Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Fremont, CA
VS
North Charleston, SC
🏆 Fremont leads 15 of 22 categories
Fremont
California
15
wins
Cost of Living Index
118.2⚠ High
Median Household Income
$169,023 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
52 ✓ Safer
Population
228,795 ✓ Larger
North Charleston
South Carolina
7
wins
Cost of Living Index
98.2 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$58,534
Violent Crime Index
213⚠ High
Population
115,755
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Fremont, CA
Pros
Households earn $110,489 more per year on average
76% less violent crime than North Charleston
More college-educated — 61.9% hold a bachelor's or higher
Violent crime is well below the national average (195.7 vs 380/100k)
Cooler summers — July highs near 77°F vs 91°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $1,231,500
Higher rents — median is $2,824/mo
Cost of living runs 20% higher than North Charleston
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 118.2)
North Charleston, SC
Pros
Homes cost $988k less ($243,300 vs $1,231,500)
Rent averages $1536/mo less ($1,288 vs $2,824)
20% cheaper overall cost of living than Fremont
Commutes run 9 min shorter each way
Smaller class sizes — 13.0:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Fremont by $110,489/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
Fremont
Median Income
$110,489
$169,023 vs $58,534/yr
Fremont
Violent Crime
76% lower
195.7 vs 810.5 per 100k
North Charleston
Cost of Living
20% cheaper
COL index 98.2 vs 118.2 (100 = US avg)
North Charleston
Median Home Value
$988k less
$243,300 vs $1,231,500
North Charleston
Summer Heat
14.3°F warmer
July avg high 91.3°F vs 77.0°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Fremont, CA | North Charleston, SC |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 118.2⚠ High | 98.2 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $1,231,500⚠ High | $243,300 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,824⚠ High | $1,288 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $169,023 ✓ Higher | $58,534 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.0%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 4.3%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 33.1 min⚠ High | 24.6 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 28.1% ✓ Higher | 6.6% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 75 ✓ Safer | 203⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 52 ✓ Safer | 213⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 111⚠ High ✓ Safer | 188⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (107) ✓ Better | B (101) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 24.0:1 | 13.0:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 61.9% ✓ Higher | 26.7% |
| High School or Higher | 93.1% ✓ Higher | 87.3% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Fremont Unified | Charleston 01 |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 58.1°F | 60.2°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 77.0°F | 91.3°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 14.4" ✓ Drier | 53.6" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 0.3" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 228,795 ✓ Larger | 115,755 |
| Median Age | 38.6 ✓ Older | 33.8 |
| Homeownership Rate | 60.7% ✓ Higher | 49.4% |
| Under 18 | 23.0% | 23.0% |
| Over 65 | 13.0% ✓ More | 11.7% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Fremont's cost of living index is 118.2 vs North Charleston's 98.2 (US average = 100).
North Charleston is 20% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, Fremont leads 15 of 22 categories. Fremont wins 15 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 Fremont to North Charleston or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($1,231,500 vs $243,300 median home), income ($169,023 vs $58,534), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Fremont, CA and North Charleston, SC are about 2,366 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.