Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Charlotte, NC
VS
Sunrise, FL
🏆 Charlotte leads 12 of 20 categories
Charlotte
North Carolina
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
97.0 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$74,070 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
193⚠ High
Population
875,045 ✓ Larger
Sunrise
Florida
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
111.8⚠ High
Median Household Income
$66,001
Violent Crime Index
—
Population
96,510
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Charlotte, NC
Pros
Rent averages $447/mo less ($1,399 vs $1,846)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.8 pts lower (4.7%)
15% cheaper overall cost of living than Sunrise
More college-educated — 46.6% hold a bachelor's or higher
Households earn $8,069 more per year on average
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
Pricier housing — median home is $312,800
Sunrise, FL
Pros
Milder winters — January highs near 76°F vs 52°F
Homes cost $17k less ($296,100 vs $312,800)
Cons
Higher rents — median is $1,846/mo
Cost of living runs 15% higher than Charlotte
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 111.8)
Median income trails Charlotte by $8,069/yr
Key Differences at a Glance
Charlotte
Cost of Living
15% cheaper
COL index 97.0 vs 111.8 (100 = US avg)
Charlotte
Median Income
$8,069
$74,070 vs $66,001/yr
Charlotte
Unemployment
1.8 pp lower
4.7% vs 6.5% unemployment
Sunrise
Median Home Value
$17k less
$296,100 vs $312,800
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Charlotte, NC | Sunrise, 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 | $296,100 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,399⚠ High ✓ Lower | $1,846⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $74,070 ✓ Higher | $66,001 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.7%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 6.5%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 25.2 min ✓ Shorter | 27.2 min |
| Work From Home % | 21.3% ✓ Higher | 10.0% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 186⚠ High | — |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 193⚠ High | — |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 176⚠ High | — |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (108) ✓ Better | B- (91) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 16.5:1 ✓ Smaller | 21.7:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 46.6% ✓ Higher | 31.1% |
| High School or Higher | 89.7% | 91.0% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools | BROWARD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 52.3°F | 76.2°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 90.3°F | 91.1°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 43.8" ✓ Drier | 67.9" |
| Annual Snowfall | 3.5" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 875,045 ✓ Larger | 96,510 |
| Median Age | 34.5 | 42.3 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 52.1% | 69.6% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 22.9% ✓ More | 19.6% |
| Over 65 | 10.7% | 19.8% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Charlotte's cost of living index is 97.0 vs Sunrise's 111.8 (US average = 100).
Charlotte is 15% less expensive overall.
Based on the 20 decided categories above, Charlotte leads 12 of 20 categories. Charlotte wins 12 and Sunrise 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 Charlotte to Sunrise or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($312,800 vs $296,100 median home), income ($74,070 vs $66,001), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Charlotte, NC and Sunrise, FL are about 625 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.