Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Mount Pleasant, SC
VS
Winston-Salem, NC
🏆 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
Winston-Salem
North Carolina
7
wins
Cost of Living Index
91.4 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$54,416
Violent Crime Index
213⚠ High
Population
249,571 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Mount Pleasant, SC
Pros
Households earn $60,751 more per year on average
84% less violent crime than Winston-Salem
Stronger job market — unemployment is 3.0 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)
Milder winters — January highs near 59°F vs 49°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $608,600
Higher rents — median is $1,901/mo
Cost of living runs 15% higher than Winston-Salem
Winston-Salem, NC
Pros
Homes cost $421k less ($187,400 vs $608,600)
Rent averages $945/mo less ($956 vs $1,901)
15% cheaper overall cost of living than Mount Pleasant
Commutes run 4 min shorter each way
Living costs sit below the national average (index 91.4)
Cons
Median income trails Mount Pleasant by $60,751/yr
Violent crime (809.7/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (2921.2/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (6.2% vs 3.2%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Mount Pleasant
Median Income
$60,751
$115,167 vs $54,416/yr
Mount Pleasant
Violent Crime
84% lower
128.4 vs 809.7 per 100k
Mount Pleasant
Unemployment
3.0 pp lower
3.2% vs 6.2% unemployment
Mount Pleasant
Summer Heat
3.1°F warmer
July avg high 91.1°F vs 88.0°F
Winston-Salem
Cost of Living
15% cheaper
COL index 91.4 vs 105.9 (100 = US avg)
Winston-Salem
Median Home Value
$421k less
$187,400 vs $608,600
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Mount Pleasant, SC | Winston-Salem, NC |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 105.9⚠ High | 91.4 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $608,600⚠ High | $187,400 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,901⚠ High | $956 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $115,167 ✓ Higher | $54,416 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.2% ✓ Lower | 6.2%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 25.2 min | 21.6 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 19.7% ✓ Higher | 10.5% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 43 ✓ Safer | 183⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 34 ✓ Safer | 213⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 56 ✓ Safer | 139⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (121) ✓ Better | B+ (104) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 13.0:1 ✓ Smaller | 14.2:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 65.4% ✓ Higher | 35.5% |
| High School or Higher | 97.7% ✓ Higher | 87.9% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Charleston 01 | Winston Salem / Forsyth County Schools |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 59.2°F ✓ Warmer | 48.8°F |
| Avg High — July | 91.1°F ✓ Warmer | 88.0°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 54.3" | 43.2" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.3" ✓ Less | 6.2" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 90,945 | 249,571 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 42.4 ✓ Older | 35.7 |
| Homeownership Rate | 72.5% ✓ Higher | 53.9% |
| Under 18 | 22.5% | 23.4% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 17.5% ✓ More | 14.6% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Mount Pleasant's cost of living index is 105.9 vs Winston-Salem's 91.4 (US average = 100).
Winston-Salem is 14% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Mount Pleasant leads 16 of 23 categories. Mount Pleasant wins 16 and Winston-Salem 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 Winston-Salem or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($608,600 vs $187,400 median home), income ($115,167 vs $54,416), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Mount Pleasant, SC and Winston-Salem, NC are about 229 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.