Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Mount Pleasant, SC
VS
North Charleston, SC
🏆 Mount Pleasant leads 12 of 21 categories
Mount Pleasant
South Carolina
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
105.9⚠ High
Median Household Income
$115,167 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
34 ✓ Safer
Population
90,945
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 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Mount Pleasant, SC
Pros
Households earn $56,633 more per year on average
84% less violent crime than North Charleston
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 1.1 pts lower (3.2%)
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $608,600
Higher rents — median is $1,901/mo
Cost of living runs 8% higher than North Charleston
North Charleston, SC
Pros
Homes cost $365k less ($243,300 vs $608,600)
Rent averages $613/mo less ($1,288 vs $1,901)
8% cheaper overall cost of living than Mount Pleasant
Cons
Median income trails Mount Pleasant by $56,633/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
Higher unemployment (4.3% vs 3.2%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Mount Pleasant
Median Income
$56,633
$115,167 vs $58,534/yr
Mount Pleasant
Violent Crime
84% lower
128.4 vs 810.5 per 100k
Mount Pleasant
Unemployment
1.1 pp lower
3.2% vs 4.3% unemployment
North Charleston
Cost of Living
8% cheaper
COL index 98.2 vs 105.9 (100 = US avg)
North Charleston
Median Home Value
$365k less
$243,300 vs $608,600
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Mount Pleasant, SC | North Charleston, SC |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 105.9⚠ High | 98.2 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $608,600⚠ High | $243,300 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,901⚠ High | $1,288 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $115,167 ✓ Higher | $58,534 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.2% ✓ Lower | 4.3%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 25.2 min | 24.6 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 19.7% ✓ Higher | 6.6% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 43 ✓ Safer | 203⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 34 ✓ Safer | 213⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 56 ✓ Safer | 188⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (121) ✓ Better | B (101) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 13.0:1 | 13.0:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 65.4% ✓ Higher | 26.7% |
| High School or Higher | 97.7% ✓ Higher | 87.3% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Charleston 01 | Charleston 01 |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 59.2°F | 60.2°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 91.1°F | 91.3°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 54.3" | 53.6" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.3" | 0.3" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 90,945 | 115,755 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 42.4 ✓ Older | 33.8 |
| Homeownership Rate | 72.5% ✓ Higher | 49.4% |
| Under 18 | 22.5% | 23.0% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 17.5% ✓ More | 11.7% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Mount Pleasant's cost of living index is 105.9 vs North Charleston's 98.2 (US average = 100).
North Charleston is 8% less expensive overall.
Based on the 21 decided categories above, Mount Pleasant leads 12 of 21 categories. Mount Pleasant wins 12 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 Mount Pleasant to North Charleston or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($608,600 vs $243,300 median home), income ($115,167 vs $58,534), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Mount Pleasant, SC and North Charleston, SC are about 14 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.