| Measure | Charleston (SC)South Carolina, United States Remove Charleston (SC) | Wilmington (NC)North Carolina, United States Remove Wilmington (NC) |
|---|---|---|
| Scores (out of 10) | ||
| Overall score | 6.3 | 6.3 |
| Connector Score | 6.8 | 6.4 |
| Safety | 7.0 | 6.0 |
| Affordability | 5.2 | 5.7 |
| Transportation | 8.5 | 8.5 |
| Car-free friendliness | 5.5 | 6.5 |
| Walkability | 4.2 | 7.9 |
| Things to do | 6.3 | 6.0 |
| Food & dining | 5.6 | 5.5 |
| Places to stay | 5.9 | 5.8 |
| Nature & outdoors | 7.0 | 5.0 |
| Scenic value | 7.8 | 6.8 |
| Family friendliness | 5.9 | 6.7 |
| Solo-traveler friendliness | 5.4 | 6.0 |
| Nightlife | 3.7 | 4.6 |
| Remote-work friendliness | 5.5 | 5.5 |
| Road-trip convenience | 6.0 | 6.2 |
| Train-trip convenience | 6.5 | 1.0 |
| Bus-trip convenience | 6.5 | 7.5 |
| Cost (per person per day, USD) | ||
| Budget | $173 | $158 |
| Mid-range | $278 | $230 |
| Luxury | $521 | $396 |
| Living there | ||
| Cost of living index (national = 100) | 113 | 108 |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent | $1,900 | $1,350 |
| Median home price | $600,000 | $470,000 |
| Population | 159K | 127K |
| Getting there | ||
| Accessible by | Drive Train Bus Airport | Drive Bus Airport |
| Car recommended | — | — |
| Travel time from Charleston (SC) | — | 3 h 36 min details |
| Character | ||
| Best for | Beaches, History | Beaches, History |
| Known for | Beaches, National & state parks, Lakes & rivers, Museums & galleries, Historic sites, Food scene, Shopping | Beaches, Lakes & rivers, Historic sites, Food scene, Live music, Shopping, Family & kids |
| When to go | Peak: Spring, fall, and holidays | Peak: June to August and Azalea Festival week… |
Scores and costs are estimates from public data and our own research; check the city pages for sources and dates.