CostIndexUSA

Charleston, SC vs Redding, CA Cost of Living

Data: BEA Regional Price Parities · Census ACS · 2024

≈ Equal CostSC
Charleston
101
overall index
$1,950/mo rent
CA
Redding
100.7
overall index
$1,600/mo rent

Charleston and Redding have nearly identical costs of living.

Category Breakdown

Index values: 100 = U.S. national average. Higher = more expensive.

🏠 Housing25.4%
Charleston
119.8
Redding
89.4
🛒 Groceries+9.2%
Charleston
96.3
Redding
105.2
🚗 Transportation+2.0%
Charleston
103.2
Redding
105.3
🏥 Healthcare+2.0%
Charleston
93.4
Redding
95.3
Utilities+78.8%
Charleston
88.2
Redding
157.7

Salary Equivalency Calculator

Enter your current salary in Charleston to see what you'd need to earn in Redding to maintain the same purchasing power.

$
Equivalent salary in Redding, CA
$79,800
$200 less needed in Redding

Formula: salary × (100.7 ÷ 101) = salary × 0.9970. Based on BEA Regional Price Parities.

Housing Market

Charleston, SC

Median Home Price
$425,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,950
Housing Index
119.8
Price-to-Rent Ratio
18.2×

Redding, CA

Median Home Price
$362,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,600
Housing Index
89.4
Price-to-Rent Ratio
18.9×

Charleston has 25.4% lower housing costs compared to Redding.

Income & Job Market

Charleston, SC

Median Household Income
$85,200
Per Capita Income
$48,600
Unemployment Rate
3.4%
Population
150,227
Top Industries
MilitaryTourismHealthcareTechnologyManufacturing

Redding, CA

Median Household Income
$75,900
Per Capita Income
$43,300
Unemployment Rate
4.5%
Population
91,305
Top Industries
HealthcareGovernmentRetailManufacturingEducation

Affordability at a Glance

Income-to-rent ratio: higher is better (more income relative to housing costs).

Charleston, SC
3.6×income-to-rent ratio

73% of income left after rent (median)

Redding, CA
4.0×income-to-rent ratio

75% of income left after rent (median)

Data Sources: Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) Regional Price Parities 2024; U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS); Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Local Area Unemployment Statistics; Zillow Research.

Cost indices use 100 as the U.S. national average. Values above 100 indicate costs above the national average. Data is updated annually.

This data is for informational purposes only and should not be used as the sole basis for relocation or financial decisions.