Head-to-Head · City Comparison
North Charleston, SC
VS
Urban Honolulu, HI
🏆 Urban Honolulu leads 15 of 23 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
Urban Honolulu
Hawaii
15
wins
Cost of Living Index
106.8⚠ High
Median Household Income
$82,772 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
49 ✓ Safer
Population
348,547 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
North Charleston, SC
Pros
Homes cost $562k less ($243,300 vs $805,500)
Rent averages $446/mo less ($1,288 vs $1,734)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.8 pts lower (4.3%)
9% cheaper overall cost of living than Urban Honolulu
Cons
Median income trails Urban Honolulu by $24,238/yr
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
Urban Honolulu, HI
Pros
77% less violent crime than North Charleston
Households earn $24,238 more per year on average
Violent crime is well below the national average (185.2 vs 380/100k)
More college-educated — 39.2% hold a bachelor's or higher
Milder winters — January highs near 76°F vs 60°F
Cooler summers — July highs near 79°F vs 91°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $805,500
Higher rents — median is $1,734/mo
Higher unemployment (5.1% vs 4.3%)
Cost of living runs 9% higher than North Charleston
Key Differences at a Glance
North Charleston
Cost of Living
9% cheaper
COL index 98.2 vs 106.8 (100 = US avg)
North Charleston
Median Home Value
$562k less
$243,300 vs $805,500
North Charleston
Unemployment
0.8 pp lower
4.3% vs 5.1% unemployment
North Charleston
Summer Heat
12.3°F warmer
July avg high 91.3°F vs 79.0°F
Urban Honolulu
Median Income
$24,238
$82,772 vs $58,534/yr
Urban Honolulu
Violent Crime
77% lower
185.2 vs 810.5 per 100k
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | North Charleston, SC | Urban Honolulu, HI |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 98.2 ✓ Cheaper | 106.8⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $243,300 ✓ Lower | $805,500⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,288 ✓ Lower | $1,734⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $58,534 | $82,772 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.3%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 5.1%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 24.6 min | 22.5 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 6.6% | 7.7% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 203⚠ High | 63 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 213⚠ High | 49 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 188⚠ High | 85 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B (101) | B+ (108) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 13.0:1 ✓ Smaller | 13.7:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 26.7% | 39.2% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 87.3% | 90.5% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Charleston 01 | Hawaii Department of Education |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 60.2°F | 76.0°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 91.3°F ✓ Warmer | 79.0°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 53.6" | 31.2" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.3" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 115,755 | 348,547 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 33.8 | 42.5 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 49.4% ✓ Higher | 48.0% |
| Under 18 | 23.0% ✓ More | 16.8% |
| Over 65 | 11.7% | 21.3% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
North Charleston's cost of living index is 98.2 vs Urban Honolulu's 106.8 (US average = 100).
North Charleston is 9% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Urban Honolulu leads 15 of 23 categories. North Charleston wins 8 and Urban Honolulu 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 Urban Honolulu or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($243,300 vs $805,500 median home), income ($58,534 vs $82,772), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
North Charleston, SC and Urban Honolulu, HI are about 4,747 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.
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