Boulder, CO vs Charleston, SC

Side-by-side comparison of housing, income, commute, safety, and quality of life.

Score Snapshot

No universal winner

Scores summarize the published model. Use the objective metric differences below and your own priorities to choose.

Boulder

67.4

#1424 nationally

vs

Charleston

66

#1592 nationally

Boulder leads in walk score (62 vs 39). Charleston leads in cost of living index (115 vs 165). Boulder leads in school rating (8.4 vs 6.8).

Metric-by-Metric Breakdown

Metric Boulder, CO Charleston, SC
WhereAtHome Score 67.4 (#1424) 66 (#1592)
Population 103,166 156,042
Typical Home Value (ZHVI) $957,377 $596,437
Median Household Income $86,098 $76,819
Average Commute 21.4 min 24.6 min
Walk Score 62 39
Crime Level Moderate-Low Moderate
School Rating 8.4 6.8
Cost of Living Index 165 115
Political lean County 2024 presidential margin — context only, not scored D+55.8 D+5.7