Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Irvine, CA
VS
North Charleston, SC
🏆 Irvine leads 13 of 22 categories
Irvine
California
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$122,948 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
22 ✓ Safer
Population
304,527 ✓ Larger
North Charleston
South Carolina
9
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.
Irvine, CA
Pros
Households earn $64,414 more per year on average
90% less violent crime than North Charleston
More college-educated — 70.0% hold a bachelor's or higher
Violent crime is well below the national average (84.0 vs 380/100k)
Milder winters — January highs near 68°F vs 60°F
Cooler summers — July highs near 85°F vs 91°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $1,025,700
Higher rents — median is $2,749/mo
Cost of living runs 17% higher than North Charleston
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 115.5)
North Charleston, SC
Pros
Homes cost $782k less ($243,300 vs $1,025,700)
Rent averages $1461/mo less ($1,288 vs $2,749)
17% cheaper overall cost of living than Irvine
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.2 pts lower (4.3%)
Smaller class sizes — 13.0:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Irvine by $64,414/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
Irvine
Median Income
$64,414
$122,948 vs $58,534/yr
Irvine
Violent Crime
90% lower
84.0 vs 810.5 per 100k
North Charleston
Cost of Living
17% cheaper
COL index 98.2 vs 115.5 (100 = US avg)
North Charleston
Median Home Value
$782k less
$243,300 vs $1,025,700
North Charleston
Unemployment
1.2 pp lower
4.3% vs 5.5% unemployment
North Charleston
Summer Heat
6.2°F warmer
July avg high 91.3°F vs 85.1°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Irvine, CA | North Charleston, SC |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 115.5⚠ High | 98.2 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $1,025,700⚠ High | $243,300 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,749⚠ High | $1,288 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $122,948 ✓ Higher | $58,534 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.5%⚠ High | 4.3%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 24.3 min ✓ Shorter | 24.6 min |
| Work From Home % | 23.1% ✓ Higher | 6.6% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 40 ✓ Safer | 203⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 22 ✓ Safer | 213⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 66 ✓ Safer | 188⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (107) ✓ Better | B (101) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 26.5:1 | 13.0:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 70.0% ✓ Higher | 26.7% |
| High School or Higher | 96.3% ✓ Higher | 87.3% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Irvine Unified | Charleston 01 |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 67.8°F ✓ Warmer | 60.2°F |
| Avg High — July | 85.1°F | 91.3°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 14.1" ✓ Drier | 53.6" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 0.3" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 304,527 ✓ Larger | 115,755 |
| Median Age | 33.8 | 33.8 |
| Homeownership Rate | 43.9% | 49.4% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 21.8% | 23.0% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 10.4% | 11.7% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Irvine's cost of living index is 115.5 vs North Charleston's 98.2 (US average = 100).
North Charleston is 17% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, Irvine leads 13 of 22 categories. Irvine wins 13 and North Charleston 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 Irvine to North Charleston or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($1,025,700 vs $243,300 median home), income ($122,948 vs $58,534), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Irvine, CA and North Charleston, SC are about 2,166 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.