Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Charleston, SC
VS
Yonkers, NY
🏆 Charleston leads 15 of 23 categories
Charleston
South Carolina
15
wins
Cost of Living Index
102.4⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$83,891 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
94
Population
149,960
Yonkers
New York
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
112.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$78,208
Violent Crime Index
82 ✓ Safer
Population
209,780 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Charleston, SC
Pros
Stronger job market — unemployment is 2.9 pts lower (3.7%)
Commutes run 12 min shorter each way
More college-educated — 57.4% hold a bachelor's or higher
10% cheaper overall cost of living than Yonkers
Milder winters — January highs near 58°F vs 40°F
Rent averages $142/mo less ($1,517 vs $1,659)
Cons
Nothing stands out — a close match here.
Yonkers, NY
Pros
13% less violent crime than Charleston
Cons
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 112.5)
Cost of living runs 10% higher than Charleston
Higher unemployment (6.6% vs 3.7%)
Higher rents — median is $1,659/mo
Key Differences at a Glance
Charleston
Cost of Living
10% cheaper
COL index 102.4 vs 112.5 (100 = US avg)
Charleston
Median Income
$5,683
$83,891 vs $78,208/yr
Charleston
Median Home Value
$18k less
$438,900 vs $456,500
Charleston
Unemployment
2.9 pp lower
3.7% vs 6.6% unemployment
Yonkers
Violent Crime
13% lower
311.8 vs 357.6 per 100k
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Charleston, SC | Yonkers, NY |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 102.4⚠ High ✓ Cheaper | 112.5⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $438,900⚠ High ✓ Lower | $456,500⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,517⚠ High ✓ Lower | $1,659⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $83,891 ✓ Higher | $78,208 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.7% ✓ Lower | 6.6%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 23.0 min ✓ Shorter | 34.8 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 14.6% ✓ Higher | 9.3% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 95 | 69 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 94 | 82 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 96 | 48 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (121) ✓ Better | B (99) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 13.0:1 ✓ Smaller | 17.1:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 57.4% ✓ Higher | 35.5% |
| High School or Higher | 95.7% ✓ Higher | 83.8% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Charleston 01 | YONKERS CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 58.0°F ✓ Warmer | 39.8°F |
| Avg High — July | 87.5°F ✓ Warmer | 85.6°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 52.2" | 51.2" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.3" ✓ Less | 32.7" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 149,960 | 209,780 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 36.3 | 39.1 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 55.6% ✓ Higher | 48.3% |
| Under 18 | 16.7% | 20.8% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 16.3% | 16.9% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Charleston's cost of living index is 102.4 vs Yonkers's 112.5 (US average = 100).
Charleston is 10% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Charleston leads 15 of 23 categories. Charleston wins 15 and Yonkers 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 Yonkers or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($438,900 vs $456,500 median home), income ($83,891 vs $78,208), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Charleston, SC and Yonkers, NY are about 654 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.