Charleston, SC vs Savannah, GA
Side-by-side comparison · Updated Jun 2026
Report card
| Category | CharlestonCharleston, SC | SavannahSavannah, GA | Same grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| ReloScoreOverall grade | |||
| Affluence | Good | Soft | |
| Cost of Living | |||
| Crime | Moderate | Very Safe | |
| Education | |||
| Quality of Life | Good | Great | |
| Sovereignty | Self-Reliant | Self-Reliant | |
| Strategic | Vulnerable | Exposed |
Grades rate each place against all US places. How grades work →
Comparison summary
At $90,038, Charleston, SC has a median household income that is 59% higher than Savannah, GA's $56,782, with Charleston in the 70th percentile and Savannah in the 24th percentile. Per-capita income widens the gap further: Charleston's $58,583 sits 83% higher than Savannah's $32,004, placing Charleston in the 86th percentile against Savannah's 28th. These 2023 Census figures also show Charleston's median home value at $469,100, which is 2.1× higher than Savannah's $225,200, with the two cities in the 80th and 36th percentiles respectively.
The comfortable income figures from 2024 follow the same pattern. For a single person, Charleston requires $91,138 versus Savannah's $43,752, a 2.1× difference, while a family of 4 needs $133,973 in Charleston compared to $64,316 in Savannah, also 2.1× higher. Charleston's cost of living index of 151 is 53% higher than Savannah's 99, and median rent in Charleston is $1,632, which is 25% higher than Savannah's $1,302. Charleston's poverty rate of 12.0% is 7.5 points lower than Savannah's 19.5%, though the latter sits in the 81st percentile for poverty.
Crime figures from 2025 diverge sharply. Charleston reports 280 violent crimes per 100,000 people, which is 4.2× higher than Savannah's 67, placing Charleston in the 59th percentile and Savannah in the 13th. Property crime shows an even larger gap: Charleston's 1,610 per 100,000 is 1,554 higher than Savannah's 55, with Savannah in the 1st percentile. Both cities have falling violent crime trends, and their unemployment rates are close at 3.3% and 3.0%, with job growth of +1.6% and +1.1% respectively.
AI-generated and may contain mistakes. Verify any details that matter before acting on them. Generated Oct 2026.
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Where they differ most
Where they're close
Cost of living
| Metric | Charleston, SC | Savannah, GA | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| COL indexCost of living index (100 = US) | 15178th pctl | 9948th pctl | Cost of living index (100 = US): Charleston, SC 151; Savannah, GA 99; Charleston is 53% higher. |
| Home valueMedian home value | $469,10080th pctl | $225,20036th pctl | Median home value: Charleston, SC $469,100; Savannah, GA $225,200; Charleston is 2.1 times higher. |
| Median rent | $1,63276th pctl | $1,30257th pctl | Median rent: Charleston, SC $1,632; Savannah, GA $1,302; Charleston is 25% higher. |
| Household incomeMedian household income | $90,03870th pctl | $56,78224th pctl | Median household income: Charleston, SC $90,038; Savannah, GA $56,782; Charleston is 59% higher. |
| Comfortable (single)Comfortable income (single) | $91,13881st pctl | $43,75236th pctl | Comfortable income (single): Charleston, SC $91,138; Savannah, GA $43,752; Charleston is 2.1 times higher. |
| Comfortable (family)Comfortable income (family of 4) | $133,97381st pctl | $64,31636th pctl | Comfortable income (family of 4): Charleston, SC $133,973; Savannah, GA $64,316; Charleston is 2.1 times higher. |
| AffordabilityHousing affordability | Stretched | Affordable | Housing affordability: Charleston, SC C+; Savannah, GA A-; Savannah is graded higher. |
Housing-adjusted salary
the same housing budget in Savannah needs about
$49,200
Based only on local housing costs and incomes (cost-of-living index 151 vs 99). Leaves out taxes, groceries and transport. How it works →
Data: U.S. Census ACS 5-year, ReloMaps cost-of-living index (2023–2024).
Jobs & income
| Metric | Charleston, SC | Savannah, GA | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment | 3.3%34th pctl | 3.0%21st pctl | About the same |
| Job growthJob growth (YoY) | +1.6%67th pctl | +1.1%50th pctl | About the same |
| Per-capita income | $58,58386th pctl | $32,00428th pctl | Per-capita income: Charleston, SC $58,583; Savannah, GA $32,004; Charleston is 83% higher. |
| Poverty rate | 12.0%52nd pctl | 19.5%81st pctl | Poverty rate: Charleston, SC 12.0%; Savannah, GA 19.5%; Savannah is 7.5 points higher. |
| CommuteAverage commute | 23.8 min53rd pctl | 20.4 min29th pctl | Average commute: Charleston, SC 23.8 min; Savannah, GA 20.4 min; Charleston is 3 minutes longer. |
| Work from home | 17.6%78th pctl | 10.1%47th pctl | Work from home: Charleston, SC 17.6%; Savannah, GA 10.1%; Charleston is 7.5 points higher. |
| OpportunityEconomic opportunity | Stable | Weak | Economic opportunity: Charleston, SC B-; Savannah, GA D+; Charleston is graded higher. |
| Job market | Strong | Strong | About the same |
Data: U.S. Census ACS 5-year, BLS (2023).
Safety
| Metric | Charleston, SC | Savannah, GA | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent crimeViolent crime per 100k | 28059th pctl | 6713th pctl | Violent crime per 100k: Charleston, SC 280; Savannah, GA 67; Charleston is 4.2 times higher. |
| Property crimeProperty crime per 100k | 1,61063rd pctl | 551st pctl | Property crime per 100k: Charleston, SC 1,610; Savannah, GA 55; Charleston is 1,554 higher. |
| 5-yr trendViolent crime, 5-yr trend | Falling | Falling | |
| Crime & safety | Fair | Very Safe | Crime & safety: Charleston, SC C+; Savannah, GA A-; Savannah is graded higher. |
| Traffic safety | DangerousCounty figure. County-level figure: measured for the surrounding county. | SafeCounty figure. County-level figure: measured for the surrounding county. | Traffic safety: Charleston, SC D-; Savannah, GA B-; Savannah is graded higher. |
Data: FBI Crime Data, NHTSA FARS (2025).
Quality of life
| Metric | Charleston, SC | Savannah, GA | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air quality | GreatCounty figure. County-level figure: measured for the surrounding county. | GreatCounty figure. County-level figure: measured for the surrounding county. | About the same |
| HealthcareHealthcare access | ExcellentCounty figure. County-level figure: measured for the surrounding county. | ExcellentCounty figure. County-level figure: measured for the surrounding county. | About the same |
| Tap water | Clean | Clean | About the same |
| Power grid | ReliableState figure. State-level figure: the local figure isn't published. | ReliableState figure. State-level figure: the local figure isn't published. | Power grid: Charleston, SC A+; Savannah, GA B+; Charleston is graded higher. |
| HomesteadingHomesteading potential | Prime | Prime | About the same |
| Disaster riskNational disaster risk | High-Risk | High-Risk | About the same |
4 rows not shown (data not available)
4 rows not shown: climate comfort isn't available for Charleston, SC; broadband, walkability and local food access aren't available for either place.
Data: EPA AirData, NOAA NCEI, County Health Rankings, FCC, Geoapify POIs, EPA SDWIS, EIA, OpenStreetMap, FEMA National Risk Index (2022–2024).
Taxes & laws
| Metric | Charleston, SC | Savannah, GA | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Taxes | FriendlyState figure. State-level figure: the local figure isn't published. | FriendlyState figure. State-level figure: the local figure isn't published. | About the same |
| HomeschoolHomeschool rules | noneState figure. State-level figure: the local figure isn't published. | highState figure. State-level figure: the local figure isn't published. | |
| FirearmsFirearm laws grade | BState figure. State-level figure: the local figure isn't published. | A-State figure. State-level figure: the local figure isn't published. | |
| Property rightsProperty rights (eminent domain) | B+State figure. State-level figure: the local figure isn't published. | B+State figure. State-level figure: the local figure isn't published. | |
| EnergyEnergy production | ImporterState figure. State-level figure: the local figure isn't published. | ImporterState figure. State-level figure: the local figure isn't published. |
Data: Tax Foundation, state statutes.
Strategic location
How exposed each place is to large-scale disruption, based on distance from big cities, likely targets and natural hazards.
| Metric | Charleston, SC | Savannah, GA | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Large cityNearest large city | 637 mi79th pctl | 720 mi81st pctl | Nearest large city: Charleston, SC 637 mi; Savannah, GA 720 mi; Savannah is 13% higher. |
| Target proximity | Weak | Poor | Target proximity: Charleston, SC C; Savannah, GA D-; Charleston is graded higher. |
| To borderDistance to international border | 696 mi90th pctl | 752 mi92nd pctl | Distance to international border: Charleston, SC 696 mi; Savannah, GA 752 mi; Savannah is 8% higher. |
| To coastDistance to coastline | 3 mi4th pctl | 4 mi5th pctl | Distance to coastline: Charleston, SC 3 mi; Savannah, GA 4 mi; Savannah is 30% higher. |
| StrategicStrategic location | Vulnerable | Exposed | About the same |
Data: ReloMaps strategic assessment.
People
| Metric | Charleston, SC | Savannah, GA | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 152,01493rd pctl | 147,54693rd pctl | About the same |
| DensityPopulation density (per sq mi) | 1,31839th pctl | 1,34840th pctl | About the same |
| Median age | 36.134th pctl | 33.718th pctl | Median age: Charleston, SC 36.1; Savannah, GA 33.7; Charleston is 2.4 years older. |
| Bachelor's+Bachelor's degree or higher | 57.7%86th pctl | 32.0%49th pctl | Bachelor's degree or higher: Charleston, SC 57.7%; Savannah, GA 32.0%; Charleston is 25.7 points higher. |
| Household sizeAverage household size | 2.219th pctl | 2.438th pctl | Average household size: Charleston, SC 2.2; Savannah, GA 2.4; Savannah is 7% larger. |
More about Charleston's residents · Savannah's residents
Data: U.S. Census ACS 5-year (2023).
Politics
Information only. Not part of any grade, difference or summary on this page.
| Measure | CharlestonCharleston, SC | SavannahSavannah, GA |
|---|---|---|
| Cook PVI | D+13 | R+8 |
| 2024 presidential | D +23.0 pts | R +16.0 pts |
Full politics data: Charleston · Savannah
Moving between Charleston and Savannah
- Median rent: $1,632 in Charleston, $1,302 in Savannah
- Median home value: $469,100 in Charleston, $225,200 in Savannah
- Cost of living index (100 = US): 151 in Charleston, 99 in Savannah
- Median household income: $90,038 in Charleston, $56,782 in Savannah
- Comfortable income (family of 4): $133,973 in Charleston, $64,316 in Savannah
- Unemployment: 3.3% in Charleston, 3.0% in Savannah
- Average commute: 23.8 min in Charleston, 20.4 min in Savannah
- Violent crime per 100k: 280 in Charleston, 67 in Savannah
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- Data: Cost of living: U.S. Census ACS 5-year, ReloMaps cost-of-living index (2023–2024).
- Data: Jobs & income: U.S. Census ACS 5-year, BLS (2023).
- Data: Safety: FBI Crime Data, NHTSA FARS (2025).
- Data: Quality of life: EPA AirData, NOAA NCEI, County Health Rankings, FCC, Geoapify POIs, EPA SDWIS, EIA, OpenStreetMap, FEMA National Risk Index (2022–2024).
- Data: Taxes & laws: Tax Foundation, state statutes.
- Data: Strategic location: ReloMaps strategic assessment.
- Data: People: U.S. Census ACS 5-year (2023).
* Values derived from national, state, county, city and local statistics and may differ in a specific area.
Narrative content on this page is AI-generated and may contain mistakes. Verify any details that matter before acting on them.
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