North Charleston SC vs San Antonio TX — Cost of Living, Crime & Income Comparison 2026

Updated May 2026 · Source: US Census ACS 5-Year (2023), FBI CDE (2023), BLS OEWS (2024)

North Charleston, SC

South Carolina · Population: 117,460

  • Median HH Income$62,789
  • Median Home Price$313,219
  • Unemployment4.3%
  • Bachelor's+28.0%

San Antonio, TX

Texas · Population: 1,458,954

  • Median HH Income$62,917
  • Median Home Price$251,035
  • Unemployment5.8%
  • Bachelor's+28.7%

Detailed Comparison

Demographics

Population
North Charleston
117,460
San Antonio
1,458,954
San Antonio +
Pop. Density / sq mi
Lower = more space
North Charleston
N/A
San Antonio
N/A
Median Age
North Charleston
34.3
North Charleston +
San Antonio
34.6
Foreign Born
North Charleston
12.2%
San Antonio
14.3%
San Antonio +
White
North Charleston
39.1%
San Antonio
48.3%
San Antonio +
Black
North Charleston
42.2%
North Charleston +
San Antonio
7.0%
Asian
North Charleston
3.5%
North Charleston +
San Antonio
3.1%
Hispanic
North Charleston
12.8%
San Antonio
64.4%
San Antonio +
Spanish at Home
North Charleston
N/A
San Antonio
N/A

Economy

Median HH Income
North Charleston
$62,789
San Antonio
$62,917
San Antonio +
Per Capita Income
North Charleston
$35,740
North Charleston +
San Antonio
$32,983
Per Capita Personal Income (MSA)
BEA MSA-level
North Charleston
$54,550
San Antonio
$63,758
San Antonio +
Unemployment Rate
North Charleston
4.3%
North Charleston +
San Antonio
5.8%
Poverty Rate
North Charleston
15.5%
North Charleston +
San Antonio
17.1%
Bachelor's Degree+
North Charleston
28.0%
San Antonio
28.7%
San Antonio +

Housing

Median Home Value
Zillow ZHVI / Census ACS
North Charleston
$313,219
San Antonio
$251,035
San Antonio +
Homeownership Rate
North Charleston
48.5%
San Antonio
52.4%
San Antonio +

Safety

Violent Crime / 100K
FBI CDE (state-level est.)
North Charleston
398
North Charleston +
San Antonio
442
Property Crime / 100K
FBI CDE (state-level est.)
North Charleston
1999
North Charleston +
San Antonio
2339

Health

Obesity Rate
CDC PLACES
North Charleston
35.2%
San Antonio
34.9%
San Antonio +
Diabetes Rate
CDC PLACES
North Charleston
13.2%
North Charleston +
San Antonio
15.2%
Poor Mental Health
CDC PLACES — 14+ days/month
North Charleston
17.5%
San Antonio
17.2%
San Antonio +
No Health Insurance
CDC PLACES
North Charleston
15.3%
North Charleston +
San Antonio
24.5%
Binge Drinking
CDC PLACES
North Charleston
19.8%
San Antonio
16.0%
San Antonio +
Current Smokers
CDC PLACES
North Charleston
14.3%
San Antonio
13.0%
San Antonio +

Climate

Avg Annual Temp
NOAA 1991–2020 normal
North Charleston
N/A
San Antonio
68.5°F
Annual Precipitation
NOAA 1991–2020 normal
North Charleston
N/A
San Antonio
34.9 in

Air Quality

PM2.5 Annual Avg
EPA AQS (state-level est.)
North Charleston
8.6 µg/m³
North Charleston +
San Antonio
9.2 µg/m³
Good Air Days
AQI ≤ 50
North Charleston
75.0%
North Charleston +
San Antonio
55.0%

Commute

Mean Commute Time
Census ACS
North Charleston
26.8 min
San Antonio
26.5 min
San Antonio +

Which City is Right for You?

San Antonio leads in median household income at $62,917, while san Antonio offers more affordable housing with a median home price of $251,035. On public safety, North Charleston is safer with a violent crime rate of 398 per 100,000 residents, compared to 442 in San Antonio. North Charleston has a lower unemployment rate at 4.3%, and North Charleston has cleaner air (PM2.5 avg 8.6 µg/m³). For overall health outcomes, San Antonio scores better with a lower obesity rate of 34.9%.

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About North Charleston & San Antonio