Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Charlotte, NC
VS
Hialeah, FL
🏆 Charlotte leads 14 of 23 categories
Charlotte
North Carolina
14
wins
Cost of Living Index
97.0 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$74,070 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
193⚠ High
Population
875,045 ✓ Larger
Hialeah
Florida
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
111.8⚠ High
Median Household Income
$49,531
Violent Crime Index
34 ✓ Safer
Population
222,996
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Charlotte, NC
Pros
Households earn $24,539 more per year on average
More college-educated — 46.6% hold a bachelor's or higher
15% cheaper overall cost of living than Hialeah
Commutes run 4 min shorter each way
Smaller class sizes — 16.5:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
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
Higher unemployment (4.7% vs 3.7%)
Hialeah, FL
Pros
82% less violent crime than Charlotte
Violent crime is well below the national average (129.6 vs 380/100k)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.0 pts lower (3.7%)
Milder winters — January highs near 77°F vs 52°F
Cons
Median income trails Charlotte by $24,539/yr
Cost of living runs 15% higher than Charlotte
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 111.8)
Longer commutes — 29.3 min average each way
Key Differences at a Glance
Charlotte
Cost of Living
15% cheaper
COL index 97.0 vs 111.8 (100 = US avg)
Charlotte
Median Income
$24,539
$74,070 vs $49,531/yr
Charlotte
Median Home Value
$12k less
$312,800 vs $324,300
Hialeah
Violent Crime
82% lower
129.6 vs 733.2 per 100k
Hialeah
Unemployment
1.0 pp lower
3.7% vs 4.7% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Charlotte, NC | Hialeah, FL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 97.0 ✓ Cheaper | 111.8⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $312,800⚠ High ✓ Lower | $324,300⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,399⚠ High ✓ Lower | $1,458⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $74,070 ✓ Higher | $49,531 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.7%⚠ High | 3.7% ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 25.2 min ✓ Shorter | 29.3 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 21.3% ✓ Higher | 11.1% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 186⚠ High | 37 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 193⚠ High | 34 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 176⚠ High | 41 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (108) ✓ Better | C+ (86) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 16.5:1 ✓ Smaller | 19.4:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 46.6% ✓ Higher | 19.9% |
| High School or Higher | 89.7% ✓ Higher | 74.1% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools | MIAMI-DADE |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 52.3°F | 76.7°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 90.3°F | 90.8°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 43.8" ✓ Drier | 62.7" |
| Annual Snowfall | 3.5" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 875,045 ✓ Larger | 222,996 |
| Median Age | 34.5 | 45.5 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 52.1% ✓ Higher | 47.4% |
| Under 18 | 22.9% ✓ More | 16.9% |
| Over 65 | 10.7% | 20.1% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Charlotte's cost of living index is 97.0 vs Hialeah's 111.8 (US average = 100).
Charlotte is 15% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Charlotte leads 14 of 23 categories. Charlotte wins 14 and Hialeah 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 Charlotte to Hialeah or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($312,800 vs $324,300 median home), income ($74,070 vs $49,531), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Charlotte, NC and Hialeah, FL are about 646 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.