Residential comparison · 13 facts
Charleston, SC vs North Charleston, SC
Compare the housing, tax, cost, income, safety, school, and climate facts that are available for both places. The table shows the numbers without declaring one city universally better.
A household earning $85,000 in Charleston needs about $76,000 in North Charleston to keep the same lifestyle.
Coming from North Charleston, $85,000 of lifestyle costs about $94,000 in Charleston.
A few differences
- Charleston is lower on property tax rate (0.5% vs 0.55%).
- North Charleston is lower on sales tax (7.5% vs 9%).
- North Charleston is lower on groceries index (98 vs 103).
Charleston vs North Charleston · facet by facet
| Facet | Charleston, SC | North Charleston, SC |
|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $550,000 | $302,200 |
| 2-bedroom rent | $2,050/mo | $1,448/mo |
| Property tax rate | 0.5% | 0.55% |
| State & local income tax | 3.39% | 3.39% |
| Sales tax | 9% | 7.5% |
| Cost of living index | 108 | 93 |
| Groceries index | 103 | 98 |
| Utilities | $185/mo | $175/mo |
| Median household income | $78,000 | $62,956 |
| Unemployment rate | 3% | 3.5% |
| Crime index | 42/100 | 65/100 |
| School rating | 6.5/10 | 5.0/10 |
| Sunny days / year | 230 days | 220 days |
Data: Census ACS 2024 · BLS · Tax Foundation 2024 brackets · HUD/Zillow · NOAA 1991–2020 · FEMA NRI · Values are shown as reported; no universal winner is implied.
Full profiles: Charleston, SC · North Charleston, SC
Questions & answers
- Is Charleston cheaper than North Charleston?
- North Charleston has the lower day-to-day cost index (93 vs 108 against a national 100). The other differences are shown facet by facet in the table.
- What household income in North Charleston equals $85,000 in Charleston?
- A household earning $85,000 in Charleston needs about $76,000 in North Charleston to keep the same lifestyle; coming the other way, $85,000 of North Charleston lifestyle costs about $94,000 in Charleston.