Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Charleston, SC
VS
Spokane Valley, WA
🏆 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
Spokane Valley
Washington
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
101.0⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$66,483
Violent Crime Index
64 ✓ Safer
Population
103,761
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
Households earn $17,408 more per year on average
Stronger job market — unemployment is 2.1 pts lower (3.7%)
Milder winters — January highs near 58°F vs 38°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
Spokane Valley, WA
Pros
Homes cost $131k less ($307,700 vs $438,900)
32% less violent crime than Charleston
Rent averages $342/mo less ($1,175 vs $1,517)
Violent crime is well below the national average (242.1 vs 380/100k)
Cons
Median income trails Charleston by $17,408/yr
Property crime (3515.6/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (5.8% vs 3.7%)
Snowy winters — about 45" of snow per year
Key Differences at a Glance
Charleston
Median Income
$17,408
$83,891 vs $66,483/yr
Charleston
Unemployment
2.1 pp lower
3.7% vs 5.8% unemployment
Spokane Valley
Cost of Living
1% cheaper
COL index 101.0 vs 102.4 (100 = US avg)
Spokane Valley
Violent Crime
32% lower
242.1 vs 357.6 per 100k
Spokane Valley
Median Home Value
$131k less
$307,700 vs $438,900
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Charleston, SC | Spokane Valley, WA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 102.4⚠ High | 101.0⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $438,900⚠ High | $307,700⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,517⚠ High | $1,175 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $83,891 ✓ Higher | $66,483 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.7% ✓ Lower | 5.8%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 23.0 min | 20.4 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 14.6% ✓ Higher | 10.4% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 95 ✓ Safer | 105⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 94 | 64 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 96 ✓ Safer | 167⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (121) ✓ Better | C+ (88) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 13.0:1 ✓ Smaller | 17.6:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 57.4% ✓ Higher | 25.3% |
| High School or Higher | 95.7% ✓ Higher | 94.2% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Charleston 01 | East Valley School District (Spokane) |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 58.0°F ✓ Warmer | 37.8°F |
| Avg High — July | 87.5°F ✓ Warmer | 87.1°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 52.2" | 17.4" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.3" ✓ Less | 45.4" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 149,960 ✓ Larger | 103,761 |
| Median Age | 36.3 | 37.4 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 55.6% | 57.7% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 16.7% | 21.7% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 16.3% | 17.5% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Charleston's cost of living index is 102.4 vs Spokane Valley's 101.0 (US average = 100).
Spokane Valley is 1% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Charleston leads 13 of 23 categories. Charleston wins 13 and Spokane Valley 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 Spokane Valley or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($438,900 vs $307,700 median home), income ($83,891 vs $66,483), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Charleston, SC and Spokane Valley, WA are about 2,188 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.