Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Jacksonville, FL
VS
North Charleston, SC
🏆 Jacksonville leads 18 of 23 categories
Jacksonville
Florida
18
wins
Cost of Living Index
99.2
Median Household Income
$64,138 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
164⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
950,203 ✓ Larger
North Charleston
South Carolina
5
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.
Jacksonville, FL
Pros
23% less violent crime than North Charleston
Households earn $5,604 more per year on average
More college-educated — 31.0% hold a bachelor's or higher
Milder winters — January highs near 66°F vs 60°F
Cons
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
North Charleston, SC
Pros
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.5 pts lower (4.3%)
Smaller class sizes — 13.0:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
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
Median income trails Jacksonville by $5,604/yr
Key Differences at a Glance
Jacksonville
Median Income
$5,604
$64,138 vs $58,534/yr
Jacksonville
Violent Crime
23% lower
623.8 vs 810.5 per 100k
North Charleston
Cost of Living
1% cheaper
COL index 98.2 vs 99.2 (100 = US avg)
North Charleston
Unemployment
0.5 pp lower
4.3% vs 4.8% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Jacksonville, FL | North Charleston, SC |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 99.2 | 98.2 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $243,000 ✓ Lower | $243,300 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,281 ✓ Lower | $1,288 |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $64,138 ✓ Higher | $58,534 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.8%⚠ High | 4.3%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 24.4 min ✓ Shorter | 24.6 min |
| Work From Home % | 11.1% ✓ Higher | 6.6% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 146⚠ High ✓ Safer | 203⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 164⚠ High ✓ Safer | 213⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 119⚠ High ✓ Safer | 188⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B- (95) | B (101) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 19.1:1 | 13.0:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 31.0% ✓ Higher | 26.7% |
| High School or Higher | 90.5% ✓ Higher | 87.3% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | DUVAL | Charleston 01 |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 65.5°F ✓ Warmer | 60.2°F |
| Avg High — July | 91.8°F ✓ Warmer | 91.3°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 53.1" ✓ Drier | 53.6" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 0.3" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 950,203 ✓ Larger | 115,755 |
| Median Age | 36.3 ✓ Older | 33.8 |
| Homeownership Rate | 57.0% ✓ Higher | 49.4% |
| Under 18 | 22.6% | 23.0% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 14.4% ✓ More | 11.7% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Jacksonville's cost of living index is 99.2 vs North Charleston's 98.2 (US average = 100).
North Charleston is 1% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Jacksonville leads 18 of 23 categories. Jacksonville wins 18 and North Charleston wins 5. 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 North Charleston or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($243,000 vs $243,300 median home), income ($64,138 vs $58,534), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Jacksonville, FL and North Charleston, SC are about 202 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.