Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Mount Pleasant, SC
VS
Santa Clarita, 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
Violent Crime Index
34 ✓ Safer
Population
90,945
Santa Clarita
California
7
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$116,186 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
44
Population
225,850 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Mount Pleasant, SC
Pros
22% less violent crime than Santa Clarita
Stronger job market — unemployment is 2.3 pts lower (3.2%)
More college-educated — 65.4% hold a bachelor's or higher
Violent crime is well below the national average (128.4 vs 380/100k)
Rent averages $414/mo less ($1,901 vs $2,315)
Commutes run 10 min shorter each way
Cons
Nothing stands out — a close match here.
Santa Clarita, CA
Pros
Violent crime is well below the national average (165.4 vs 380/100k)
Cons
Higher rents — median is $2,315/mo
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 115.5)
Higher unemployment (5.5% vs 3.2%)
Cost of living runs 10% higher than Mount Pleasant
Key Differences at a Glance
Mount Pleasant
Cost of Living
10% cheaper
COL index 105.9 vs 115.5 (100 = US avg)
Mount Pleasant
Violent Crime
22% lower
128.4 vs 165.4 per 100k
Mount Pleasant
Median Home Value
$61k less
$608,600 vs $669,200
Mount Pleasant
Unemployment
2.3 pp lower
3.2% vs 5.5% unemployment
Santa Clarita
Median Income
$1,019
$116,186 vs $115,167/yr
Santa Clarita
Summer Heat
3.1°F warmer
July avg high 94.2°F vs 91.1°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Mount Pleasant, SC | Santa Clarita, 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 | $669,200⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,901⚠ High ✓ Lower | $2,315⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $115,167 | $116,186 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.2% ✓ Lower | 5.5%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 25.2 min ✓ Shorter | 35.2 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 19.7% ✓ Higher | 13.7% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 43 ✓ Safer | 49 |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 34 ✓ Safer | 44 |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 56 | 56 |
| 🎓 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 | 26.5:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 65.4% ✓ Higher | 38.7% |
| High School or Higher | 97.7% ✓ Higher | 91.0% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Charleston 01 | Saugus Union |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 59.2°F | 63.2°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 91.1°F | 94.2°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 54.3" | 15.5" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.3" | 0.1" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 90,945 | 225,850 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 42.4 ✓ Older | 37.3 |
| Homeownership Rate | 72.5% ✓ Higher | 71.1% |
| Under 18 | 22.5% | 25.4% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 17.5% ✓ More | 12.4% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Mount Pleasant's cost of living index is 105.9 vs Santa Clarita'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 Clarita 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 Clarita or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($608,600 vs $669,200 median home), income ($115,167 vs $116,186), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Mount Pleasant, SC and Santa Clarita, CA are about 2,212 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.