Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Kirkland, WA
VS
North Charleston, SC
🏆 It's a dead heat — 11 categories each
Kirkland
Washington
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
113.0⚠ High
Median Household Income
$135,608 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
16 ✓ Safer
Population
92,015
North Charleston
South Carolina
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
98.2 ✓ Cheaper
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.
Kirkland, WA
Pros
Households earn $77,074 more per year on average
93% less violent crime than North Charleston
More college-educated — 62.9% hold a bachelor's or higher
Violent crime is well below the national average (60.6 vs 380/100k)
Cooler summers — July highs near 77°F vs 91°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $937,700
Higher rents — median is $2,250/mo
Cost of living runs 15% higher than North Charleston
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 113.0)
North Charleston, SC
Pros
Homes cost $694k less ($243,300 vs $937,700)
Rent averages $962/mo less ($1,288 vs $2,250)
15% cheaper overall cost of living than Kirkland
Milder winters — January highs near 60°F vs 47°F
Cons
Median income trails Kirkland by $77,074/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
Kirkland
Median Income
$77,074
$135,608 vs $58,534/yr
Kirkland
Violent Crime
93% lower
60.6 vs 810.5 per 100k
North Charleston
Cost of Living
15% cheaper
COL index 98.2 vs 113.0 (100 = US avg)
North Charleston
Median Home Value
$694k less
$243,300 vs $937,700
North Charleston
Summer Heat
14.8°F warmer
July avg high 91.3°F vs 76.5°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Kirkland, WA | North Charleston, SC |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 113.0⚠ High | 98.2 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $937,700⚠ High | $243,300 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,250⚠ High | $1,288 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $135,608 ✓ Higher | $58,534 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.7%⚠ High | 4.3%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 25.5 min | 24.6 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 24.9% ✓ Higher | 6.6% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 48 ✓ Safer | 203⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 16 ✓ Safer | 213⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 96 ✓ Safer | 188⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C+ (89) | B (101) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | — | 13.0:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 62.9% ✓ Higher | 26.7% |
| High School or Higher | 96.6% ✓ Higher | 87.3% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Lake Washington Institute of Technology | Charleston 01 |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 47.4°F | 60.2°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 76.5°F | 91.3°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 37.8" ✓ Drier | 53.6" |
| Annual Snowfall | 3.8" | 0.3" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 92,015 | 115,755 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 38.0 ✓ Older | 33.8 |
| Homeownership Rate | 62.1% ✓ Higher | 49.4% |
| Under 18 | 20.0% | 23.0% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 14.1% ✓ More | 11.7% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Kirkland's cost of living index is 113.0 vs North Charleston's 98.2 (US average = 100).
North Charleston is 15% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, It's a dead heat — 11 categories each. Kirkland wins 11 and North Charleston wins 11. 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 Kirkland to North Charleston or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($937,700 vs $243,300 median home), income ($135,608 vs $58,534), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Kirkland, WA and North Charleston, SC are about 2,406 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.