Charleston vs Rock Hill
Charleston, South Carolina versus Rock Hill, South Carolina: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Charleston edges out Rock Hill on overall objective livability (50 vs 46 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Charleston | Rock Hill |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $84k | $61k |
| Cost of Living | $62k | $61k |
| Home Value | $439k | $233k |
| Monthly Rent | $2k | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $1k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.45% | 0.60% |
| Income Tax | 6.40% | 6.40% |
| Sales Tax | 7.50% | 7.50% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 11.25% | 11.16% |
| Unemployment | 3.7% | 5.3% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 50°F | 42°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 82°F | 80°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 52.2 in | 42.6 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.3 in | 0.2 in |
| Sunny Days | 241 days | 187 days |
| Summer Humidity | 73°F | 68°F |
| Comfortable Days | 114 days | 77 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 81.5 | 32.7 |
| Air Quality | 39 AQI | 41 AQI |
| School Quality | 78.4 | 47.3 |
| Violent Crime | 1253/100k | 1745/100k |
| Property Crime | 1892/100k | 2716/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 149,960 | 74,170 |
| Median Age | 36.3 | 34.5 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.42 | 0.55 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.90 | 0.86 |
| Political Leaning | D+13 | R+17 |
| White (%) | 71.6% | 51.0% |
| Black (%) | 18.1% | 38.1% |
| Hispanic (%) | 4.8% | 6.0% |
| Asian (%) | 2.1% | 1.6% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 3.4% | 3.3% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 23 min | 25 min |
| Walkability | 11.3/20 | 9.1/20 |
| Airport Distance | 6 mi | 20 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 89.1% | 88.4% |
| Amenities Nearby | 44.28 | 14.83 |
| Park & Nature Access | Moderate | Good |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Charleston or Rock Hill more affordable?
- Rock Hill has the lower cost of living: its index is $61k, compared with Charleston's $62k and Rock Hill's $61k. Median rent is $2k in Charleston versus $1k in Rock Hill.
- Is Charleston or Rock Hill safer?
- Charleston has the lower violent crime rate. Charleston reports 1253/100k and Rock Hill reports 1745/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Charleston or Rock Hill?
- The median home value is $439k in Charleston and $233k in Rock Hill, so homes are more affordable in Rock Hill.