Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Charlotte, NC
VS
Garland, TX
🏆 Garland leads 12 of 23 categories
Charlotte
North Carolina
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
97.0 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$74,070 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
193⚠ High
Population
875,045 ✓ Larger
Garland
Texas
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
103.3⚠ High
Median Household Income
$71,044
Violent Crime Index
61 ✓ Safer
Population
244,026
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Charlotte, NC
Pros
More college-educated — 46.6% hold a bachelor's or higher
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.5 pts lower (4.7%)
Commutes run 5 min shorter each way
6% cheaper overall cost of living than Garland
Households earn $3,026 more per year on average
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $312,800
Violent crime (733.2/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (3705.3/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Garland, TX
Pros
68% less violent crime than Charlotte
Homes cost $84k less ($229,000 vs $312,800)
Violent crime is well below the national average (232.7 vs 380/100k)
Smaller class sizes — 15.0:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Longer commutes — 29.7 min average each way
Cost of living runs 6% higher than Charlotte
Median income trails Charlotte by $3,026/yr
Key Differences at a Glance
Charlotte
Cost of Living
6% cheaper
COL index 97.0 vs 103.3 (100 = US avg)
Charlotte
Median Income
$3,026
$74,070 vs $71,044/yr
Charlotte
Unemployment
0.5 pp lower
4.7% vs 5.2% unemployment
Garland
Violent Crime
68% lower
232.7 vs 733.2 per 100k
Garland
Median Home Value
$84k less
$229,000 vs $312,800
Garland
Summer Heat
4.0°F warmer
July avg high 94.3°F vs 90.3°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Charlotte, NC | Garland, TX |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 97.0 ✓ Cheaper | 103.3⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $312,800⚠ High | $229,000 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,399⚠ High ✓ Lower | $1,421⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $74,070 ✓ Higher | $71,044 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.7%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 5.2%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 25.2 min ✓ Shorter | 29.7 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 21.3% ✓ Higher | 9.4% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 186⚠ High | 75 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 193⚠ High | 61 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 176⚠ High | 95 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (108) ✓ Better | C+ (89) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 16.5:1 | 15.0:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 46.6% ✓ Higher | 24.1% |
| High School or Higher | 89.7% ✓ Higher | 78.6% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools | GARLAND ISD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 52.3°F | 55.9°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 90.3°F | 94.3°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 43.8" | 41.8" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 3.5" | 0.2" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 875,045 ✓ Larger | 244,026 |
| Median Age | 34.5 ✓ Older | 34.4 |
| Homeownership Rate | 52.1% | 62.0% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 22.9% | 25.8% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 10.7% | 12.4% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Charlotte's cost of living index is 97.0 vs Garland's 103.3 (US average = 100).
Charlotte is 6% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Garland leads 12 of 23 categories. Charlotte wins 11 and Garland wins 12. 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 Charlotte to Garland or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($312,800 vs $229,000 median home), income ($74,070 vs $71,044), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Charlotte, NC and Garland, TX are about 917 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.