Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Charleston, SC
VS
Tyler, TX
🏆 Charleston leads 14 of 22 categories
Charleston
South Carolina
14
wins
Cost of Living Index
102.4⚠ High
Median Household Income
$83,891 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
94 ✓ Safer
Population
149,960 ✓ Larger
Tyler
Texas
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
92.4 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$63,056
Violent Crime Index
103⚠ High
Population
106,440
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Charleston, SC
Pros
Households earn $20,835 more per year on average
9% less violent crime than Tyler
More college-educated — 57.4% hold a bachelor's or higher
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.6 pts lower (3.7%)
Cooler summers — July highs near 88°F vs 93°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 10% higher than Tyler
Tyler, TX
Pros
Homes cost $234k less ($205,200 vs $438,900)
Rent averages $404/mo less ($1,113 vs $1,517)
10% cheaper overall cost of living than Charleston
Living costs sit below the national average (index 92.4)
Cons
Median income trails Charleston by $20,835/yr
Higher unemployment (5.3% vs 3.7%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Charleston
Median Income
$20,835
$83,891 vs $63,056/yr
Charleston
Violent Crime
9% lower
357.6 vs 391.2 per 100k
Charleston
Unemployment
1.6 pp lower
3.7% vs 5.3% unemployment
Tyler
Cost of Living
10% cheaper
COL index 92.4 vs 102.4 (100 = US avg)
Tyler
Median Home Value
$234k less
$205,200 vs $438,900
Tyler
Summer Heat
5.6°F warmer
July avg high 93.1°F vs 87.5°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Charleston, SC | Tyler, TX |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 102.4⚠ High | 92.4 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $438,900⚠ High | $205,200 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,517⚠ High | $1,113 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $83,891 ✓ Higher | $63,056 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.7% ✓ Lower | 5.3%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 23.0 min | 20.6 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 14.6% ✓ Higher | 6.1% |
| 🔒 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 | 103⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 96 | 91 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (121) ✓ Better | B (97) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 13.0:1 ✓ Smaller | 15.3:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 57.4% ✓ Higher | 31.1% |
| High School or Higher | 95.7% ✓ Higher | 87.7% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Charleston 01 | TYLER ISD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 58.0°F ✓ Warmer | 57.9°F |
| Avg High — July | 87.5°F | 93.1°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 52.2" | 47.7" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.3" ✓ Less | 0.5" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 149,960 ✓ Larger | 106,440 |
| Median Age | 36.3 ✓ Older | 34.9 |
| Homeownership Rate | 55.6% ✓ Higher | 54.9% |
| Under 18 | 16.7% | 22.9% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 16.3% | 16.3% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Charleston's cost of living index is 102.4 vs Tyler's 92.4 (US average = 100).
Tyler is 10% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, Charleston leads 14 of 22 categories. Charleston wins 14 and Tyler wins 8. 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 Tyler or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($438,900 vs $205,200 median home), income ($83,891 vs $63,056), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Charleston, SC and Tyler, TX are about 893 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.