Ideal CityOpen the map

North Charleston vs Rock Hill

North 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.

Overall livability

North Charleston

Mixed · objective livability46/100

Rock Hill

Mixed · objective livability46/100

North Charleston and Rock Hill score about the same overall (46 vs 46 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.

Factor-by-factor comparison

FactorNorth CharlestonRock Hill
Affordability
Median Household Income$59k$61k
Cost of Living$62k$61k
Home Value$243k$233k
Monthly Rent$1k$1k
Monthly Owner Costs$2k$1k
Property Tax Rate0.56%0.60%
Income Tax6.40%6.40%
Sales Tax7.50%7.50%
Estimated total tax burden11.19%11.16%
Unemployment4.3%5.3%
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)50°F42°F
Summer Temp (Jul)82°F80°F
Annual Precipitation54.3 in42.6 in
Annual Snowfall0.3 in0.2 in
Sunny Days241 days187 days
Summer Humidity73°F68°F
Comfortable Days107 days77 days
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk95.232.7
Air Quality36 AQI41 AQI
School Quality78.447.3
Violent Crime3610/100k1745/100k
Property Crime4825/100k2716/100k
Community
Population115,75574,170
Median Age33.834.5
Racial Diversity0.630.55
Male/Female Ratio0.990.86
Political LeaningD+13R+17
White (%)37.3%51.0%
Black (%)44.1%38.1%
Hispanic (%)10.3%6.0%
Asian (%)3.3%1.6%
Other / Multiracial (%)5.0%3.3%
Getting Around
Commute Time25 min25 min
Walkability10.8/209.1/20
Airport Distance3 mi20 mi
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access81.5%88.4%
Amenities Nearby17.9714.83
Park & Nature AccessModerateGood

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 North Charleston or Rock Hill more affordable?
Rock Hill has the lower cost of living: its index is $61k, compared with North Charleston's $62k and Rock Hill's $61k. Median rent is $1k in North Charleston versus $1k in Rock Hill.
Is North Charleston or Rock Hill safer?
Rock Hill has the lower violent crime rate. North Charleston reports 3610/100k and Rock Hill reports 1745/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
Are homes cheaper in North Charleston or Rock Hill?
The median home value is $243k in North Charleston and $233k in Rock Hill, so homes are more affordable in Rock Hill.
See each on the map

Explore North Charleston →Explore Rock Hill →

Full profiles