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METRO AREA

Charleston Metro

Charleston-North Charleston, SC · 3 counties · 889,263 residents (2025 est.) · 2,590 sq mi
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The short version

Charleston is home to 834,267 people. The population has risen by half since 2000, adding 285,234 people. That puts it in the top 2% of US metro areas for household income. The foreign-born share is 6%. About 40% of adults have finished a four-year degree. The typical home is worth $404,179, having more than tripled since 2000.

At a glance
Average income
median household income $85,207, near the US median
US median: $82,259
Mid-age
median age 38.3
US median: 38.9
More educated
40% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 115%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Unique to this place

What stands out about Charleston

What changed most since 1990

  • Median home value (2024 dollars)$172,880 → $404,179 (+134%)US over the same years: +67%
  • White share67.1% → 62.4% (−4.7 pts)US over the same years: −17.8 pts
  • Black share30.0% → 23.1% (−6.9 pts)US over the same years: +0.2 pts

Among the 14 metro and micro areas based in South Carolina

  • 1st in household income$85,207
  • 2nd in share with a bachelor's degree40.5%
  • 2nd in home value$404,179
  • 5th in diversity score68.5
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
834,267
+52%since 2000
from 549,033 in 2000
889,263 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
1990 – 2025
Population density
322 / sq mi
+52%since 2000
from 212 / sq mi in 2000
US average: 281
Median age
38.3
+13%since 2000
from 33.9 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Land area
2,590 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
474K572K671K769K867K19902000201020202024Charleston
2024834K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2024
Under 55.8%(48,632)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 95.8%(48,695)
US avg: 6%
10 to 146.3%(52,265)
US avg: 6.4%
15 to 196%(50,362)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 246.1%(50,941)
US avg: 6.5%
25 to 3414.8%(123,390)
US avg: 13.7%
35 to 4414.3%(119,268)
US avg: 13.2%
45 to 5411.9%(99,444)
US avg: 12.2%
55 to 6412.5%(104,220)
US avg: 12.7%
65 to 7410.1%(84,617)
US avg: 10.2%
75 to 844.7%(39,338)
US avg: 5.1%
85 and over1.6%(13,095)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$85,207
+19%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $39,322 in 2000
US average: $82,259
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$48,581
+146%since 2000
from $19,772 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
55.2%
+25.3 ptssince 2009
from 29.8% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
Poverty rate
10.9%
−3.1 ptssince 2000
from 14.0% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
Income inequality (Gini)
0.467
+3%since 2010
from 0.452 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Information10.6%
US avg: 10.8%
Retail trade9.7%
US avg: 9.9%
Wholesale trade7.4%
US avg: 6.9%
Other services6.6%
US avg: 6.7%
Finance & insurance6.1%
US avg: 5.9%
Professional, scientific, technical5.2%
US avg: 5.1%
Public administration3.9%
US avg: 4.8%
Transportation & warehousing2%
US avg: 2.2%
Arts, entertainment, food1.7%
US avg: 1.9%
Education & health services0.9%
US avg: 0.9%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing0.5%
US avg: 1.6%
Construction0.4%
US avg: 1.2%
Manufacturing0%
US avg: 0.4%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$404,179
+115%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $103,401 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$1,599
+49%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $587 in 2000
US average: $1,442
Owner-occupied
69.4%
+2.5 ptssince 2000
from 66.9% in 2000
30.6% rent
Vacancy rate
10.8%
−3.9 ptssince 2009
from 14.7% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
Persons per household
2.44 people
−6%since 2009
from 2.59 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
Owner cost-burdened
22.1%
−9.4 ptssince 2009
from 31.5% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
Renter cost-burdened
49.1%
+7.0 ptssince 2009
from 42.1% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
Afford Score
4.7
+18%since 2009
from 4.0 in 2009
1990 – 2024
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Gentrification Score
91
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic64%(351,434)
Black30.6%(168,143)
Hispanic / Latino2.4%(13,091)
Asian1.3%(7,123)
Other0%
2024
White, non-Hispanic62.4%(520,520)
Black23.1%(192,815)
Hispanic / Latino7.8%(64,788)
Asian2.1%(17,148)
Other4.7%(38,996)
Diversity Score
68
+9%since 2009
from 63 in 2009
1990 – 2024
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Segregation Score
35
−4%since 2020
from 36 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
Mexican3.4%(28,653)
Central American1.2%(9,668)
Puerto Rican1.1%(9,200)
South American0.9%(7,763)
Honduran0.4%(3,260)
Cuban0.3%(2,822)
Colombian0.3%(2,244)
Venezuelan0.3%(2,243)
Guatemalan0.3%(2,186)
Spaniard0.2%(1,849)
Salvadoran0.2%(1,642)
Nicaraguan0.2%(1,404)
+ 10 more hispanic origin groups with data
Dominican0.2%(1,282)
Ecuadorian0.1%(1,089)
Panamanian0.1%(1,003)
Peruvian0.1%(671)
Argentine0.1%(520)
Bolivian0%(416)
Chilean0%(346)
Uruguayan0%(145)
Asian origin
Filipino0.7%(5,493)
Asian Indian0.4%(3,570)
Chinese0.3%(2,361)
Vietnamese0.3%(2,165)
Korean0.1%(1,084)
Japanese0.1%(552)
Cambodian0%(261)
Pakistani0%(200)
Taiwanese0%(181)
Laotian0%(167)
Burmese0%(91)
+ 8 more asian origin groups with data
Thai0%(76)
Hmong0%(51)
Nepalese0%(49)
Uzbek0%(26)
Kazakh0%(16)
Pacific Islander origin
Chamorro0%(222)
Samoan0%(207)
Chuukese0%(15)
Ancestry
English13.5%(112,372)
German10.5%(87,515)
Irish9.9%(82,503)
American7.5%(62,723)
Italian4.2%(35,170)
Scottish2.4%(19,696)
French2.1%(17,458)
Polish1.9%(15,791)
Scotch-Irish1.4%(11,319)
Norwegian0.6%(5,162)
Swedish0.6%(4,951)
+ 49 more ancestry groups with data
Dutch0.5%(4,522)
British0.5%(4,197)
Welsh0.5%(3,986)
Greek0.4%(3,661)
Arab0.4%(3,660)
French Canadian0.4%(3,368)
Russian0.4%(3,020)
West Indian0.3%(2,795)
Czech0.3%(2,298)
Hungarian0.3%(2,236)
Lebanese0.2%(1,998)
Brazilian0.2%(1,954)
Ukrainian0.2%(1,858)
Portuguese0.2%(1,856)
Swiss0.2%(1,519)
Danish0.2%(1,473)
Jamaican0.2%(1,416)
Austrian0.2%(1,396)
Croatian0.1%(1,010)
Slovak0.1%(991)
Finnish0.1%(961)
Lithuanian0.1%(869)
Turkish0.1%(758)
Canadian0.1%(681)
Nigerian0.1%(650)
Armenian0.1%(633)
Australian0.1%(576)
Romanian0.1%(556)
Serbian0.1%(534)
Kenyan0.1%(533)
Haitian0.1%(529)
Moroccan0%(402)
Egyptian0%(358)
Belgian0%(315)
Iranian0%(312)
Syrian0%(304)
Slovene0%(279)
Ethiopian0%(272)
Ghanaian0%(111)
Israeli0%(109)
Latvian0%(102)
Bulgarian0%(82)
Guyanese0%(43)
Iraqi0%(27)
Jordanian0%(21)
Barbadian0%(14)
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
40.5%
+15.6 ptssince 2000
from 24.8% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
92.5%
+11.2 ptssince 2000
from 81.3% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
Graduate degree
15.4%
+6.8 ptssince 2000
from 8.6% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
27.7 min
+72%since 2000
from 16.1 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
Drive alone to work
73.0%
−8.0 ptssince 2009
from 81.0% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
Carpooled to work
8.2%
−1.9 ptssince 2009
from 10.0% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
Public transit
0.5%
−0.6 ptssince 2009
from 1.1% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
Worked from home
14.8%
+11.3 ptssince 2009
from 3.5% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
Walked to work
1.6%
−0.9 ptssince 2009
from 2.5% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
Biked to work
0.5%
Unchangedsince 2009
from 0.5% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
No vehicle available
4.8%
−2.2 ptssince 2009
from 7.0% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
3.7%
−5.4 ptssince 2011
from 9.1% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
Labor force participation
65.8%
−1.0 ptssince 2011
from 66.8% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
75.4%
+1.5 ptssince 2020
from 73.9% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
Self-employed
12.7%
−0.6 ptssince 2009
from 13.3% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
Management & professional
44.1%
+10.2 ptssince 2009
from 33.9% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08

People & community

Male
48.9%
+0.1 ptssince 2009
from 48.8% in 2009
Female
51.1%
−0.1 ptssince 2009
from 51.2% in 2009
Foreign born
6.5%
+1.9 ptssince 2009
from 4.6% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
Veterans
10.2%
−4.2 ptssince 2009
from 14.4% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
With a disability
12.4%
+1.1 ptssince 2012
from 11.3% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
Uninsured
8.9%
−7.5 ptssince 2013
from 16.4% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Broadband at home
89.7%
+13.4 ptssince 2017
from 76.3% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
96.2%
+3.1 ptssince 2020
from 93.1% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
Same house as last year
85.5%
+0.8 ptssince 2020
from 84.7% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
English only at home
91.0%
−2.2 ptssince 2016
from 93.2% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
Spanish at home
5.5%
+1.5 ptssince 2016
from 4.0% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married35.7%(118,406)
Married53.5%(177,442)
Widowed2.6%(8,684)
Divorced8.2%(27,331)
Women 15+
Never married30.6%(108,038)
Married49%(173,021)
Widowed8%(28,231)
Divorced12.3%(43,522)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09

Health coverage

Uninsured
8.9%
−7.5 ptssince 2013
from 16.4% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Employer-based
55.7%
Unchangedsince 2020
from 55.8% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
16.4%
+2.9 ptssince 2020
from 13.5% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
Medicare
18.0%
+0.7 ptssince 2020
from 17.3% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
Medicaid
15.7%
Unchangedsince 2020
from 15.7% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
3.9%
+0.2 ptssince 2020
from 3.6% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
72.1%
+1.3 ptssince 2020
from 70.9% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
33.0%
+0.9 ptssince 2020
from 32.1% in 2020
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)34.2%(22,098)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)32.2%(20,800)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era28.1%(18,152)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War3.5%(2,243)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II0.4%(235)
US avg: 1%

Share of the 64,665 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.

BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Over time

Charleston, decade by decade

Charleston population, inflation-adjusted income and home value, education, and diversity by year
YearPopulationMedian household incomeMedian home valueBachelor's degree+Diversity score
1990506,875$67,392$172,88018.8%56.8
2000549,033$71,631$188,36124.8%61.9
2010664,607$72,528$291,81129.6%65.2
2020799,636$79,920$327,93836.1%68.6
2024834,267$85,207$404,17940.5%68.5

Census years come from the decennial census and the latest year from the American Community Survey, so part of any change between those two rows can reflect the different surveys. Dollar figures are adjusted for inflation to 2024 dollars; a figure ending in "+" was at the Census Bureau's reporting cap that year. The diversity score runs from 0 to 100; see how it's calculated.

In this metro

Largest cities

CharlestonCENTRAL159,423North CharlestonCENTRAL129,245Mount Pleasant95,469Summerville53,177Goose Creek52,010Hanahan22,415Moncks Corner20,612Ladson16,140James Island12,660Sangaree8,681Hollywood5,652Isle of Palms4,377Ravenel2,728Seabrook Island2,171Folly Beach2,081Kiawah Island2,014Sullivan's Island1,961St. George1,868Pimlico1,765St. Stephen1,623Bonneau Beach1,516Awendaw1,502Meggett1,484Lincolnville1,241Ridgeville1,230Pinopolis854Harleyville773McClellanville642Adams Run469Bonneau437

The 30 most populous of 35 cities and towns in this metro. CENTRAL marks the metro's principal cities.

What's inside

3 component counties

Charleston CountyCENTRAL436,200Berkeley CountyCENTRAL274,666Dorchester CountyCENTRAL178,397
Drill deeper

Metros similar to Charleston

Allentown
Pop 887,615
Boise City
Pop 864,243
Albany
Pop 915,835
Omaha
Pop 1,009,836
Places similar to Charleston
Head to head

Compare Charleston side by side

CHARLESTON VS
Allentown
Income$85,100same
Home value$302,579−25%
Population887,615same
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
CHARLESTON VS
Boise City
Income$85,629same
Home value$469,641+16%
Population864,243−3%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
CHARLESTON VS
Albany
Income$88,339+4%
Home value$288,584−29%
Population915,835+3%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
CHARLESTON VS
Omaha
Income$85,433same
Home value$267,787−34%
Population1,009,836+14%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Charleston-North Charleston, SC?

Charleston-North Charleston, SC has about 834,267 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.

What is the median household income in Charleston-North Charleston, SC?

The typical household in Charleston-North Charleston, SC earns about $85,207 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Charleston-North Charleston, SC expensive?

In Charleston-North Charleston, SC, the median home is worth about $404,179, and the typical rent is about $1,599 a month.

How educated are people in Charleston-North Charleston, SC?

About 40.5% of adults age 25 and over in Charleston-North Charleston, SC hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Charleston-North Charleston, SC?

About 10.9% of people in Charleston-North Charleston, SC live below the federal poverty line.

Has Charleston-North Charleston, SC grown since 1990?

Yes, Charleston-North Charleston, SC has grown since 1990. The population has added about 327,392 residents, a change of about 65 percent over that period.

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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · METRO ROLLUP OF COMPONENT COUNTIES · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →