Hilton Head Island vs North Charleston
Hilton Head Island, South Carolina versus North Charleston, South Carolina: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Hilton Head Island and North Charleston score about the same overall (47 vs 46 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Hilton Head Island | North Charleston |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $94k | $59k |
| Cost of Living | $64k | $62k |
| Home Value | $589k | $243k |
| Monthly Rent | $2k | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.47% | 0.56% |
| Income Tax | 6.40% | 6.40% |
| Sales Tax | 7.50% | 7.50% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 11.85% | 11.19% |
| Unemployment | 2.8% | 4.3% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 51°F | 50°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 83°F | 82°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 46.3 in | 54.3 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0 in | 0.3 in |
| Sunny Days | 232 days | 241 days |
| Summer Humidity | 73°F | 73°F |
| Comfortable Days | 110 days | 107 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 97.9 | 95.2 |
| Air Quality | 47 AQI | 36 AQI |
| School Quality | 87.1 | 78.4 |
| Violent Crime | 1492/100k | 3610/100k |
| Property Crime | 1386/100k | 4825/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 37,708 | 115,755 |
| Median Age | 59.8 | 33.8 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.37 | 0.63 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 1.00 | 0.99 |
| Political Leaning | R+10 | D+13 |
| White (%) | 75.4% | 37.3% |
| Black (%) | 7.1% | 44.1% |
| Hispanic (%) | 13.8% | 10.3% |
| Asian (%) | 0.8% | 3.3% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 3.0% | 5.0% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 19 min | 25 min |
| Walkability | 7.5/20 | 10.8/20 |
| Airport Distance | 64 mi | 3 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 91.7% | 81.5% |
| Amenities Nearby | 33.68 | 17.97 |
| Park & Nature Access | Good | Moderate |
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 Hilton Head Island or North Charleston more affordable?
- North Charleston has the lower cost of living: its index is $62k, compared with Hilton Head Island's $64k and North Charleston's $62k. Median rent is $2k in Hilton Head Island versus $1k in North Charleston.
- Is Hilton Head Island or North Charleston safer?
- Hilton Head Island has the lower violent crime rate. Hilton Head Island reports 1492/100k and North Charleston reports 3610/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Hilton Head Island or North Charleston?
- The median home value is $589k in Hilton Head Island and $243k in North Charleston, so homes are more affordable in North Charleston.