Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Charleston, SC
VS
West Valley City, UT
🏆 Charleston leads 14 of 23 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
West Valley City
Utah
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
96.7 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$81,719
Violent Crime Index
124⚠ High
Population
138,868
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Charleston, SC
Pros
24% less violent crime than West Valley City
More college-educated — 57.4% hold a bachelor's or higher
Milder winters — January highs near 58°F vs 39°F
Cooler summers — July highs near 88°F vs 94°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 6% higher than West Valley City
West Valley City, UT
Pros
Homes cost $105k less ($333,600 vs $438,900)
Rent averages $157/mo less ($1,360 vs $1,517)
6% cheaper overall cost of living than Charleston
Cons
Violent crime (469.5/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Snowy winters — about 52" of snow per year
Key Differences at a Glance
Charleston
Median Income
$2,172
$83,891 vs $81,719/yr
Charleston
Violent Crime
24% lower
357.6 vs 469.5 per 100k
West Valley City
Cost of Living
6% cheaper
COL index 96.7 vs 102.4 (100 = US avg)
West Valley City
Median Home Value
$105k less
$333,600 vs $438,900
West Valley City
Summer Heat
6.5°F warmer
July avg high 94.0°F vs 87.5°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Charleston, SC | West Valley City, UT |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 102.4⚠ High | 96.7 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $438,900⚠ High | $333,600⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,517⚠ High | $1,360⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $83,891 ✓ Higher | $81,719 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.7% ✓ Lower | 4.0%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 23.0 min | 21.9 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 14.6% ✓ Higher | 8.3% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 95 ✓ Safer | 109⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 94 ✓ Safer | 124⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 96 | 88 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (121) ✓ Better | C- (73) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 13.0:1 ✓ Smaller | 22.5:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 57.4% ✓ Higher | 15.8% |
| High School or Higher | 95.7% ✓ Higher | 83.2% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Charleston 01 | Granite District |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 58.0°F ✓ Warmer | 38.6°F |
| Avg High — July | 87.5°F | 94.0°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 52.2" | 17.7" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.3" ✓ Less | 51.9" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 149,960 ✓ Larger | 138,868 |
| Median Age | 36.3 ✓ Older | 30.2 |
| Homeownership Rate | 55.6% | 71.1% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 16.7% | 31.2% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 16.3% ✓ More | 9.0% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Charleston's cost of living index is 102.4 vs West Valley City's 96.7 (US average = 100).
West Valley City is 6% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Charleston leads 14 of 23 categories. Charleston wins 14 and West Valley City wins 9. 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 West Valley City or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($438,900 vs $333,600 median home), income ($83,891 vs $81,719), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Charleston, SC and West Valley City, UT are about 1,843 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.