Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Charleston, SC
VS
Yakima, WA
🏆 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
Yakima
Washington
7
wins
Cost of Living Index
101.6⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$55,734
Violent Crime Index
143⚠ High
Population
96,764
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Charleston, SC
Pros
Households earn $28,157 more per year on average
34% less violent crime than Yakima
Stronger job market — unemployment is 4.4 pts lower (3.7%)
More college-educated — 57.4% hold a bachelor's or higher
Milder winters — January highs near 58°F vs 40°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
Yakima, WA
Pros
Homes cost $196k less ($243,300 vs $438,900)
Rent averages $503/mo less ($1,014 vs $1,517)
Commutes run 5 min shorter each way
Cons
Median income trails Charleston by $28,157/yr
Violent crime (544.3/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Higher unemployment (8.1% vs 3.7%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Charleston
Median Income
$28,157
$83,891 vs $55,734/yr
Charleston
Violent Crime
34% lower
357.6 vs 544.3 per 100k
Charleston
Unemployment
4.4 pp lower
3.7% vs 8.1% unemployment
Yakima
Cost of Living
1% cheaper
COL index 101.6 vs 102.4 (100 = US avg)
Yakima
Median Home Value
$196k less
$243,300 vs $438,900
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Charleston, SC | Yakima, WA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 102.4⚠ High | 101.6⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $438,900⚠ High | $243,300 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,517⚠ High | $1,014 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $83,891 ✓ Higher | $55,734 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.7% ✓ Lower | 8.1%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 23.0 min | 17.9 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 14.6% ✓ Higher | 5.3% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 95 ✓ Safer | 125⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 94 ✓ Safer | 143⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 96 ✓ Safer | 97 |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (121) ✓ Better | C (79) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 13.0:1 ✓ Smaller | 17.7:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 57.4% ✓ Higher | 19.3% |
| High School or Higher | 95.7% ✓ Higher | 77.2% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Charleston 01 | Yakima School District |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 58.0°F ✓ Warmer | 39.6°F |
| Avg High — July | 87.5°F | 88.3°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 52.2" | 8.6" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.3" ✓ Less | 20.3" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 149,960 ✓ Larger | 96,764 |
| Median Age | 36.3 ✓ Older | 33.9 |
| Homeownership Rate | 55.6% ✓ Higher | 53.1% |
| Under 18 | 16.7% | 27.8% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 16.3% ✓ More | 15.8% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Charleston's cost of living index is 102.4 vs Yakima's 101.6 (US average = 100).
Yakima is 1% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Charleston leads 16 of 23 categories. Charleston wins 16 and Yakima 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 Yakima or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($438,900 vs $243,300 median home), income ($83,891 vs $55,734), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Charleston, SC and Yakima, WA are about 2,325 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.