Head-to-Head · City Comparison
North Charleston, SC
VS
Tuscaloosa, AL
🏆 Tuscaloosa 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
Population
115,755 ✓ Larger
Tuscaloosa
Alabama
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
90.0 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$47,257
Violent Crime Index
146⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
105,797
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 2.5 pts lower (4.3%)
Households earn $11,277 more per year on average
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 8% higher than Tuscaloosa
Tuscaloosa, AL
Pros
32% less violent crime than North Charleston
Rent averages $308/mo less ($980 vs $1,288)
Commutes run 6 min shorter each way
More college-educated — 38.1% hold a bachelor's or higher
8% cheaper overall cost of living than North Charleston
Living costs sit below the national average (index 90.0)
Cons
Violent crime (553.4/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Median income trails North Charleston by $11,277/yr
Property crime (2731.2/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (6.8% vs 4.3%)
Key Differences at a Glance
North Charleston
Median Income
$11,277
$58,534 vs $47,257/yr
North Charleston
Unemployment
2.5 pp lower
4.3% vs 6.8% unemployment
Tuscaloosa
Cost of Living
8% cheaper
COL index 90.0 vs 98.2 (100 = US avg)
Tuscaloosa
Violent Crime
32% lower
553.4 vs 810.5 per 100k
Tuscaloosa
Median Home Value
$15k less
$228,300 vs $243,300
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | North Charleston, SC | Tuscaloosa, AL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 98.2 | 90.0 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $243,300 | $228,300 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,288 | $980 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $58,534 ✓ Higher | $47,257 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.3%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 6.8%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 24.6 min | 18.5 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 6.6% ✓ Higher | 5.7% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 203⚠ High | 139⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 213⚠ High | 146⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 188⚠ High | 130⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B (101) | B (102) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 13.0:1 ✓ Smaller | 17.1:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 26.7% | 38.1% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 87.3% | 91.0% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Charleston 01 | Tuscaloosa City |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 60.2°F ✓ Warmer | 56.0°F |
| Avg High — July | 91.3°F | 92.2°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 53.6" ✓ Drier | 58.1" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.3" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 115,755 ✓ Larger | 105,797 |
| Median Age | 33.8 ✓ Older | 28.8 |
| Homeownership Rate | 49.4% ✓ Higher | 45.7% |
| Under 18 | 23.0% ✓ More | 17.5% |
| Over 65 | 11.7% | 13.2% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
North Charleston's cost of living index is 98.2 vs Tuscaloosa's 90.0 (US average = 100).
Tuscaloosa is 8% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Tuscaloosa leads 13 of 23 categories. North Charleston wins 10 and Tuscaloosa 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 Tuscaloosa or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($243,300 vs $228,300 median home), income ($58,534 vs $47,257), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
North Charleston, SC and Tuscaloosa, AL are about 433 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.