Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Jacksonville, FL
VS
Mount Pleasant, SC
🏆 Mount Pleasant leads 13 of 23 categories
Jacksonville
Florida
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
99.2 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$64,138
Violent Crime Index
164⚠ High
Population
950,203 ✓ Larger
Mount Pleasant
South Carolina
13
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.
Jacksonville, FL
Pros
Homes cost $366k less ($243,000 vs $608,600)
Rent averages $620/mo less ($1,281 vs $1,901)
7% cheaper overall cost of living than Mount Pleasant
Milder winters — January highs near 66°F vs 59°F
Cons
Median income trails Mount Pleasant by $51,029/yr
Violent crime (623.8/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (2494.5/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (4.8% vs 3.2%)
Mount Pleasant, SC
Pros
Households earn $51,029 more per year on average
79% less violent crime than Jacksonville
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 1.6 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 7% higher than Jacksonville
Key Differences at a Glance
Jacksonville
Cost of Living
7% cheaper
COL index 99.2 vs 105.9 (100 = US avg)
Jacksonville
Median Home Value
$366k less
$243,000 vs $608,600
Mount Pleasant
Median Income
$51,029
$115,167 vs $64,138/yr
Mount Pleasant
Violent Crime
79% lower
128.4 vs 623.8 per 100k
Mount Pleasant
Unemployment
1.6 pp lower
3.2% vs 4.8% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Jacksonville, FL | Mount Pleasant, SC |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 99.2 ✓ Cheaper | 105.9⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $243,000 ✓ Lower | $608,600⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,281 ✓ Lower | $1,901⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $64,138 | $115,167 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.8%⚠ High | 3.2% ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 24.4 min ✓ Shorter | 25.2 min |
| Work From Home % | 11.1% | 19.7% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 146⚠ High | 43 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 164⚠ High | 34 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 119⚠ High | 56 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B- (95) | A (121) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 19.1:1 | 13.0:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 31.0% | 65.4% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 90.5% | 97.7% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | DUVAL | Charleston 01 |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 65.5°F ✓ Warmer | 59.2°F |
| Avg High — July | 91.8°F ✓ Warmer | 91.1°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 53.1" ✓ Drier | 54.3" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 0.3" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 950,203 ✓ Larger | 90,945 |
| Median Age | 36.3 | 42.4 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 57.0% | 72.5% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 22.6% ✓ More | 22.5% |
| Over 65 | 14.4% | 17.5% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Jacksonville's cost of living index is 99.2 vs Mount Pleasant's 105.9 (US average = 100).
Jacksonville is 7% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Mount Pleasant leads 13 of 23 categories. Jacksonville wins 10 and Mount Pleasant wins 13. 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 Jacksonville to Mount Pleasant or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($243,000 vs $608,600 median home), income ($64,138 vs $115,167), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Jacksonville, FL and Mount Pleasant, SC are about 201 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.