Head-to-Head · City Comparison
North Charleston, SC
VS
St. Petersburg, FL
🏆 St. Petersburg leads 16 of 23 categories
North Charleston
South Carolina
7
wins
Cost of Living Index
98.2 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$58,534
Violent Crime Index
213⚠ High
Population
115,755
St. Petersburg
Florida
16
wins
Cost of Living Index
103.4⚠ High
Median Household Income
$70,333 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
163⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
259,343 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
North Charleston, SC
Pros
Homes cost $46k less ($243,300 vs $289,000)
Rent averages $122/mo less ($1,288 vs $1,410)
5% cheaper overall cost of living than St. Petersburg
Smaller class sizes — 13.0:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Violent crime (810.5/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Median income trails St. Petersburg by $11,799/yr
Property crime (3955.9/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
St. Petersburg, FL
Pros
24% less violent crime than North Charleston
Households earn $11,799 more per year on average
More college-educated — 40.6% hold a bachelor's or higher
Milder winters — January highs near 69°F vs 60°F
Cons
Violent crime (619.6/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (2458.9/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher rents — median is $1,410/mo
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
Median Home Value
$46k less
$243,300 vs $289,000
St. Petersburg
Median Income
$11,799
$70,333 vs $58,534/yr
St. Petersburg
Violent Crime
24% lower
619.6 vs 810.5 per 100k
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | North Charleston, SC | St. Petersburg, FL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 98.2 ✓ Cheaper | 103.4⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $243,300 ✓ Lower | $289,000 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,288 ✓ Lower | $1,410⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $58,534 | $70,333 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.3%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 4.6%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 24.6 min | 24.0 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 6.6% | 15.7% ✓ 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 | 163⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 188⚠ High | 117⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B (101) | B+ (107) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 13.0:1 ✓ Smaller | 15.9:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 26.7% | 40.6% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 87.3% | 93.8% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Charleston 01 | PINELLAS |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 60.2°F | 69.0°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 91.3°F ✓ Warmer | 89.6°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 53.6" | 46.6" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.3" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 115,755 | 259,343 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 33.8 | 42.9 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 49.4% | 62.6% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 23.0% ✓ More | 16.3% |
| Over 65 | 11.7% | 19.9% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
North Charleston's cost of living index is 98.2 vs St. Petersburg's 103.4 (US average = 100).
North Charleston is 5% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, St. Petersburg leads 16 of 23 categories. North Charleston wins 7 and St. Petersburg wins 16. 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. Petersburg or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($243,300 vs $289,000 median home), income ($58,534 vs $70,333), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
North Charleston, SC and St. Petersburg, FL are about 388 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.
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