Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Mount Pleasant, SC
VS
Tuscaloosa, AL
🏆 Mount Pleasant leads 16 of 23 categories
Mount Pleasant
South Carolina
16
wins
Cost of Living Index
105.9⚠ High
Median Household Income
$115,167 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
34 ✓ Safer
Population
90,945
Tuscaloosa
Alabama
7
wins
Cost of Living Index
90.0 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$47,257
Violent Crime Index
146⚠ High
Population
105,797 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Mount Pleasant, SC
Pros
Households earn $67,910 more per year on average
77% less violent crime than Tuscaloosa
Stronger job market — unemployment is 3.6 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)
Smaller class sizes — 13.0:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $608,600
Higher rents — median is $1,901/mo
Cost of living runs 16% higher than Tuscaloosa
Tuscaloosa, AL
Pros
Homes cost $380k less ($228,300 vs $608,600)
Rent averages $921/mo less ($980 vs $1,901)
16% cheaper overall cost of living than Mount Pleasant
Commutes run 7 min shorter each way
Living costs sit below the national average (index 90.0)
Cons
Median income trails Mount Pleasant by $67,910/yr
Violent crime (553.4/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (2731.2/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (6.8% vs 3.2%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Mount Pleasant
Median Income
$67,910
$115,167 vs $47,257/yr
Mount Pleasant
Violent Crime
77% lower
128.4 vs 553.4 per 100k
Mount Pleasant
Unemployment
3.6 pp lower
3.2% vs 6.8% unemployment
Tuscaloosa
Cost of Living
16% cheaper
COL index 90.0 vs 105.9 (100 = US avg)
Tuscaloosa
Median Home Value
$380k less
$228,300 vs $608,600
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Mount Pleasant, SC | Tuscaloosa, AL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 105.9⚠ High | 90.0 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $608,600⚠ High | $228,300 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,901⚠ High | $980 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $115,167 ✓ Higher | $47,257 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.2% ✓ Lower | 6.8%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 25.2 min | 18.5 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 19.7% ✓ Higher | 5.7% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 43 ✓ Safer | 139⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 34 ✓ Safer | 146⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 56 ✓ Safer | 130⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (121) ✓ Better | B (102) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 13.0:1 ✓ Smaller | 17.1:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 65.4% ✓ Higher | 38.1% |
| High School or Higher | 97.7% ✓ Higher | 91.0% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Charleston 01 | Tuscaloosa City |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 59.2°F ✓ Warmer | 56.0°F |
| Avg High — July | 91.1°F | 92.2°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 54.3" ✓ Drier | 58.1" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.3" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 90,945 | 105,797 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 42.4 ✓ Older | 28.8 |
| Homeownership Rate | 72.5% ✓ Higher | 45.7% |
| Under 18 | 22.5% ✓ More | 17.5% |
| Over 65 | 17.5% ✓ More | 13.2% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Mount Pleasant's cost of living index is 105.9 vs Tuscaloosa's 90.0 (US average = 100).
Tuscaloosa is 16% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Mount Pleasant leads 16 of 23 categories. Mount Pleasant wins 16 and Tuscaloosa 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 Tuscaloosa or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($608,600 vs $228,300 median home), income ($115,167 vs $47,257), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Mount Pleasant, SC and Tuscaloosa, AL are about 445 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.