Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Charleston, SC
VS
Tampa, FL
🏆 Charleston leads 13 of 23 categories
Charleston
South Carolina
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
102.4⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$83,891 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
94 ✓ Safer
Population
149,960
Tampa
Florida
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
103.4⚠ High
Median Household Income
$66,802
Violent Crime Index
117⚠ High
Population
388,768 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Charleston, SC
Pros
20% less violent crime than Tampa
Households earn $17,089 more per year on average
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.5 pts lower (3.7%)
More college-educated — 57.4% hold a bachelor's or higher
Smaller class sizes — 13.0:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $438,900
Higher rents — median is $1,517/mo
Tampa, FL
Pros
Homes cost $106k less ($333,200 vs $438,900)
Milder winters — January highs near 71°F vs 58°F
Rent averages $95/mo less ($1,422 vs $1,517)
Cons
Violent crime (444.6/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Median income trails Charleston by $17,089/yr
Higher unemployment (5.2% vs 3.7%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Charleston
Cost of Living
1% cheaper
COL index 102.4 vs 103.4 (100 = US avg)
Charleston
Median Income
$17,089
$83,891 vs $66,802/yr
Charleston
Violent Crime
20% lower
357.6 vs 444.6 per 100k
Charleston
Unemployment
1.5 pp lower
3.7% vs 5.2% unemployment
Tampa
Median Home Value
$106k less
$333,200 vs $438,900
Tampa
Summer Heat
3.5°F warmer
July avg high 91.0°F vs 87.5°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Charleston, SC | Tampa, FL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 102.4⚠ High ✓ Cheaper | 103.4⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $438,900⚠ High | $333,200⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,517⚠ High | $1,422⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $83,891 ✓ Higher | $66,802 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.7% ✓ Lower | 5.2%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 23.0 min ✓ Shorter | 24.8 min |
| Work From Home % | 14.6% | 16.0% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 95 ✓ Safer | 98 |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 94 ✓ Safer | 117⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 96 | 70 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (121) ✓ Better | B (103) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 13.0:1 ✓ Smaller | 19.7:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 57.4% ✓ Higher | 43.3% |
| High School or Higher | 95.7% ✓ Higher | 89.0% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Charleston 01 | HILLSBOROUGH |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 58.0°F | 71.3°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 87.5°F | 91.0°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 52.2" | 49.5" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.3" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 149,960 | 388,768 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 36.3 ✓ Older | 35.5 |
| Homeownership Rate | 55.6% ✓ Higher | 50.5% |
| Under 18 | 16.7% | 20.8% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 16.3% ✓ More | 13.0% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Charleston's cost of living index is 102.4 vs Tampa's 103.4 (US average = 100).
Charleston is 1% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Charleston leads 13 of 23 categories. Charleston wins 13 and Tampa 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 Tampa or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($438,900 vs $333,200 median home), income ($83,891 vs $66,802), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Charleston, SC and Tampa, FL are about 368 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.