Head-to-Head · City Comparison
North Charleston, SC
VS
Omaha, NE
🏆 Omaha leads 18 of 23 categories
North Charleston
South Carolina
5
wins
Cost of Living Index
98.2
Median Household Income
$58,534
Violent Crime Index
213⚠ High
Population
115,755
Omaha
Nebraska
18
wins
Cost of Living Index
92.5 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$70,202 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
97 ✓ Safer
Population
489,201 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
North Charleston, SC
Pros
Milder winters — January highs near 60°F vs 32°F
Smaller class sizes — 13.0:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Violent crime (810.5/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Median income trails Omaha by $11,668/yr
Property crime (3955.9/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Cost of living runs 6% higher than Omaha
Omaha, NE
Pros
54% less violent crime than North Charleston
Households earn $11,668 more per year on average
Rent averages $189/mo less ($1,099 vs $1,288)
Homes cost $33k less ($210,300 vs $243,300)
Commutes run 5 min shorter each way
More college-educated — 39.2% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cons
Property crime (3161.8/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Key Differences at a Glance
North Charleston
Summer Heat
6.1°F warmer
July avg high 91.3°F vs 85.2°F
Omaha
Cost of Living
6% cheaper
COL index 92.5 vs 98.2 (100 = US avg)
Omaha
Median Income
$11,668
$70,202 vs $58,534/yr
Omaha
Violent Crime
54% lower
369.0 vs 810.5 per 100k
Omaha
Median Home Value
$33k less
$210,300 vs $243,300
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | North Charleston, SC | Omaha, NE |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 98.2 | 92.5 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $243,300 | $210,300 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,288 | $1,099 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $58,534 | $70,202 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.3%⚠ High | 4.2%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 24.6 min | 19.3 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 6.6% | 11.5% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 203⚠ High | 118⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 213⚠ High | 97 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 188⚠ High | 151⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B (101) ✓ Better | B- (95) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 13.0:1 ✓ Smaller | 16.7:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 26.7% | 39.2% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 87.3% | 90.4% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Charleston 01 | OMAHA PUBLIC SCHOOLS |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 60.2°F ✓ Warmer | 32.3°F |
| Avg High — July | 91.3°F ✓ Warmer | 85.2°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 53.6" | 33.1" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.3" ✓ Less | 27.1" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 115,755 | 489,201 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 33.8 | 35.1 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 49.4% | 57.9% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 23.0% | 24.5% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 11.7% | 13.8% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
North Charleston's cost of living index is 98.2 vs Omaha's 92.5 (US average = 100).
Omaha is 6% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Omaha leads 18 of 23 categories. North Charleston wins 5 and Omaha wins 18. 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 North Charleston to Omaha or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($243,300 vs $210,300 median home), income ($58,534 vs $70,202), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
North Charleston, SC and Omaha, NE are about 1,050 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.