Charlotte, NC vs Tega Cay, SC
Side-by-side comparison · Updated Oct 2026
Report card
| Category | CharlotteCharlotte, NC | Tega CayTega Cay, SC | Same grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| ReloScoreOverall grade | |||
| Affluence | Average | Good | |
| Cost of Living | |||
| Crime | High Risk | Very Safe | |
| Education | |||
| Quality of Life | Good | Great | |
| Sovereignty | Self-Reliant | Self-Reliant | |
| Strategic | Vulnerable | Vulnerable | Same |
Grades rate each place against all US places. How grades work →
Comparison summary
3,419 property crimes per 100,000 people in Charlotte, NC far exceed the 607 in Tega Cay, SC, according to 2025 FBI data. The violent crime rate also shows a stark contrast, with Charlotte at 559 per 100,000 versus Tega Cay's 75, a difference of 7.5 times higher in Charlotte. These figures place Charlotte in the 89th percentile for violent crime and the 95th for property crime, while Tega Cay sits in the 14th and 15th percentiles, respectively. The 2023 Census figures also highlight a dramatic difference in poverty rates: Charlotte's 11.7% compares with Tega Cay's 0.6%, a gap of 11.1 percentage points.
Population size differs enormously, with Charlotte home to 886,283 residents (the 99th percentile) and Tega Cay to 13,267 (the 36th percentile). Median household income in Tega Cay is $141,037, which is 80% higher than Charlotte's $78,438, placing Tega Cay in the 93rd percentile. The median age in Tega Cay is 41.5 years, 7.1 years older than Charlotte's 34.4, putting Tega Cay in the 74th percentile and Charlotte in the 21st. Healthcare access scores also diverge: Charlotte's 97 out of 100 (76th percentile) is 40 points higher than Tega Cay's 57 (21st percentile).
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
Cost of living
| Metric | Charlotte, NC | Tega Cay, SC | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| COL indexCost of living index (100 = US) | 12766th pctl | 13872nd pctl | Cost of living index (100 = US): Charlotte, NC 127; Tega Cay, SC 138; Tega Cay is 9% higher. |
| Home valueMedian home value | $351,50065th pctl | $494,50082nd pctl | Median home value: Charlotte, NC $351,500; Tega Cay, SC $494,500; Tega Cay is 41% higher. |
| Median rent | $1,50471st pctl | $1,30757th pctl | Median rent: Charlotte, NC $1,504; Tega Cay, SC $1,307; Charlotte is 15% higher. |
| Household incomeMedian household income | $78,43857th pctl | $141,03793rd pctl | Median household income: Charlotte, NC $78,438; Tega Cay, SC $141,037; Tega Cay is 80% higher. |
| Comfortable (single)Comfortable income (single) | $68,29065th pctl | $96,07384th pctl | Comfortable income (single): Charlotte, NC $68,290; Tega Cay, SC $96,073; Tega Cay is 41% higher. |
| Comfortable (family)Comfortable income (family of 4) | $100,38765th pctl | $141,22784th pctl | Comfortable income (family of 4): Charlotte, NC $100,387; Tega Cay, SC $141,227; Tega Cay is 41% higher. |
| AffordabilityHousing affordability | Affordable | Affordable | About the same |
Housing-adjusted salary
the same housing budget in Tega Cay needs about
$81,500
Based only on local housing costs and incomes (cost-of-living index 127 vs 138). 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 | Charlotte, NC | Tega Cay, SC | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment | 3.7%52nd pctl | 4.1%70th pctl | About the same |
| Job growthJob growth (YoY) | +1.0%46th pctl | +0.7%38th pctl | About the same |
| Per-capita income | $49,99178th pctl | $66,24790th pctl | Per-capita income: Charlotte, NC $49,991; Tega Cay, SC $66,247; Tega Cay is 33% higher. |
| Poverty rate | 11.7%51st pctl | 0.6%1st pctl | Poverty rate: Charlotte, NC 11.7%; Tega Cay, SC 0.6%; Charlotte is 11.1 points higher. |
| CommuteAverage commute | 25 min60th pctl | 28.1 min79th pctl | Average commute: Charlotte, NC 25 min; Tega Cay, SC 28.1 min; Tega Cay is 3 minutes longer. |
| Work from home | 25.5%92nd pctl | 25.8%92nd pctl | About the same |
| OpportunityEconomic opportunity | Stable | Strong | Economic opportunity: Charlotte, NC C+; Tega Cay, SC B+; Tega Cay is graded higher. |
| Job market | Strong | Strong | About the same |
Data: U.S. Census ACS 5-year, BLS (2023).
Safety
| Metric | Charlotte, NC | Tega Cay, SC | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent crimeViolent crime per 100k | 55989th pctl | 7514th pctl | Violent crime per 100k: Charlotte, NC 559; Tega Cay, SC 75; Charlotte is 7.5 times higher. |
| Property crimeProperty crime per 100k | 3,41995th pctl | 60715th pctl | Property crime per 100k: Charlotte, NC 3,419; Tega Cay, SC 607; Charlotte is 5.6 times higher. |
| 5-yr trendViolent crime, 5-yr trend | Falling | Rising | |
| Crime & safety | Dangerous | Very Safe | Crime & safety: Charlotte, NC D-; Tega Cay, SC A+; Tega Cay is graded higher. |
| Traffic safety | SafeCounty figure. County-level figure: measured for the surrounding county. | Very SafeCounty figure. County-level figure: measured for the surrounding county. | Traffic safety: Charlotte, NC B-; Tega Cay, SC A-; Tega Cay is graded higher. |
Data: FBI Crime Data, NHTSA FARS (2025).
Quality of life
| Metric | Charlotte, NC | Tega Cay, SC | 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. | StrongCounty figure. County-level figure: measured for the surrounding county. | Healthcare access: Charlotte, NC A+; Tega Cay, SC B-; Charlotte is graded higher. |
| 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. | About the same |
| 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 Tega Cay, 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 | Charlotte, NC | Tega Cay, SC | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Taxes | ModerateState 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 | highState figure. State-level figure: the local figure isn't published. | noneState figure. State-level figure: the local figure isn't published. | |
| FirearmsFirearm laws grade | AState figure. State-level figure: the local figure isn't published. | BState figure. State-level figure: the local figure isn't published. | |
| Property rightsProperty rights (eminent domain) | C-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 | Charlotte, NC | Tega Cay, SC | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Large cityNearest large city | 1 mi2nd pctl | 16 mi21st pctl | Nearest large city: Charlotte, NC 1 mi; Tega Cay, SC 16 mi; Tega Cay is 11.5 times higher. |
| Target proximity | Weak | Weak | Target proximity: Charlotte, NC C; Tega Cay, SC D+; Charlotte is graded higher. |
| To borderDistance to international border | 532 mi73rd pctl | 544 mi75th pctl | About the same |
| To coastDistance to coastline | 152 mi37th pctl | 151 mi36th pctl | About the same |
| StrategicStrategic location | Vulnerable | Vulnerable | About the same |
Data: ReloMaps strategic assessment.
People
| Metric | Charlotte, NC | Tega Cay, SC | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 886,28399th pctl | 13,26736th pctl | Population: Charlotte, NC 886,283; Tega Cay, SC 13,267; Charlotte is 873,016 larger. |
| DensityPopulation density (per sq mi) | 2,84075th pctl | 2,90476th pctl | About the same |
| Median age | 34.421st pctl | 41.574th pctl | Median age: Charlotte, NC 34.4; Tega Cay, SC 41.5; Tega Cay is 7.1 years older. |
| Bachelor's+Bachelor's degree or higher | 47.4%76th pctl | 65.7%92nd pctl | Bachelor's degree or higher: Charlotte, NC 47.4%; Tega Cay, SC 65.7%; Tega Cay is 18.3 points higher. |
| Household sizeAverage household size | 2.447th pctl | 2.881st pctl | Average household size: Charlotte, NC 2.4; Tega Cay, SC 2.8; Tega Cay is 15% larger. |
More about Charlotte's residents · Tega Cay's residents
Data: U.S. Census ACS 5-year (2023).
Politics
Information only. Not part of any grade, difference or summary on this page.
Moving between Charlotte and Tega Cay
- Median rent: $1,504 in Charlotte, $1,307 in Tega Cay
- Median home value: $351,500 in Charlotte, $494,500 in Tega Cay
- Cost of living index (100 = US): 127 in Charlotte, 138 in Tega Cay
- Median household income: $78,438 in Charlotte, $141,037 in Tega Cay
- Comfortable income (family of 4): $100,387 in Charlotte, $141,227 in Tega Cay
- Unemployment: 3.7% in Charlotte, 4.1% in Tega Cay
- Average commute: 25 min in Charlotte, 28.1 min in Tega Cay
- Violent crime per 100k: 559 in Charlotte, 75 in Tega Cay
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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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