Allen vs Charleston
The short version
- Charleston is cheaper overall: prices in its metro run 2% lower than in the Allen area (BEA 2024).
- The median home costs $464,100 in Allen and $509,700 in Charleston.
- Households earn more in Allen ($130,901 vs $92,414 median).
- Charleston has the warmer winter: January highs of 60°F vs 56°F.
- Allen has more scorching days: 97 a year at 90°F or hotter vs 64.
- Allen is growing faster: +8.4% since 2020 vs +5.8%.
- Commutes are shorter in Charleston (24 vs 28 minutes each way).
- Texas has no state income tax on wages; South Carolina's top rate is 6%.
Side by side
| Allen, TX | Charleston, SC | |
|---|---|---|
| People | ||
| Population (2025) | 113,447 | 159,423 |
| Growth since 2020 | +8.4% | +5.8% |
| People per square mile | 4,297 | 1,383 |
| Median age | 38.4 | 36.6 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 58% | 58% |
| Money and housing | ||
| Median household income | $130,901 | $92,414 |
| Median home value | $464,100 | $509,700 |
| Home value to income | 3.5× | 5.5× |
| Median rent (with utilities) | $1,932 | $1,722 |
| Metro price level (US = 100) | 103.1 | 101.0 |
| Housing price level (US = 100) | 117.9 | 119.8 |
| $75,000 elsewhere equals | $77,300 | $75,700 |
| Homeowners | 69% | 56% |
| Top state income tax | None | 6% |
| Combined sales tax | 8.2% | 7.49% |
| Work and commute | ||
| Average commute (minutes) | 28.0 | 24.2 |
| Work from home | 27% | 19% |
| Take public transit | 0% | 1% |
| Unemployment (2020-24 avg) | 3.7% | 3.4% |
| Poverty rate | 6.1% | 12.3% |
| Weather | ||
| January high / low | 56° / 34° | 60° / 39° |
| July high / low | 95° / 74° | 91° / 74° |
| Precipitation per year | 38 in | 53 in |
| Snowfall per year | 0 in | 0 in |
| Days 90°F or hotter | 97 | 64 |
| Nights below freezing | 48 | 22 |
| Comfortable months | 4 | 5 |
| Risks, air and home prices | ||
| Natural hazard risk (FEMA, county) | Relatively High | Relatively High |
| FEMA risk score (lower is safer) | 98.9 | 98.6 |
| Good air days, 2025 | 28% | 60% |
| Home prices, past year | +0.5% | +4.7% |
| Home prices, past 5 years | +35.4% | +61.6% |
Highlighted cells are the better value where "better" is clear (lower prices, higher income, shorter commutes). Sources: Census Bureau 2025 estimates and ACS 2020-2024, BEA 2024, NOAA 1991-2020, Tax Foundation 2026.
Weather, month by month
Most comfortable months: Allen: March to April and October to November. Charleston: March to May and October to November.
Full monthly tables: Allen weather by month and Charleston weather by month.
What $75,000 is worth
A $75,000 salary in an average-priced US city buys about the same as $77,300 in Allen and $75,700 in Charleston. Moving from Allen to Charleston, you would need about $73,500 to match a $75,000 salary.
Which would you pick?
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