Head-to-Head · City Comparison
North Charleston, SC
VS
Spring Hill, FL
🏆 Spring Hill leads 12 of 20 categories
North Charleston
South Carolina
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
98.2 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$58,534
Violent Crime Index
213⚠ High
Population
115,755
Spring Hill
Florida
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
103.4⚠ High
Median Household Income
$61,588 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
—
Population
116,882 ✓ Larger
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 2.1 pts lower (4.3%)
Commutes run 4 min shorter each way
More college-educated — 26.7% hold a bachelor's or higher
5% cheaper overall cost of living than Spring Hill
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 Spring Hill by $3,054/yr
Spring Hill, FL
Pros
Homes cost $22k less ($221,500 vs $243,300)
Milder winters — January highs near 72°F vs 60°F
Households earn $3,054 more per year on average
Cons
Higher unemployment (6.4% vs 4.3%)
Longer commutes — 29.0 min average each way
Cost of living runs 5% higher than North Charleston
Key Differences at a Glance
North Charleston
Cost of Living
5% cheaper
COL index 98.2 vs 103.4 (100 = US avg)
North Charleston
Unemployment
2.1 pp lower
4.3% vs 6.4% unemployment
Spring Hill
Median Income
$3,054
$61,588 vs $58,534/yr
Spring Hill
Median Home Value
$22k less
$221,500 vs $243,300
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | North Charleston, SC | Spring Hill, FL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 98.2 ✓ Cheaper | 103.4⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $243,300 | $221,500 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,288 | $1,223 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $58,534 | $61,588 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.3%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 6.4%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 24.6 min ✓ Shorter | 29.0 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 6.6% | 10.9% ✓ 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 | C+ (88) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 13.0:1 ✓ Smaller | 17.7:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 26.7% ✓ Higher | 19.2% |
| High School or Higher | 87.3% | 89.6% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Charleston 01 | HERNANDO |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 60.2°F | 71.6°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 91.3°F | 91.7°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 53.6" ✓ Drier | 56.5" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.3" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 115,755 | 116,882 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 33.8 | 43.2 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 49.4% | 77.9% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 23.0% ✓ More | 20.2% |
| Over 65 | 11.7% | 22.8% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
North Charleston's cost of living index is 98.2 vs Spring Hill's 103.4 (US average = 100).
North Charleston is 5% less expensive overall.
Based on the 20 decided categories above, Spring Hill leads 12 of 20 categories. North Charleston wins 8 and Spring Hill wins 12. 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 Spring Hill or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($243,300 vs $221,500 median home), income ($58,534 vs $61,588), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
North Charleston, SC and Spring Hill, FL are about 340 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.