Head-to-Head · City Comparison
North Charleston, SC
VS
Pompano Beach, FL
🏆 North Charleston leads 12 of 20 categories
North Charleston
South Carolina
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
98.2 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$58,534
Violent Crime Index
213⚠ High
Population
115,755 ✓ Larger
Pompano Beach
Florida
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
111.8⚠ High
Median Household Income
$61,155 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
—
Population
111,790
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
North Charleston, SC
Pros
Stronger job market — unemployment is 4.4 pts lower (4.3%)
Homes cost $50k less ($243,300 vs $293,300)
Rent averages $239/mo less ($1,288 vs $1,527)
14% cheaper overall cost of living than Pompano Beach
Smaller class sizes — 13.0:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
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
Median income trails Pompano Beach by $2,621/yr
Pompano Beach, FL
Pros
Milder winters — January highs near 76°F vs 60°F
More college-educated — 30.1% hold a bachelor's or higher
Households earn $2,621 more per year on average
Cons
Higher rents — median is $1,527/mo
Cost of living runs 14% higher than North Charleston
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 111.8)
Higher unemployment (8.7% vs 4.3%)
Key Differences at a Glance
North Charleston
Cost of Living
14% cheaper
COL index 98.2 vs 111.8 (100 = US avg)
North Charleston
Median Home Value
$50k less
$243,300 vs $293,300
North Charleston
Unemployment
4.4 pp lower
4.3% vs 8.7% unemployment
Pompano Beach
Median Income
$2,621
$61,155 vs $58,534/yr
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | North Charleston, SC | Pompano Beach, FL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 98.2 ✓ Cheaper | 111.8⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $243,300 ✓ Lower | $293,300 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,288 ✓ Lower | $1,527⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $58,534 | $61,155 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.3%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 8.7%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 24.6 min ✓ Shorter | 27.0 min |
| Work From Home % | 6.6% | 9.9% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 203⚠ High | — |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 213⚠ High | — |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 188⚠ High | — |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B (101) ✓ Better | B- (91) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 13.0:1 ✓ Smaller | 21.7:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 26.7% | 30.1% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 87.3% ✓ Higher | 85.2% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Charleston 01 | BROWARD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 60.2°F | 76.3°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 91.3°F ✓ Warmer | 90.5°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 53.6" ✓ Drier | 55.6" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.3" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 115,755 ✓ Larger | 111,790 |
| Median Age | 33.8 | 41.5 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 49.4% | 53.1% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 23.0% ✓ More | 18.7% |
| Over 65 | 11.7% | 18.6% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
North Charleston's cost of living index is 98.2 vs Pompano Beach's 111.8 (US average = 100).
North Charleston is 14% less expensive overall.
Based on the 20 decided categories above, North Charleston leads 12 of 20 categories. North Charleston wins 12 and Pompano Beach wins 8. 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 Pompano Beach or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($243,300 vs $293,300 median home), income ($58,534 vs $61,155), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
North Charleston, SC and Pompano Beach, FL are about 461 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.