Head-to-Head · City Comparison
North Charleston, SC
VS
San Jose, CA
🏆 San Jose leads 13 of 23 categories
North Charleston
South Carolina
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
98.2 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$58,534
Violent Crime Index
213⚠ High
Population
115,755
San Jose
California
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
112.9⚠ High
Median Household Income
$136,010 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
160⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
1,001,176 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
North Charleston, SC
Pros
Homes cost $906k less ($243,300 vs $1,149,600)
Rent averages $1238/mo less ($1,288 vs $2,526)
15% cheaper overall cost of living than San Jose
Commutes run 4 min shorter each way
Smaller class sizes — 13.0:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails San Jose by $77,476/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
San Jose, CA
Pros
Households earn $77,476 more per year on average
25% less violent crime than North Charleston
More college-educated — 46.0% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cooler summers — July highs near 82°F vs 91°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $1,149,600
Higher rents — median is $2,526/mo
Violent crime (606.8/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Cost of living runs 15% higher than North Charleston
Key Differences at a Glance
North Charleston
Cost of Living
15% cheaper
COL index 98.2 vs 112.9 (100 = US avg)
North Charleston
Median Home Value
$906k less
$243,300 vs $1,149,600
North Charleston
Summer Heat
9.1°F warmer
July avg high 91.3°F vs 82.2°F
San Jose
Median Income
$77,476
$136,010 vs $58,534/yr
San Jose
Violent Crime
25% lower
606.8 vs 810.5 per 100k
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | North Charleston, SC | San Jose, CA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 98.2 ✓ Cheaper | 112.9⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $243,300 ✓ Lower | $1,149,600⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,288 ✓ Lower | $2,526⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $58,534 | $136,010 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.3%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 4.7%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 24.6 min ✓ Shorter | 28.8 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 6.6% | 16.3% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 203⚠ High | 145⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 213⚠ High | 160⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 188⚠ High | 123⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B (101) | B+ (104) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 13.0:1 ✓ Smaller | 20.8:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 26.7% | 46.0% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 87.3% ✓ Higher | 85.5% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Charleston 01 | San Jose Unified |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 60.2°F ✓ Warmer | 59.0°F |
| Avg High — July | 91.3°F ✓ Warmer | 82.2°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 53.6" | 18.8" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.3" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 115,755 | 1,001,176 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 33.8 | 37.8 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 49.4% | 55.8% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 23.0% ✓ More | 21.2% |
| Over 65 | 11.7% | 13.7% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
North Charleston's cost of living index is 98.2 vs San Jose's 112.9 (US average = 100).
North Charleston is 15% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, San Jose leads 13 of 23 categories. North Charleston wins 10 and San Jose wins 13. 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 San Jose or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($243,300 vs $1,149,600 median home), income ($58,534 vs $136,010), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
North Charleston, SC and San Jose, CA are about 2,360 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.