Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Mount Pleasant, SC
VS
Santa Ana, CA
🏆 Mount Pleasant leads 16 of 23 categories
Mount Pleasant
South Carolina
16
wins
Cost of Living Index
105.9⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$115,167 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
34 ✓ Safer
Population
90,945
Santa Ana
California
7
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$84,210
Violent Crime Index
130⚠ High
Population
311,379 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Mount Pleasant, SC
Pros
74% less violent crime than Santa Ana
More college-educated — 65.4% hold a bachelor's or higher
Households earn $30,957 more per year on average
Stronger job market — unemployment is 2.3 pts lower (3.2%)
Violent crime is well below the national average (128.4 vs 380/100k)
10% cheaper overall cost of living than Santa Ana
Cons
Nothing stands out — a close match here.
Santa Ana, CA
Pros
Milder winters — January highs near 69°F vs 59°F
Cooler summers — July highs near 83°F vs 91°F
Cons
Median income trails Mount Pleasant by $30,957/yr
Violent crime (493.1/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 115.5)
Higher unemployment (5.5% vs 3.2%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Mount Pleasant
Cost of Living
10% cheaper
COL index 105.9 vs 115.5 (100 = US avg)
Mount Pleasant
Median Income
$30,957
$115,167 vs $84,210/yr
Mount Pleasant
Violent Crime
74% lower
128.4 vs 493.1 per 100k
Mount Pleasant
Median Home Value
$15k less
$608,600 vs $624,000
Mount Pleasant
Unemployment
2.3 pp lower
3.2% vs 5.5% unemployment
Mount Pleasant
Summer Heat
8.6°F warmer
July avg high 91.1°F vs 82.5°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Mount Pleasant, SC | Santa Ana, CA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 105.9⚠ High ✓ Cheaper | 115.5⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $608,600⚠ High ✓ Lower | $624,000⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,901⚠ High | $1,885⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $115,167 ✓ Higher | $84,210 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.2% ✓ Lower | 5.5%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 25.2 min | 25.0 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 19.7% ✓ Higher | 8.0% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 43 ✓ Safer | 110⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 34 ✓ Safer | 130⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 56 ✓ Safer | 81 |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (121) ✓ Better | C+ (84) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 13.0:1 ✓ Smaller | 20.0:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 65.4% ✓ Higher | 17.9% |
| High School or Higher | 97.7% ✓ Higher | 65.2% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Charleston 01 | Santa Ana Unified |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 59.2°F | 69.3°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 91.1°F ✓ Warmer | 82.5°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 54.3" | 12.5" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.3" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 90,945 | 311,379 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 42.4 ✓ Older | 33.4 |
| Homeownership Rate | 72.5% ✓ Higher | 44.8% |
| Under 18 | 22.5% | 24.1% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 17.5% ✓ More | 10.6% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Mount Pleasant's cost of living index is 105.9 vs Santa Ana's 115.5 (US average = 100).
Mount Pleasant is 10% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Mount Pleasant leads 16 of 23 categories. Mount Pleasant wins 16 and Santa Ana wins 7. 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 Santa Ana or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($608,600 vs $624,000 median home), income ($115,167 vs $84,210), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Mount Pleasant, SC and Santa Ana, CA are about 2,185 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.