Houston vs North Charleston
The short version
- Houston is cheaper overall: prices in its metro run 2% lower than in the North Charleston area (BEA 2024).
- The median home costs $277,800 in Houston and $302,200 in North Charleston.
- Houston has more scorching days: 111 a year at 90°F or hotter vs 64.
- North Charleston is growing faster: +12.5% since 2020 vs +4.2%.
- Texas has no state income tax on wages; South Carolina's top rate is 6%.
Side by side
| Houston, TX | North Charleston, SC | |
|---|---|---|
| People | ||
| Population (2025) | 2,397,315 | 129,245 |
| Growth since 2020 | +4.2% | +12.5% |
| People per square mile | 3,741 | 1,658 |
| Median age | 34.4 | 34.6 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 37% | 29% |
| Money and housing | ||
| Median household income | $64,813 | $62,956 |
| Median home value | $277,800 | $302,200 |
| Home value to income | 4.3× | 4.8× |
| Median rent (with utilities) | $1,361 | $1,430 |
| Metro price level (US = 100) | 98.6 | 101.0 |
| Housing price level (US = 100) | 104.5 | 119.8 |
| $75,000 elsewhere equals | $74,000 | $75,700 |
| Homeowners | 42% | 50% |
| Top state income tax | None | 6% |
| Combined sales tax | 8.2% | 7.49% |
| Work and commute | ||
| Average commute (minutes) | 27.2 | 24.5 |
| Work from home | 13% | 10% |
| Take public transit | 3% | 2% |
| Unemployment (2020-24 avg) | 6.9% | 4.3% |
| Poverty rate | 19.9% | 14.4% |
| Weather | ||
| January high / low | 64° / 44° | 60° / 39° |
| July high / low | 95° / 76° | 91° / 74° |
| Precipitation per year | 52 in | 53 in |
| Snowfall per year | 0 in | 0 in |
| Days 90°F or hotter | 111 | 64 |
| Nights below freezing | 10 | 22 |
| Comfortable months | 6 | 5 |
| Risks, air and home prices | ||
| Natural hazard risk (FEMA, county) | Very High | Relatively High |
| FEMA risk score (lower is safer) | 99.9 | 98.6 |
| Good air days, 2025 | 10% | 60% |
| Home prices, past year | +3.4% | +4.7% |
| Home prices, past 5 years | +32.7% | +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: Houston: November to April. North Charleston: March to May and October to November.
Full monthly tables: Houston weather by month and North Charleston weather by month.
What $75,000 is worth
A $75,000 salary in an average-priced US city buys about the same as $74,000 in Houston and $75,700 in North Charleston. Moving from Houston to North Charleston, you would need about $76,800 to match a $75,000 salary.
Moving between Houston and North Charleston
IRS county-to-county migration, 2022 to 2023 tax years, for the counties that contain each city. See where else people move from Houston and North Charleston.
Which would you pick?
One vote per person. Results show after you vote.