Uprootmap
Columbus vs Charleston
Columbus and Charleston
Photo: Hanyou23 / Wikimedia, CC BY-SA 4.0
Assumed income $83,730, same in both cities. Example, until you change it.
Other cities
So you know: homicide deaths in Charleston are above the US rate in this release, 10 versus 6.5 per 100,000. CDC via County Health Rankings, CDC NVSS 2017–2023 (CHR 2025 release).
Why people look at Columbus to Charleston
IRS migration on this site does not list a filed flow from Columbus to Charleston above the cutoff in 2022-2023.
A one-bedroom asking rent is about $1,176 in Columbus and $1,011 in Charleston. Columbus has a state tax on wages. Charleston has a state tax on wages. Local pay in Charleston is 88% of the national level for the same work, against 97% in Columbus.
Charleston averages 188 sunny days, with July highs around 84°F and January nights around 29°F. Columbus is 179 sunny days, 85°F in July, 21°F in January. Commutes average 24 minutes in Charleston and 24 in Columbus.
These figures are projections built from available public data. Conditions change, and the numbers may not reflect current prices, taxes, or immigration rules. Check official sources before you make decisions.
Who already made this move
The IRS did not publish a large enough Columbus → Charleston pair for 2022-2023. That usually means fewer than a few dozen tax returns, not that nobody moved.
Source: IRS SOI county-to-county migration. Not a moving company; not a recommendation.
The monthly number is take-home pay minus rent and the other bills. The gap between Columbus and Charleston changes with the job, remote or local pay, and bedrooms. How we figure this.
What the move itself costs
About 164 road miles, 1 bedroom. Typical ranges, not quotes.
- Full-service mover
- $1,700–$3,200
- Container or pod
- $1,150–$2,150
- Rent a truck
- $450–$800
Explore more
Dig into Charleston
Questions
Is Charleston cheaper than Columbus after tax and rent?
Yes. Charleston leaves about $92 more a month, so the cost of living is lower there for this household. A one-bedroom is about $1,176 in Columbus and $1,011 in Charleston.
Does Charleston have state income tax?
Charleston is in West Virginia, which taxes wage income.
Did people actually move from Columbus to Charleston?
Yes, when the IRS published that flow. The count and their average income are on this page. Leftover prices the same household in both cities.