Head-to-Head · City Comparison
North Charleston, SC
VS
St. Louis, MO
🏆 St. Louis leads 13 of 23 categories
North Charleston
South Carolina
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
98.2
Median Household Income
$58,534 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
213⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
115,755
St. Louis
Missouri
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
96.3 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$52,941
Violent Crime Index
360⚠ High
Population
298,018 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
North Charleston, SC
Pros
41% less violent crime than St. Louis
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.1 pts lower (4.3%)
Milder winters — January highs near 60°F vs 41°F
Households earn $5,593 more per year on average
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
St. Louis, MO
Pros
Homes cost $69k less ($174,100 vs $243,300)
Rent averages $350/mo less ($938 vs $1,288)
More college-educated — 38.6% hold a bachelor's or higher
Smaller class sizes — 11.4:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Violent crime (1367.1/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (5706.9/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (5.4% vs 4.3%)
Median income trails North Charleston by $5,593/yr
Key Differences at a Glance
North Charleston
Median Income
$5,593
$58,534 vs $52,941/yr
North Charleston
Violent Crime
41% lower
810.5 vs 1367.1 per 100k
North Charleston
Unemployment
1.1 pp lower
4.3% vs 5.4% unemployment
St. Louis
Cost of Living
2% cheaper
COL index 96.3 vs 98.2 (100 = US avg)
St. Louis
Median Home Value
$69k less
$174,100 vs $243,300
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | North Charleston, SC | St. Louis, MO |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 98.2 | 96.3 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $243,300 | $174,100 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,288 | $938 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $58,534 ✓ Higher | $52,941 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.3%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 5.4%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 24.6 min | 23.0 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 6.6% | 12.5% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 203⚠ High ✓ Safer | 325⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 213⚠ High ✓ Safer | 360⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 188⚠ High ✓ Safer | 272⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B (101) | B+ (107) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 13.0:1 | 11.4:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 26.7% | 38.6% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 87.3% | 90.0% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Charleston 01 | ST. LOUIS CITY |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 60.2°F ✓ Warmer | 40.6°F |
| Avg High — July | 91.3°F ✓ Warmer | 89.6°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 53.6" | 43.9" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.3" ✓ Less | 13.8" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 115,755 | 298,018 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 33.8 | 36.5 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 49.4% ✓ Higher | 44.9% |
| Under 18 | 23.0% ✓ More | 18.5% |
| Over 65 | 11.7% | 14.5% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
North Charleston's cost of living index is 98.2 vs St. Louis's 96.3 (US average = 100).
St. Louis is 2% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, St. Louis leads 13 of 23 categories. North Charleston wins 10 and St. Louis 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 St. Louis or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($243,300 vs $174,100 median home), income ($58,534 vs $52,941), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
North Charleston, SC and St. Louis, MO are about 693 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.