United States › Charleston METRO AREA · 1990 CENSUS
Charleston Metro Charleston-North Charleston, SC · 3 counties · 506,875 residents · 2,590 sq mi
Time machine
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The short version
Charleston is home to 506,875 people. This skews young, with a median age of 29.7. The typical home is worth $72,031. The population has held roughly steady since 2000. About 19% of adults have finished a four-year degree. Households earn $28,079 at the median, near the US median.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $30,130
Younger
median age 29.7
US median: 33.0
Average education
19% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 20%
More affordable
home values down 8%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $93,722
Section 01
Population & growth vs 33.9 in 2000
US average: 33.0
Population, 1990 – 2024
474K 572K 671K 769K 867K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Charleston Age distribution, 1990
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $28,079
−6%inflation adjusted, since 2000
vs $39,322 in 2000
US average: $30,130
vs $19,772 in 2000
US average: $14,340
vs 14.0% in 2000
US average: 13.2%
$72,031
−8%inflation adjusted, since 2000
vs $103,401 in 2000
US average: $93,722
$432
−3%inflation adjusted, since 2000
vs $587 in 2000
US average: $450
vs 66.9% in 2000
37.1% rent
Section 04
Race & ethnicity 2000
White, non-Hispanic 64%(351,434)
Hispanic / Latino 2.4%(13,091)
1990
White, non-Hispanic 67.9%(344,007)
Hispanic / Latino 1.4%(7,150)
No data for the years selected.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry Detailed origin tables are available for 2024; showing 2024 data.
Hispanic origin
+ 10 more hispanic origin groups with data Asian origin
+ 8 more asian origin groups with data Ancestry
+ 49 more ancestry groups with data vs 24.8% in 2000
US average: 20.3%
High school or higher
vs 81.3% in 2000
US average: 75.2%
vs 8.6% in 2000
US average: 7.1%
Section 06
Commute & transportation vs 16.1 min in 2000
US average: 21.9
Section 07
Work & employment No data for the years selected.
Section 08
People & community No data for the years selected.
Marital status (2024)
Men 15+
Never married 35.7%(118,406)
Women 15+
Never married 30.6%(108,038)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage Showing 2024 (the nearest year with coverage data).
from 16.4% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 55.8% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 13.5% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 17.3% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 15.7% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 3.6% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 70.9% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
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)
Gulf War (1990s) 32.2%(20,800)
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
In this metro
Largest cities CharlestonCENTRAL 159,423 North CharlestonCENTRAL 129,245 Mount Pleasant 95,469 Summerville 53,177 Goose Creek 52,010 Hanahan 22,415 Moncks Corner 20,612 Ladson 16,140 James Island 12,660 Sangaree 8,681 Hollywood 5,652 Isle of Palms 4,377 Ravenel 2,728 Seabrook Island 2,171 Folly Beach 2,081 Kiawah Island 2,014 Sullivan's Island 1,961 St. George 1,868 Pimlico 1,765 St. Stephen 1,623 Bonneau Beach 1,516 Awendaw 1,502 Meggett 1,484 Lincolnville 1,241 Ridgeville 1,230 Pinopolis 854 Harleyville 773 McClellanville 642 Adams Run 469 Bonneau 437 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 Drill deeper
Metros similar to Charleston Head to head
Compare Charleston side by side CHARLESTON VS
Allentown
Income $85,100 +203%
Home value $302,579 +320%
Population 887,615 same
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
CHARLESTON VS
Boise City
Income $85,629 +205%
Home value $469,641 +552%
Population 864,243 −3%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
CHARLESTON VS
Albany
Income $88,339 +215%
Home value $288,584 +301%
Population 915,835 +3%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
CHARLESTON VS
Omaha
Income $85,433 +204%
Home value $267,787 +272%
Population 1,009,836 +14%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked
How many people live in Charleston-North Charleston, SC? Charleston-North Charleston, SC has about 506,875 residents according to the 1990 Census.
What is the median household income in Charleston-North Charleston, SC? The typical household in Charleston-North Charleston, SC earns about $28,079 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 $72,031, and the typical rent is about $432 a month.
How educated are people in Charleston-North Charleston, SC? About 18.8% 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 15.1% of people in Charleston-North Charleston, SC live below the federal poverty line.
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