Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Charleston, SC
VS
Syracuse, NY
🏆 Charleston leads 16 of 23 categories
Charleston
South Carolina
16
wins
Cost of Living Index
102.4⚠ High
Median Household Income
$83,891 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
94 ✓ Safer
Population
149,960 ✓ Larger
Syracuse
New York
7
wins
Cost of Living Index
95.2 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$43,584
Violent Crime Index
201⚠ High
Population
146,134
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Charleston, SC
Pros
Households earn $40,307 more per year on average
53% less violent crime than Syracuse
Stronger job market — unemployment is 4.9 pts lower (3.7%)
More college-educated — 57.4% hold a bachelor's or higher
Milder winters — January highs near 58°F vs 32°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $438,900
Higher rents — median is $1,517/mo
Cost of living runs 7% higher than Syracuse
Syracuse, NY
Pros
Homes cost $321k less ($117,900 vs $438,900)
Rent averages $585/mo less ($932 vs $1,517)
Commutes run 5 min shorter each way
7% cheaper overall cost of living than Charleston
Cooler summers — July highs near 82°F vs 88°F
Smaller class sizes — 10.9:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Charleston by $40,307/yr
Violent crime (765.3/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (4234.2/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (8.6% vs 3.7%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Charleston
Median Income
$40,307
$83,891 vs $43,584/yr
Charleston
Violent Crime
53% lower
357.6 vs 765.3 per 100k
Charleston
Unemployment
4.9 pp lower
3.7% vs 8.6% unemployment
Charleston
Summer Heat
5.8°F warmer
July avg high 87.5°F vs 81.7°F
Syracuse
Cost of Living
7% cheaper
COL index 95.2 vs 102.4 (100 = US avg)
Syracuse
Median Home Value
$321k less
$117,900 vs $438,900
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Charleston, SC | Syracuse, NY |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 102.4⚠ High | 95.2 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $438,900⚠ High | $117,900 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,517⚠ High | $932 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $83,891 ✓ Higher | $43,584 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.7% ✓ Lower | 8.6%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 23.0 min | 17.6 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 14.6% ✓ Higher | 9.3% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 95 ✓ Safer | 201⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 94 ✓ Safer | 201⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 96 ✓ Safer | 202⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (121) ✓ Better | B (98) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 13.0:1 | 10.9:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 57.4% ✓ Higher | 29.7% |
| High School or Higher | 95.7% ✓ Higher | 84.5% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Charleston 01 | SYRACUSE CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 58.0°F ✓ Warmer | 31.7°F |
| Avg High — July | 87.5°F ✓ Warmer | 81.7°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 52.2" | 43.4" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.3" ✓ Less | 127.8" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 149,960 ✓ Larger | 146,134 |
| Median Age | 36.3 ✓ Older | 31.9 |
| Homeownership Rate | 55.6% ✓ Higher | 40.8% |
| Under 18 | 16.7% | 21.0% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 16.3% ✓ More | 13.3% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Charleston's cost of living index is 102.4 vs Syracuse's 95.2 (US average = 100).
Syracuse is 7% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Charleston leads 16 of 23 categories. Charleston wins 16 and Syracuse wins 7. 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 Syracuse or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($438,900 vs $117,900 median home), income ($83,891 vs $43,584), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Charleston, SC and Syracuse, NY are about 736 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.