Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Charleston, SC
VS
Wilmington, NC
🏆 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
Wilmington
North Carolina
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
97.1 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$58,908
Violent Crime Index
127⚠ High
Population
116,933
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Charleston, SC
Pros
Households earn $24,983 more per year on average
26% less violent crime than Wilmington
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.2 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 5% higher than Wilmington
Wilmington, NC
Pros
Homes cost $120k less ($318,600 vs $438,900)
Rent averages $304/mo less ($1,213 vs $1,517)
Commutes run 4 min shorter each way
5% cheaper overall cost of living than Charleston
Cons
Median income trails Charleston by $24,983/yr
Violent crime (482.8/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (3514.8/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (4.9% vs 3.7%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Charleston
Median Income
$24,983
$83,891 vs $58,908/yr
Charleston
Violent Crime
26% lower
357.6 vs 482.8 per 100k
Charleston
Unemployment
1.2 pp lower
3.7% vs 4.9% unemployment
Wilmington
Cost of Living
5% cheaper
COL index 97.1 vs 102.4 (100 = US avg)
Wilmington
Median Home Value
$120k less
$318,600 vs $438,900
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Charleston, SC | Wilmington, NC |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 102.4⚠ High | 97.1 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $438,900⚠ High | $318,600⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,517⚠ High | $1,213 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $83,891 ✓ Higher | $58,908 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.7% ✓ Lower | 4.9%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 23.0 min | 18.6 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 14.6% | 14.7% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 95 ✓ Safer | 143⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 94 ✓ Safer | 127⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 96 ✓ Safer | 167⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (121) ✓ Better | B+ (109) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 13.0:1 ✓ Smaller | 15.2:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 57.4% ✓ Higher | 43.6% |
| High School or Higher | 95.7% ✓ Higher | 93.3% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Charleston 01 | New Hanover County Schools |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 58.0°F ✓ Warmer | 57.2°F |
| Avg High — July | 87.5°F | 90.0°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 52.2" ✓ Drier | 60.1" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.3" ✓ Less | 0.9" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 149,960 ✓ Larger | 116,933 |
| Median Age | 36.3 | 37.6 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 55.6% ✓ Higher | 45.9% |
| Under 18 | 16.7% | 16.8% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 16.3% | 17.7% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Charleston's cost of living index is 102.4 vs Wilmington's 97.1 (US average = 100).
Wilmington is 5% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Charleston leads 14 of 23 categories. Charleston wins 14 and Wilmington 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 Wilmington or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($438,900 vs $318,600 median home), income ($83,891 vs $58,908), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Charleston, SC and Wilmington, NC are about 153 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.