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COUNTY

Charleston County

South Carolina · 436,200 residents (2025 est.) · 918.036 sq mi
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Notable rankings
#95Most educatedof 3,14450.3%#146Most expensive homesof 3,139$489,100
The short version

Charleston County has roughly average household income, with a median household income of $88,494. Population has grown 36% since 2000. 50% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, well above the national rate of 36%. Median home value has more than tripled since 2000, reaching $489,100. It ranks in the top 5% of US counties for household income. Households here earn about 28% more than the South Carolina median.

At a glance
Wealthier
above the US median
US median: $82,259
Mid-age
median age 39.2
US median: 38.9
More educated
50% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 128%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
420,264
+36%since 2000
from 309,969 in 2000
1990 – 2025
Population density
458 / sq mi
+22%since 2009
from 377 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
Median age
39.2
+14%since 2000
from 34.5 in 2000
US average: 38.9

PEP 2025 EST:436,200 residents (Census Bureau Vintage 2025, released March 2026)

Population, 1990 – 2024
283K320K358K395K433K1990201020202024Charleston County
2024420K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2024
Under 55.6%(23,660)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 95.1%(21,555)
US avg: 6%
10 to 145.6%(23,379)
US avg: 6.4%
15 to 195.5%(23,057)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 246%(25,016)
US avg: 6.5%
25 to 3415.6%(65,508)
US avg: 13.7%
35 to 4414.5%(60,845)
US avg: 13.2%
45 to 5411.6%(48,771)
US avg: 12.2%
55 to 6412.7%(53,445)
US avg: 12.7%
65 to 7410.9%(45,899)
US avg: 10.2%
75 to 845%(21,116)
US avg: 5.1%
85 and over1.9%(8,013)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$88,494
+28%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $37,810 in 2000
US average: $82,259
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$56,921
+166%since 2000
from $21,393 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
56.1%
+25.7 ptssince 2009
from 30.4% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
Poverty rate
11.3%
−5.1 ptssince 2000
from 16.4% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
Income inequality (Gini)
0.511
+3%since 2010
from 0.498 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Information9.8%
US avg: 10.8%
Other services8.1%
US avg: 6.7%
Retail trade7.2%
US avg: 9.9%
Wholesale trade6.3%
US avg: 6.9%
Finance & insurance4.7%
US avg: 5.9%
Public administration4.6%
US avg: 4.8%
Professional, scientific, technical4.1%
US avg: 5.1%
Transportation & warehousing2.2%
US avg: 2.2%
Arts, entertainment, food1.6%
US avg: 1.9%
Education & health services0.6%
US avg: 0.9%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing0.5%
US avg: 1.6%
Construction0.5%
US avg: 1.2%
Manufacturing0.1%
US avg: 0.4%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$489,100
+128%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $117,700 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$1,620
+47%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $605 in 2000
US average: $1,442
Owner-occupied
63.9%
+2.9 ptssince 2000
from 61.0% in 2000
36.1% rent
Vacancy rate
14.7%
−2.4 ptssince 2009
from 17.1% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
Owner cost-burdened
24.3%
−10.1 ptssince 2009
from 34.4% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
Renter cost-burdened
49.9%
+3.9 ptssince 2009
from 45.9% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
Afford Score
5.5
+14%since 2009
from 4.8 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index: median home value divided by median household income. Lower is more affordable.
Gentrification Score
91
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
RELATED:See current rent listings in Charleston County on RentDataNow
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic60.8%(188,542)
Black34.3%(106,337)
Hispanic / Latino2.4%(7,434)
Asian1.1%(3,410)
Other0%
2024
White, non-Hispanic64.5%(270,977)
Black22.7%(95,215)
Hispanic / Latino7.2%(30,143)
Asian1.8%(7,411)
Other3.9%(16,518)
Diversity Score
66
+3%since 2009
from 64 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Segregation Score
44
−2%since 2020
from 45 in 2020
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means White and non-White residents are more separated across neighborhoods.
Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Hispanic origin
Mexican3.5%(14,609)
Central American1.2%(5,145)
South American0.9%(3,664)
Puerto Rican0.5%(2,154)
Guatemalan0.3%(1,350)
Nicaraguan0.3%(1,335)
Cuban0.3%(1,176)
Spaniard0.3%(1,114)
Salvadoran0.2%(1,046)
Venezuelan0.2%(1,022)
Honduran0.2%(849)
Colombian0.2%(838)
+ 10 more hispanic origin groups with data
Ecuadorian0.2%(832)
Panamanian0.1%(529)
Dominican0.1%(486)
Argentine0.1%(452)
Bolivian0%(204)
Peruvian0%(170)
Uruguayan0%(51)
Chilean0%(16)
Asian origin
Asian Indian0.5%(1,896)
Chinese0.4%(1,473)
Filipino0.3%(1,382)
Vietnamese0.3%(1,163)
Korean0.1%(477)
Japanese0.1%(239)
Pakistani0%(115)
Burmese0%(80)
Taiwanese0%(75)
Nepalese0%(49)
Laotian0%(47)
+ 5 more asian origin groups with data
Cambodian0%(41)
Uzbek0%(14)
Thai0%(8)
Pacific Islander origin
Chamorro0%(155)
Samoan0%(89)
Ancestry
English15.3%(64,285)
German11%(46,301)
Irish10.6%(44,521)
American8.7%(36,689)
Italian4.7%(19,928)
Scottish2.5%(10,346)
French2.1%(8,957)
Polish2.1%(8,663)
Scotch-Irish1.4%(5,954)
Swedish0.6%(2,641)
Norwegian0.6%(2,428)
+ 47 more ancestry groups with data
Greek0.6%(2,364)
Welsh0.6%(2,354)
British0.6%(2,333)
Arab0.5%(2,266)
Russian0.5%(2,263)
Dutch0.5%(2,144)
Hungarian0.4%(1,628)
French Canadian0.4%(1,597)
Lebanese0.3%(1,292)
Czech0.3%(1,210)
West Indian0.3%(1,123)
Austrian0.2%(963)
Ukrainian0.2%(928)
Portuguese0.2%(925)
Swiss0.2%(902)
Jamaican0.2%(762)
Danish0.2%(726)
Slovak0.2%(637)
Brazilian0.1%(619)
Turkish0.1%(575)
Finnish0.1%(573)
Serbian0.1%(508)
Croatian0.1%(453)
Lithuanian0.1%(421)
Romanian0.1%(376)
Armenian0.1%(366)
Egyptian0.1%(285)
Kenyan0.1%(267)
Slovene0.1%(261)
Canadian0.1%(252)
Belgian0.1%(222)
Iranian0.1%(211)
Syrian0%(197)
Australian0%(110)
Israeli0%(109)
Ghanaian0%(106)
Nigerian0%(100)
Haitian0%(70)
Latvian0%(61)
Ethiopian0%(39)
Moroccan0%(36)
Iraqi0%(27)
Bulgarian0%(14)
Jordanian0%(10)
RANKED:Largest English population · Largest German population · Largest Irish population · Largest American population · Largest Italian population
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
50.3%
+19.6 ptssince 2000
from 30.7% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
93.5%
+12.0 ptssince 2000
from 81.5% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
Graduate degree
19.8%
+8.8 ptssince 2000
from 11.0% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
25.1 min
+76%since 2000
from 14.2 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
Drive alone to work
69.0%
−10.7 ptssince 2009
from 79.7% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
Carpooled to work
8.5%
−1.3 ptssince 2009
from 9.8% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
Public transit
0.9%
−0.8 ptssince 2009
from 1.7% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
Worked from home
17.7%
+14.1 ptssince 2009
from 3.6% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
Walked to work
1.9%
−0.9 ptssince 2009
from 2.8% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
Biked to work
0.7%
Unchangedsince 2009
from 0.7% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
No vehicle available
5.9%
−2.8 ptssince 2009
from 8.7% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
3.5%
−5.3 ptssince 2011
from 8.7% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
Labor force participation
66.0%
−0.3 ptssince 2011
from 66.3% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Self-employed
12.7%
−1.0 ptssince 2009
from 13.7% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
Management & professional
49.4%
−17.1 ptssince 2009
from 66.4% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08

People & community

Male
48.5%
+0.2 ptssince 2009
from 48.3% in 2009
Female
51.5%
−0.2 ptssince 2009
from 51.7% in 2009
Foreign born
6.7%
+1.7 ptssince 2009
from 5.0% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
Veterans
8.2%
−38.9 ptssince 2009
from 47.1% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
With a disability
11.2%
+0.4 ptssince 2012
from 10.8% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
Uninsured
8.3%
−75.4 ptssince 2013
from 83.7% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Broadband at home
88.9%
+14.3 ptssince 2017
from 74.6% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
English only at home
91.0%
−2.3 ptssince 2016
from 93.3% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
Spanish at home
5.3%
+1.4 ptssince 2016
from 3.9% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married36.7%(61,982)
Married52.2%(88,092)
Widowed2.4%(3,984)
Divorced8.7%(14,670)
Women 15+
Never married32.8%(59,999)
Married47.1%(86,083)
Widowed8%(14,590)
Divorced12.2%(22,270)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Drill deeper

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Pop 433,516
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Pop 417,131
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Pop 463,349
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Pop 509,386
Places similar to Charleston County
Head to head

Compare Charleston County to nearby counties

CHARLESTON COUNTY VS
Berkeley County
Income$84,358−5%
Home value$310,300−37%
Population274,666−37%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
CHARLESTON COUNTY VS
Dorchester County
Income$78,198−12%
Home value$329,300−33%
Population178,397−59%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
CHARLESTON COUNTY VS
Colleton County
Income$51,114−42%
Home value$162,500−67%
Population39,382−91%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
CHARLESTON COUNTY VS
Beaufort County
Income$86,573−2%
Home value$455,600−7%
Population204,433−53%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Charleston County, South Carolina?

Charleston County, South Carolina has about 420,264 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.

What is the median household income in Charleston County, South Carolina?

The typical household in Charleston County, South Carolina earns about $88,494 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Charleston County, South Carolina expensive?

In Charleston County, South Carolina, the median home is worth about $489,100, and the typical rent is about $1,620 a month.

How educated are people in Charleston County, South Carolina?

About 50.3% of adults age 25 and over in Charleston County, South Carolina hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Charleston County, South Carolina?

About 11.3% of people in Charleston County, South Carolina live below the federal poverty line.

Has Charleston County, South Carolina grown since 1990?

Yes, Charleston County, South Carolina has grown since 1990. The population has added about 125,225 residents, a change of about 42 percent over that period.

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Explore from here

99 census tracts (top 20 by population)
Census Tract 21.07Census Tract 46.17Census Tract 56.01Census Tract 31.06Census Tract 46.09Census Tract 31.07Census Tract 58Census Tract 46.16Census Tract 46.12Census Tract 31.10Census Tract 26.12Census Tract 31.15Census Tract 46.14Census Tract 56.02Census Tract 47.01Census Tract 46.18Census Tract 20.02Census Tract 31.04Census Tract 20.05Census Tract 46.19
26 ZIP codes
ZIP 29464ZIP 29466ZIP 29414ZIP 29456ZIP 29412ZIP 29407ZIP 29406ZIP 29455ZIP 29405ZIP 29418ZIP 29403ZIP 29401ZIP 29449ZIP 29470ZIP 29429ZIP 29451ZIP 29438ZIP 29487ZIP 29458ZIP 29404ZIP 29482ZIP 29409ZIP 29426ZIP 29424ZIP 29439ZIP 29425
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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

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