Is it cheaper to live in Charleston or Henderson?

Henderson, NV is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,580 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 2% below Charleston, SC's $1,620, mainly because of natural gas costs.

How much more do you need to earn to live in Charleston than in Henderson?

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $57,000 a year in Charleston versus $57,000 in Henderson.

Which has lower taxes, Charleston or Henderson?

Charleston is taxed under South Carolina's rules (a top state income tax rate of 6.00% and a 6% state sales tax); Henderson under Nevada's (no state income tax and a 6.85% state sales tax).

Charleston vs Henderson Cost of Living 2026

Charleston

South Carolina

$1,620/mo est.

Henderson

Nevada

$1,580/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $1,620 in Charleston, SC versus $1,580 in Henderson, NV. Overall, Henderson, NV is roughly 2% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Charleston, SC, driven mainly by natural gas costs.

Median household income is $90,038 in Charleston, SC and $88,654 in Henderson, NV — about 2% higher in Charleston, SC. South Carolina has a top state income tax rate of 6.00% and a 6% state sales tax; Nevada has no state income tax and a 6.85% state sales tax.

Charleston, SC

Henderson, NV

Rent

Studio

$1,579

$1,442

+9% in Charleston, SC

1 Bedroom

$1,430

$1,437

+0% in Henderson, NV

2 Bedroom

$1,684

$1,694

+1% in Henderson, NV

3 Bedroom

$2,076

$1,982

+5% in Charleston, SC

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$469,100

$465,000

+1% in Charleston, SC

Income

Median Household Income

$90,038

$88,654

+2% in Charleston, SC

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$49,150

$46,670

+5% in Charleston, SC

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

36.1 yr

42.5 yr

+6.4 yr in Henderson, NV

Homeownership

55.6%

65.6%

+10.0 pp in Henderson, NV

Bachelor's+ (25+)

57.7%

36.8%

+20.9 pp in Charleston, SC

Avg Commute

23.8 min

24.7 min

+0.9 min in Henderson, NV

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

358.8

271.8

+24% in Charleston, SC

Property Crime

2,035.1

1,725.7

+15% in Charleston, SC

FBI Crime Data Explorer. Offenses per 100,000 residents per year; agency reporting practices vary, so this is approximate.

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature

66.7°F

69.4°F

+2.7°F in Henderson, NV

Annual Precipitation

44.4 in

4.2 in

+40.2 in in Charleston, SC

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$3.86/gal

$5.09/gal

+32% in Henderson, NV

Area: East Coast (PADD 1) vs West Coast (PADD 5).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

16.2

13.6

+16% in Charleston, SC

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$27.35

$12.09

+56% in Charleston, SC

Residential, state-level averages (EIA). MCF = 1,000 cubic feet.

Groceries

Milk (gal)

$4.00

$4.82

+20% in Henderson, NV

Bread (lb)

$1.75

$2.04

+17% in Henderson, NV

Eggs (doz)

$2.21

$2.19

+1% in Charleston, SC

Ground Beef (lb)

$6.45

$7.36

+14% in Henderson, NV

Chicken (lb)

$1.90

$2.01

+6% in Henderson, NV

Bananas (lb)

$0.62

$0.70

+14% in Henderson, NV

Average prices — South vs West (BLS). Regional where available, otherwise U.S. average.

State Taxes

Sales Tax (SC / NV)

6.85%

+0.8 pp in NV

Income Tax (top rate)

6.00%

None

+6.0 pp in SC

Charleston vs Henderson — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Charleston or Henderson?: Henderson, NV is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,580 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 2% below Charleston, SC's $1,620, mainly because of natural gas costs.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Charleston than in Henderson?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $57,000 a year in Charleston versus $57,000 in Henderson.
Which has lower taxes, Charleston or Henderson?: Charleston is taxed under South Carolina's rules (a top state income tax rate of 6.00% and a 6% state sales tax); Henderson under Nevada's (no state income tax and a 6.85% state sales tax).

Sources: US Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year (rent, income, home value, demographics); NOAA Climate Normals 1981–2010 (climate); EIA weekly retail (gas); Tax Foundation 2026 (state taxes).