Residential comparison · 13 facts
Columbia, 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 Columbia needs about $88,000 in North Charleston to keep the same lifestyle.
Coming from North Charleston, $85,000 of lifestyle costs about $82,000 in Columbia.
A few differences
- North Charleston is higher on median household income ($62,956 vs $55,529).
- Columbia is lower on cost of living index (87 vs 93).
- Columbia is lower on 2-bedroom rent ($1,205/mo vs $1,448/mo).
Columbia vs North Charleston · facet by facet
| Facet | Columbia, SC | North Charleston, SC |
|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $264,300 | $302,200 |
| 2-bedroom rent | $1,205/mo | $1,448/mo |
| Property tax rate | 0.55% | 0.55% |
| State & local income tax | 3.39% | 3.39% |
| Sales tax | 7.5% | 7.5% |
| Cost of living index | 87 | 93 |
| Groceries index | 98 | 98 |
| Utilities | $175/mo | $175/mo |
| Median household income | $55,529 | $62,956 |
| Unemployment rate | 3.5% | 3.5% |
| Crime index | 65/100 | 65/100 |
| School rating | 5.0/10 | 5.0/10 |
| Sunny days / year | 220 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: Columbia, SC · North Charleston, SC
Questions & answers
- Is Columbia cheaper than North Charleston?
- Columbia has the lower day-to-day cost index (87 vs 93 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 Columbia?
- A household earning $85,000 in Columbia needs about $88,000 in North Charleston to keep the same lifestyle; coming the other way, $85,000 of North Charleston lifestyle costs about $82,000 in Columbia.