Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Charleston, SC
VS
Tuscaloosa, AL
🏆 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
Tuscaloosa
Alabama
7
wins
Cost of Living Index
90.0 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$47,257
Violent Crime Index
146⚠ High
Population
105,797
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Charleston, SC
Pros
Households earn $36,634 more per year on average
35% less violent crime than Tuscaloosa
Stronger job market — unemployment is 3.1 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
Cost of living runs 12% higher than Tuscaloosa
Tuscaloosa, AL
Pros
Homes cost $211k less ($228,300 vs $438,900)
Rent averages $537/mo less ($980 vs $1,517)
12% cheaper overall cost of living than Charleston
Commutes run 5 min shorter each way
Living costs sit below the national average (index 90.0)
Cons
Median income trails Charleston by $36,634/yr
Violent crime (553.4/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (2731.2/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (6.8% vs 3.7%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Charleston
Median Income
$36,634
$83,891 vs $47,257/yr
Charleston
Violent Crime
35% lower
357.6 vs 553.4 per 100k
Charleston
Unemployment
3.1 pp lower
3.7% vs 6.8% unemployment
Tuscaloosa
Cost of Living
12% cheaper
COL index 90.0 vs 102.4 (100 = US avg)
Tuscaloosa
Median Home Value
$211k less
$228,300 vs $438,900
Tuscaloosa
Summer Heat
4.7°F warmer
July avg high 92.2°F vs 87.5°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Charleston, SC | Tuscaloosa, AL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 102.4⚠ High | 90.0 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $438,900⚠ High | $228,300 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,517⚠ High | $980 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $83,891 ✓ Higher | $47,257 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.7% ✓ Lower | 6.8%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 23.0 min | 18.5 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 14.6% ✓ Higher | 5.7% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 95 ✓ Safer | 139⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 94 ✓ Safer | 146⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 96 ✓ Safer | 130⚠ High |
| 🎓 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 | 17.1:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 57.4% ✓ Higher | 38.1% |
| High School or Higher | 95.7% ✓ Higher | 91.0% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Charleston 01 | Tuscaloosa City |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 58.0°F ✓ Warmer | 56.0°F |
| Avg High — July | 87.5°F | 92.2°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 52.2" ✓ Drier | 58.1" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.3" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 149,960 ✓ Larger | 105,797 |
| Median Age | 36.3 ✓ Older | 28.8 |
| Homeownership Rate | 55.6% ✓ Higher | 45.7% |
| Under 18 | 16.7% | 17.5% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 16.3% ✓ More | 13.2% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Charleston's cost of living index is 102.4 vs Tuscaloosa's 90.0 (US average = 100).
Tuscaloosa is 12% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Charleston leads 16 of 23 categories. Charleston wins 16 and Tuscaloosa 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 Tuscaloosa or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($438,900 vs $228,300 median home), income ($83,891 vs $47,257), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Charleston, SC and Tuscaloosa, AL are about 438 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.