United States › South Carolina › Charleston CITY · 2020 ACS
Charleston South Carolina · 150,227 residents · 115 sq mi
Time machine
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The short version
Charleston is home to 150,227 people in South Carolina. This is an unusually credentialed place: 54% of adults have a four-year degree. The population has risen by half since 2000, adding 53,577 people. Households here earn about 31% more than in South Carolina as a whole. 53% of homes are owner-occupied. This skews young, with a median age of 35.7.
At a glance
Wealthier
above the US median
US median: $66,278
Younger
median age 35.7
US median: 38.8
More educated
54% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 33%
Less affordable
home values up 69%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $265,253
Section 01
Population & growth from 33.2 in 2000
US average: 38.8
Population, 1990 – 2024
73K 95K 117K 140K 162K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Charleston Age distribution, 2020
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Section 02
Income & economy $72,071
+36%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $35,295 in 2000
US average: $66,278
from $22,414 in 2000
US average: $35,364
Households earning $100K+
from 30.8% in 2009
US average: 43.9%
from 19.1% in 2000
US average: 12.8%
Workforce by industry, 2020
Public administration 3.7%
Professional, scientific, technical 3.1%
Transportation & warehousing 2.5%
Arts, entertainment, food 2.2%
Education & health services 0.5%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 0.2%
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$349,000
+69%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $137,800 in 2000
US average: $265,253
$1,318
+43%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $614 in 2000
US average: $1,124
from 51.1% in 2000
46.6% rent
from 2.25 people in 2009
US average: 2.61
from 5.4 in 2009
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity 2000
White, non-Hispanic 62.3%(60,187)
Hispanic / Latino 1.5%(1,462)
2020
White, non-Hispanic 72.4%(108,766)
Hispanic / Latino 4.5%(6,818)
No data for the years selected.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry Hispanic origin
+ 8 more hispanic origin groups with data Ancestry
+ 45 more ancestry groups with data from 37.5% in 2000
US average: 32.9%
High school or higher
from 83.7% in 2000
US average: 88.5%
from 13.9% in 2000
US average: 12.7%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 12.5 min in 2000
US average: 26.9
from 78.2% in 2009
US average: 75.1%
from 10.5% in 2009
US average: 8.4%
Section 07
Work & employment from 7.7% in 2011
US average: 5.4%
from 66.8% in 2011
US average: 63.4%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
US average: 73.3%
from 43.2% in 2009
US average: 39.3%
Section 08
People & community from 4.2% in 2009
US average: 13.5%
from 12.6% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
Computer in household
US average: 91.9%
Marital status (2024)
Men 15+
Never married 41.1%(25,496)
Women 15+
Never married 37.9%(26,627)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 12.6% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
Direct-purchase
US average: 13.7%
VA health care
US average: 2.3%
Any private
US average: 68.1%
Any public
US average: 35.2%
Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.
Section 09 · Service history
Veterans Veterans by period of service, 2020
Gulf War (2001 or later) 22.6%(2,059)
Gulf War (1990s) 25.4%(2,314)
Share of the 9,105 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.
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Explore
Neighborhoods in Charleston Drill deeper
Places similar to Charleston Head to head
Compare Charleston to nearby cities CHARLESTON VS
Mount Pleasant
Income $124,755 +73%
Home value $748,500 +114%
Population 95,469 −40%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
CHARLESTON VS
James Island
Income $104,217 +45%
Home value $508,600 +46%
Population 12,660 −92%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
CHARLESTON VS
Hanahan
Income $87,984 +22%
Home value $374,800 +7%
Population 22,415 −86%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
CHARLESTON VS
North Charleston
Income $62,956 −13%
Home value $302,200 −13%
Population 129,245 −19%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked
How many people live in Charleston, South Carolina? Charleston, South Carolina has about 150,227 residents according to the 2020 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Charleston, South Carolina? The typical household in Charleston, South Carolina earns about $72,071 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Charleston, South Carolina expensive? In Charleston, South Carolina, the median home is worth about $349,000, and the typical rent is about $1,318 a month.
How educated are people in Charleston, South Carolina? About 54.4% of adults age 25 and over in Charleston, South Carolina hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Charleston, South Carolina? About 12.6% of people in Charleston, South Carolina live below the federal poverty line.
Has Charleston, South Carolina grown since 1990? Yes, Charleston, South Carolina has grown since 1990. The population has added about 69,813 residents, a change of about 87 percent over that period.
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