Charleston-North Charleston receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Charleston-North Charleston
Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater
Opportunity
87 · Top 2%
vs76 · Top 15%
Growth
84 · Top 3%
vs72 · Top 17%
Climate
77 · Top 10%
vs69 · Top 42%
Physical resilience
27 · Bottom 16%
vs32 · Bottom 22%
Housing affordability
73 · Bottom 15%
vs70 · Bottom 12%
Access
54 · Bottom 16%
vs76 · Bottom 49%
Economic stability
73 · Top 21%
vs80 · Top 14%
Measured values
| Metric | Charleston-North Charleston | Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 834,267 | 299,067 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $85,254 | $96,563 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $48,581 | $46,136 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 322/sq mi | 414/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $377,500 | $480,300 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,605 | $1,736 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 69.1% | 67.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.7% | 4.1% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 2.1% | 0.8% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 40.8% | 38.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 10.9% | 9.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 7,730 | 1,788 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 9.3 | 6.0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 1.8% | 11.8% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 91°F | 78°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 39°F | 33°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 52.5" | 50.6" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 77 mi | 43 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 29.8 min | 27.8 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 38.2 | 40.0 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Charleston-North Charleston
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane, coastal flooding.
Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Charleston-North Charleston
68
Your Score
69
Area Score
Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater
68
Your Score
65
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Charleston-North Charleston, SC Metro Area · Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA Metro Area · How this is calculated: methodology