with $100k coming in, swapping out of Sarasota

change
Charleston, SC cityscape

next stop after sarasota

Charleston

sc · metro 849k

photo: Connor Scott McManus / pexels

a dispatch from

charleston

SC

32.78°N

79.94°W

Charleston is pastel rowhouses, cobblestone streets, the smell of pluff mud at low tide, and shrimp and grits that should be illegal everywhere else. The historic district is a working postcard, the food scene punches way above its size, and the porches are made for sitting. Spoleto Festival every spring brings world-class arts. It's small, dense, and absurdly photogenic.

metro849k

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01 · the verdict

the verdict

$407

the monthly cost of moving past Sarasota

Charleston costs more than Sarasota, and you'll feel it. The upside has to come from somewhere other than your budget.
landable, recorded on the charleston entry

02 · the money

a quick ledger.

01rent

$1,987/mo

6% cheaper than Sarasota(vs $2,121/mo)

02state income tax

6.5%

$542/mo more in state tax than Sarasota

vs 0% in Sarasota

03after rent

$5,805/mo

$407 less than Sarasota

gross of federal tax. a comparison, not a paycheck.

04a house here

$432k

2% more expensive than Sarasota

vs $423k in Sarasota

05metro size

849k

vs 262k in Sarasota

03 · the life

field notes, weather & such.

212

pleasant days a year, in charleston.

Sarasota gets 249 pleasant days a year, so you'd be trading some sunshine.

A real upgrade on things to do: 13.7× Sarasota's pace.
on a typical month
·outdoorscore

67/100

14% higher than Sarasota

vs 59/100 in Sarasota

Closest outdoor draw: Cape Romain National Wildlife Refuge.Wilderness Area, 19.4 mi.

·walk score®

92/100

4% lower than Sarasota

vs 96/100 in Sarasota

Walk Score® methodology

·nonstops

20

233% more than Sarasota

vs 6 nonstops in Sarasota

04 · see also

if charleston appeals, also worth a look:

see also

reno

$620/mo cheaper

turn the page

see also

asheville

$415/mo cheaper

turn the page

see also

greenville

$436/mo cheaper

turn the page

compare charleston with:

RenoAshevilleGreenville