Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Clearwater, FL
VS
Mount Pleasant, SC
🏆 Mount Pleasant leads 14 of 23 categories
Clearwater
Florida
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
103.4⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$59,358
Violent Crime Index
104⚠ High
Population
116,984 ✓ Larger
Mount Pleasant
South Carolina
14
wins
Cost of Living Index
105.9⚠ High
Median Household Income
$115,167 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
34 ✓ Safer
Population
90,945
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Clearwater, FL
Pros
Homes cost $321k less ($287,900 vs $608,600)
Rent averages $512/mo less ($1,389 vs $1,901)
Milder winters — January highs near 71°F vs 59°F
3% cheaper overall cost of living than Mount Pleasant
Cons
Median income trails Mount Pleasant by $55,809/yr
Higher unemployment (4.7% vs 3.2%)
Mount Pleasant, SC
Pros
Households earn $55,809 more per year on average
68% less violent crime than Clearwater
More college-educated — 65.4% hold a bachelor's or higher
Violent crime is well below the national average (128.4 vs 380/100k)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.5 pts lower (3.2%)
Smaller class sizes — 13.0:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $608,600
Higher rents — median is $1,901/mo
Cost of living runs 3% higher than Clearwater
Key Differences at a Glance
Clearwater
Cost of Living
3% cheaper
COL index 103.4 vs 105.9 (100 = US avg)
Clearwater
Median Home Value
$321k less
$287,900 vs $608,600
Mount Pleasant
Median Income
$55,809
$115,167 vs $59,358/yr
Mount Pleasant
Violent Crime
68% lower
128.4 vs 395.5 per 100k
Mount Pleasant
Unemployment
1.5 pp lower
3.2% vs 4.7% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Clearwater, FL | Mount Pleasant, SC |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 103.4⚠ High ✓ Cheaper | 105.9⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $287,900 ✓ Lower | $608,600⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,389⚠ High ✓ Lower | $1,901⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $59,358 | $115,167 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.7%⚠ High | 3.2% ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 22.8 min ✓ Shorter | 25.2 min |
| Work From Home % | 16.4% | 19.7% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 99 | 43 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 104⚠ High | 34 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 90 | 56 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B (101) | A (121) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 15.9:1 | 13.0:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 31.9% | 65.4% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 90.8% | 97.7% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | PINELLAS | Charleston 01 |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 70.6°F ✓ Warmer | 59.2°F |
| Avg High — July | 90.3°F | 91.1°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 56.1" | 54.3" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 0.3" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 116,984 ✓ Larger | 90,945 |
| Median Age | 46.0 ✓ Older | 42.4 |
| Homeownership Rate | 58.8% | 72.5% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 17.6% | 22.5% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 23.5% ✓ More | 17.5% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Clearwater's cost of living index is 103.4 vs Mount Pleasant's 105.9 (US average = 100).
Clearwater is 2% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Mount Pleasant leads 14 of 23 categories. Clearwater wins 9 and Mount Pleasant wins 14. 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 Clearwater to Mount Pleasant or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($287,900 vs $608,600 median home), income ($59,358 vs $115,167), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Clearwater, FL and Mount Pleasant, SC are about 376 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.