United States › South Carolina › James Island CITY
James Island South Carolina · 12,660 residents (2025 est.) · 4.74 sq mi
Time machine
COMPARE TO 2013 ACS 2014 ACS 2015 ACS 2016 ACS 2017 ACS 2018 ACS 2019 ACS 2020 ACS 2021 ACS 2022 ACS 2023 ACS
The short version
James Island is a city of 12,198 people in South Carolina. 88% of homes are owner-occupied. Households here earn about 50% more than in South Carolina as a whole. Few US cities rank higher on income. This is an unusually credentialed place: 49% of adults have a four-year degree. The foreign-born share is 3%.
At a glance
Wealthier
above the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 41.7
US median: 38.9
More educated
49% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth from 11,738 in 2023
12,660 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
2,571 / sq mi
+4%since 2023
from 2,474 / sq mi in 2023
US average: 281
from 41.3 in 2023
US average: 38.9
Population, 2013 – 2024
11K 11K 12K 12K 12K 2013 2020 2024 James Island Age distribution, 2024
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Section 02
Income & economy $104,217
+1%inflation adjusted, since 2023
from $100,176 in 2023
US average: $82,259
from $44,971 in 2023
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 67.3% in 2023
US average: 53.3%
from 5.4% in 2023
US average: 12.5%
from 0.374 in 2023
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Arts, entertainment, food 1.6%
Professional, scientific, technical 1.6%
Transportation & warehousing 1.2%
Education & health services 0.6%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 0.3%
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$508,600
+9%inflation adjusted, since 2023
from $454,200 in 2023
US average: $376,019
$1,695
+14%inflation adjusted, since 2023
from $1,443 in 2023
US average: $1,442
from 85.9% in 2023
12.5% rent
from 6.1% in 2023
US average: 10.0%
from 2.67 people in 2023
US average: 2.54
from 19.9% in 2023
US average: 22.9%
from 32.9% in 2023
US average: 47.4%
from 4.5 in 2023
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity 2023
White, non-Hispanic 82.6%(9,690)
Hispanic / Latino 2.4%(279)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 81.3%(9,921)
Hispanic / Latino 2.1%(258)
from 38 in 2023
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry Ancestry
+ 18 more ancestry groups with data from 48.0% in 2023
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 93.9% in 2023
US average: 89.6%
from 15.9% in 2023
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation 22.5 min
Unchangedsince 2023
from 22.6 min in 2023
US average: 26.5
from 73.3% in 2023
US average: 68.9%
from 7.2% in 2023
US average: 8.5%
from 0.3% in 2023
US average: 3.2%
from 15.1% in 2023
US average: 15.0%
from 1.5% in 2023
US average: 2.4%
from 0.2% in 2023
US average: 0.4%
from 6.3% in 2023
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 1.4% in 2023
US average: 5.2%
from 66.1% in 2023
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
US average: 74.6%
from 12.8% in 2023
US average: 13.1%
from 51.8% in 2023
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 2.2% in 2023
US average: 14.1%
from 10.4% in 2023
US average: 6.2%
from 13.1% in 2023
US average: 13.3%
from 4.4% in 2023
US average: 8.4%
from 88.8% in 2023
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
US average: 95.5%
from 96.1% in 2023
US average: 77.7%
from 1.5% in 2023
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married 27.6%(1,347)
Women 15+
Never married 23.2%(1,192)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 4.4% in 2023
US average: 8.4%
Direct-purchase
US average: 13.8%
VA health care
US average: 2.2%
Any private
US average: 67.1%
Any public
US average: 36.7%
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, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later) 6.2%(62)
Share of the 1,006 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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Drill deeper
Places similar to James Island Head to head
Compare James Island to nearby cities JAMES ISLAND VS
Mount Pleasant
Income $124,755 +20%
Home value $748,500 +47%
Population 95,469 +654%
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JAMES ISLAND VS
Charleston
Income $92,414 −11%
Home value $509,700 same
Population 159,423 +1159%
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JAMES ISLAND VS
Hanahan
Income $87,984 −16%
Home value $374,800 −26%
Population 22,415 +77%
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JAMES ISLAND VS
North Charleston
Income $62,956 −40%
Home value $302,200 −41%
Population 129,245 +921%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked
How many people live in James Island, South Carolina? James Island, South Carolina has about 12,198 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in James Island, South Carolina? The typical household in James Island, South Carolina earns about $104,217 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is James Island, South Carolina expensive? In James Island, South Carolina, the median home is worth about $508,600, and the typical rent is about $1,695 a month.
How educated are people in James Island, South Carolina? About 49.5% of adults age 25 and over in James Island, South Carolina hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in James Island, South Carolina? About 5.6% of people in James Island, South Carolina live below the federal poverty line.
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