Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Charleston, SC
VS
Wichita, KS
🏆 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
Wichita
Kansas
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
89.5 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$60,712
Violent Crime Index
142⚠ High
Population
395,951 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Charleston, SC
Pros
34% less violent crime than Wichita
Households earn $23,179 more per year on average
More college-educated — 57.4% hold a bachelor's or higher
Stronger job market — unemployment is 2.0 pts lower (3.7%)
Milder winters — January highs near 58°F vs 44°F
Cooler summers — July highs near 88°F vs 93°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $438,900
Higher rents — median is $1,517/mo
Cost of living runs 13% higher than Wichita
Wichita, KS
Pros
Homes cost $273k less ($166,400 vs $438,900)
Rent averages $602/mo less ($915 vs $1,517)
13% cheaper overall cost of living than Charleston
Commutes run 4 min shorter each way
Living costs sit below the national average (index 89.5)
Cons
Median income trails Charleston by $23,179/yr
Violent crime (538.6/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Higher unemployment (5.7% vs 3.7%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Charleston
Median Income
$23,179
$83,891 vs $60,712/yr
Charleston
Violent Crime
34% lower
357.6 vs 538.6 per 100k
Charleston
Unemployment
2.0 pp lower
3.7% vs 5.7% unemployment
Wichita
Cost of Living
13% cheaper
COL index 89.5 vs 102.4 (100 = US avg)
Wichita
Median Home Value
$273k less
$166,400 vs $438,900
Wichita
Summer Heat
5.1°F warmer
July avg high 92.6°F vs 87.5°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Charleston, SC | Wichita, KS |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 102.4⚠ High | 89.5 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $438,900⚠ High | $166,400 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,517⚠ High | $915 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $83,891 ✓ Higher | $60,712 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.7% ✓ Lower | 5.7%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 23.0 min | 18.8 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 14.6% ✓ Higher | 6.0% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 95 ✓ Safer | 129⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 94 ✓ Safer | 142⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 96 ✓ Safer | 110⚠ 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 ✓ Smaller | 14.3:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 57.4% ✓ Higher | 31.0% |
| High School or Higher | 95.7% ✓ Higher | 88.0% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Charleston 01 | Wichita |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 58.0°F ✓ Warmer | 43.9°F |
| Avg High — July | 87.5°F | 92.6°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 52.2" | 35.6" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.3" ✓ Less | 12.7" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 149,960 | 395,951 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 36.3 ✓ Older | 35.4 |
| Homeownership Rate | 55.6% | 58.5% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 16.7% | 24.6% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 16.3% ✓ More | 15.1% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Charleston's cost of living index is 102.4 vs Wichita's 89.5 (US average = 100).
Wichita is 13% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Charleston leads 14 of 23 categories. Charleston wins 14 and Wichita 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 Wichita or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($438,900 vs $166,400 median home), income ($83,891 vs $60,712), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Charleston, SC and Wichita, KS are about 1,034 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.