Head-to-Head · City Comparison
North Charleston, SC
VS
Tulsa, OK
🏆 Tulsa leads 15 of 23 categories
North Charleston
South Carolina
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
98.2
Median Household Income
$58,534 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
213⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
115,755
Tulsa
Oklahoma
15
wins
Cost of Living Index
89.5 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$56,648
Violent Crime Index
248⚠ High
Population
411,938 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
North Charleston, SC
Pros
14% less violent crime than Tulsa
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.5 pts lower (4.3%)
Milder winters — January highs near 60°F vs 49°F
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
Cost of living runs 9% higher than Tulsa
Tulsa, OK
Pros
Homes cost $69k less ($174,200 vs $243,300)
Rent averages $330/mo less ($958 vs $1,288)
Commutes run 6 min shorter each way
9% cheaper overall cost of living than North Charleston
More college-educated — 32.9% hold a bachelor's or higher
Living costs sit below the national average (index 89.5)
Cons
Violent crime (941.9/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (3627.4/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (5.8% vs 4.3%)
Key Differences at a Glance
North Charleston
Median Income
$1,886
$58,534 vs $56,648/yr
North Charleston
Violent Crime
14% lower
810.5 vs 941.9 per 100k
North Charleston
Unemployment
1.5 pp lower
4.3% vs 5.8% unemployment
Tulsa
Cost of Living
9% cheaper
COL index 89.5 vs 98.2 (100 = US avg)
Tulsa
Median Home Value
$69k less
$174,200 vs $243,300
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | North Charleston, SC | Tulsa, OK |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 98.2 | 89.5 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $243,300 | $174,200 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,288 | $958 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $58,534 ✓ Higher | $56,648 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.3%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 5.8%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 24.6 min | 18.6 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 6.6% | 8.4% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 203⚠ High ✓ Safer | 218⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 213⚠ High ✓ Safer | 248⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 188⚠ High | 173⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B (101) ✓ Better | C+ (87) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 13.0:1 ✓ Smaller | 18.1:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 26.7% | 32.9% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 87.3% | 88.0% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Charleston 01 | TULSA |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 60.2°F ✓ Warmer | 48.9°F |
| Avg High — July | 91.3°F | 93.6°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 53.6" | 44.2" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.3" ✓ Less | 8.7" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 115,755 | 411,938 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 33.8 | 35.6 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 49.4% | 52.3% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 23.0% | 24.0% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 11.7% | 15.0% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
North Charleston's cost of living index is 98.2 vs Tulsa's 89.5 (US average = 100).
Tulsa is 9% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Tulsa leads 15 of 23 categories. North Charleston wins 8 and Tulsa wins 15. 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 Tulsa or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($243,300 vs $174,200 median home), income ($58,534 vs $56,648), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
North Charleston, SC and Tulsa, OK are about 927 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.