Best for affordability: Wilmington, North Carolina
Wilmington, North Carolina looks like the easiest place here to live with less financial drag. It comes out ahead on rent and home price.
Demand-Backed Comparison
Compare Wilmington vs Charleston on cost, climate, safety, and daily life
People have logged this comparison 24 times on WhyThere. The cards open full city pages. The charts and matrix below are the fast side-by-side read on housing, climate, walkability, safety, schools, parks, and day-to-day tradeoffs.
WilmingtonCharleston
What Stands Out
A quick read on this comparison
Deterministic summaries based on the data in view.
Biggest tradeoff: Wilmington, North Carolina
Wilmington, North Carolina is the sharpest split in this comparison: strong on affordability, weaker on safety.
Potential dealbreaker: Charleston, South Carolina
Charleston, South Carolina needs a closer look before you get too attached, especially on tax burden.
Comparison Matrix
| City | ||
|---|---|---|
| Route | ||
| General Info | ||
| Population | 115,933 | 132,609 |
| Elevation | 30 ft(9 m) | 20 ft(6 m) |
| Housing & Wealth | ||
| Median Home | $406,802 | $572,367 |
| Median Rent | $1,674 | $2,072 |
| Median Income | $58,908 | $83,891 |
| Rent Burden | 34% | 30% |
| Climate & Risks | ||
| Sunny Days | 315 days/yr | 322 days/yr |
| Avg. High | 72°F | 74°F |
| Comfort Score | 84/100Great | 85/100Excellent |
| Temp Swing | 29°F | 28°F |
| Annual Rainfall | 58"(147 cm) | 52"(132 cm) |
| Annual Snowfall | 0"(0 cm) | 0"(0 cm) |
| Air Quality | AQI 42 (Avg)20 days > 100 | AQI 45 (Avg)28 days > 100 |
| Infrastructure & Lifestyle | ||
| Walk Score | N/A | 57 |
| Transit Score | N/A | 35 |
| Safety Score | 63 / 100 | 69 / 100 |
| School Rating | 6.7/10 | 6.1/10 |
| Internet Access | Fiber: 34%Cable: 93% | Fiber: 39%Cable: 93% |
| Demographics | ||
| Median Age | 37.6 years | 36.3 years |
| College Educated | 44% | 57% |
| Remote Workers | 15% | 15% |
| Nature Access | ||
| Local Nature & Reserves | Finding... | Finding... |
| Scouting & Local Help | ||
Plan a first lookWays to plan a first visit or connect with a relevant local partner. | Featured Local Partner ADYour logo Partner spot available For organizations that can help someone land in Wilmington | Featured Local Partner ADYour logo Partner spot available For organizations that can help someone land in Charleston |
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