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Charleston 01 | Caddo Parish |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 58.0°F | 58.4°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 87.5°F | 94.3°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 52.2" | 51.4" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.3" ✓ Less | 0.9" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 149,960 | 186,183 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 36.3 | 37.1 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 55.6% ✓ Higher | 53.8% |
| Under 18 | 16.7% | 23.8% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 16.3% | 17.1% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Charleston's cost of living index is 102.4 vs Shreveport's 87.1 (US average = 100).
Shreveport is 15% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Charleston leads 12 of 23 categories. Charleston wins 12 and Shreveport wins 11. 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 Shreveport or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($438,900 vs $168,900 median home), income ($83,891 vs $45,967), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Charleston, SC and Shreveport, LA are about 804 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.