Head-to-Head · City Comparison
North Charleston, SC
VS
Pearland, TX
🏆 Pearland leads 17 of 22 categories
North Charleston
South Carolina
5
wins
Cost of Living Index
98.2 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$58,534
Violent Crime Index
213⚠ High
Population
115,755
Pearland
Texas
17
wins
Cost of Living Index
100.2⚠ High
Median Household Income
$111,123 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
25 ✓ Safer
Population
124,478 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
North Charleston, SC
Pros
Homes cost $68k less ($243,300 vs $311,100)
Rent averages $334/mo less ($1,288 vs $1,622)
Commutes run 9 min shorter each way
Smaller class sizes — 13.0:1 student-teacher ratio
2% cheaper overall cost of living than Pearland
Cons
Median income trails Pearland by $52,589/yr
Violent crime (810.5/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (3955.9/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (4.3% vs 3.2%)
Pearland, TX
Pros
Households earn $52,589 more per year on average
88% less violent crime than North Charleston
Violent crime is well below the national average (95.9 vs 380/100k)
More college-educated — 47.1% hold a bachelor's or higher
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.1 pts lower (3.2%)
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $311,100
Higher rents — median is $1,622/mo
Longer commutes — 33.6 min average each way
Cost of living runs 2% higher than North Charleston
Key Differences at a Glance
North Charleston
Cost of Living
2% cheaper
COL index 98.2 vs 100.2 (100 = US avg)
North Charleston
Median Home Value
$68k less
$243,300 vs $311,100
Pearland
Median Income
$52,589
$111,123 vs $58,534/yr
Pearland
Violent Crime
88% lower
95.9 vs 810.5 per 100k
Pearland
Unemployment
1.1 pp lower
3.2% vs 4.3% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | North Charleston, SC | Pearland, TX |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 98.2 ✓ Cheaper | 100.2⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $243,300 ✓ Lower | $311,100⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,288 ✓ Lower | $1,622⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $58,534 | $111,123 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.3%⚠ High | 3.2% ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 24.6 min ✓ Shorter | 33.6 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 6.6% | 10.3% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 203⚠ High | 43 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 213⚠ High | 25 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 188⚠ High | 69 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B (101) | A- (115) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 13.0:1 ✓ Smaller | 16.2:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 26.7% | 47.1% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 87.3% | 94.8% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Charleston 01 | PEARLAND ISD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 60.2°F | 64.6°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 91.3°F | 93.3°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 53.6" | 53.3" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.3" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 115,755 | 124,478 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 33.8 | 36.2 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 49.4% | 76.6% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 23.0% | 28.0% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 11.7% | 11.7% |
Frequently Asked Questions
North Charleston's cost of living index is 98.2 vs Pearland's 100.2 (US average = 100).
North Charleston is 2% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, Pearland leads 17 of 22 categories. North Charleston wins 5 and Pearland wins 17. 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 Pearland or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($243,300 vs $311,100 median home), income ($58,534 vs $111,123), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
North Charleston, SC and Pearland, TX are about 930 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.