Head to head
Charlotte, NC vs Houston, TX
Houston is cheaper — estimated essentials for a single person run about $50/mo less, and living comfortably there takes roughly $5,000 less in annual salary (taxes included).
It flips for a family. For two adults with a pre-schooler and a school-age child, Charlotte is the cheaper of the two — rent scales to household size using each city's own bedroom spread, and childcare varies even more sharply between cities than rent does.
| Metric | Charlotte67 | Houston57 |
|---|---|---|
| Est. monthly cost (single) | $4,096 | $4,046 |
| Est. monthly cost (family of 4, incl. childcare) | $9,278 | $9,579 |
| Salary for comfort | $75,500/yr | $70,500/yr |
| Typical rent | $1,686 | $1,573 |
| Median home value | $351,500 | $253,400 |
| Median household income | $78,438 | $62,894 |
| Unemployment | 3.6% | 5.2% |
| Housing score | 57 | 50 |
| Jobs score | 75 | 36 |
| Safety score | 31 | 4 |
| Climate score | 100 | 100 |
| Amenities score | 59 | 69 |
| Population | 886.3K | 2.3M |
| Summer high / winter low | 89° / 30° | 92° / 45° |
Fit scores use the reference profile (single, $6,700/mo gross, default weights). Green marks the better value per row.
Charlotte, NC
Houston, TX