Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Concord, NC
VS
North Charleston, SC
🏆 Concord leads 16 of 23 categories
Concord
North Carolina
16
wins
Cost of Living Index
97.0 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$83,480 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
42 ✓ Safer
Population
105,335
North Charleston
South Carolina
7
wins
Cost of Living Index
98.2
Median Household Income
$58,534
Violent Crime Index
213⚠ High
Population
115,755 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Concord, NC
Pros
80% less violent crime than North Charleston
Households earn $24,946 more per year on average
Violent crime is well below the national average (159.0 vs 380/100k)
More college-educated — 40.8% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cons
Nothing stands out — a close match here.
North Charleston, SC
Pros
Homes cost $45k less ($243,300 vs $288,100)
Milder winters — January highs near 60°F vs 53°F
Smaller class sizes — 13.0:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Concord by $24,946/yr
Violent crime (810.5/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (3955.9/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Key Differences at a Glance
Concord
Cost of Living
1% cheaper
COL index 97.0 vs 98.2 (100 = US avg)
Concord
Median Income
$24,946
$83,480 vs $58,534/yr
Concord
Violent Crime
80% lower
159.0 vs 810.5 per 100k
North Charleston
Median Home Value
$45k less
$243,300 vs $288,100
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Concord, NC | North Charleston, SC |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 97.0 ✓ Cheaper | 98.2 |
| Median Home Value | $288,100 | $243,300 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,259 ✓ Lower | $1,288 |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $83,480 ✓ Higher | $58,534 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.7%⚠ High | 4.3%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 27.3 min | 24.6 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 14.2% ✓ Higher | 6.6% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 46 ✓ Safer | 203⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 42 ✓ Safer | 213⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 53 ✓ Safer | 188⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (106) ✓ Better | B (101) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 16.4:1 | 13.0:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 40.8% ✓ Higher | 26.7% |
| High School or Higher | 91.2% ✓ Higher | 87.3% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Cabarrus County Schools | Charleston 01 |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 52.8°F | 60.2°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 91.8°F ✓ Warmer | 91.3°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 47.0" ✓ Drier | 53.6" |
| Annual Snowfall | 3.3" | 0.3" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 105,335 | 115,755 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 37.3 ✓ Older | 33.8 |
| Homeownership Rate | 69.4% ✓ Higher | 49.4% |
| Under 18 | 25.4% ✓ More | 23.0% |
| Over 65 | 12.3% ✓ More | 11.7% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Concord's cost of living index is 97.0 vs North Charleston's 98.2 (US average = 100).
Concord is 1% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Concord leads 16 of 23 categories. Concord wins 16 and North Charleston wins 7. 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 Concord to North Charleston or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($288,100 vs $243,300 median home), income ($83,480 vs $58,534), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Concord, NC and North Charleston, SC are about 174 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.