CensusEasy
METRO AREA · 1990 CENSUS

Charleston Metro

Charleston-North Charleston, SC · 3 counties · 506,875 residents · 2,590.18 sq mi
Time machine
COMPARE TO
Compare
The short version

Charleston has roughly average household income, with a median household income of $28,079. Population has declined 8% since 2000. Median home value is $72,031.

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

Total population
506,875
−8%vs 2000
vs 549,033 in 2000
1990 – 2025
Population density
196 / sq mi
−8%vs 2000
vs 212 / sq mi in 2000
Median age
29.7
−12%vs 2000
vs 33.9 in 2000
US average: 33.0
Population, 1990 – 2024
474K572K671K769K867K1990201020202024Charleston
2024834K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 1990
Under 58.5%(43,101)
US avg: 7.3%
5 to 98%(40,721)
US avg: 7.3%
10 to 147.1%(36,238)
US avg: 6.9%
15 to 197.3%(37,041)
US avg: 7.1%
20 to 249.4%(47,752)
US avg: 7.5%
25 to 3419.9%(100,955)
US avg: 17.5%
35 to 4415%(76,150)
US avg: 15.1%
45 to 549.2%(46,703)
US avg: 10.2%
55 to 646.9%(34,931)
US avg: 8.5%
65 to 745.5%(27,893)
US avg: 7.3%
75 to 842.4%(12,252)
US avg: 4%
85 and over0.6%(3,138)
US avg: 1.2%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$28,079
−6%inflation adjusted, since 2000
vs $39,322 in 2000
US average: $30,130
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$12,334
−38%vs 2000
vs $19,772 in 2000
US average: $14,340
Poverty rate
15.1%
+1.1 ptsvs 2000
vs 14.0% in 2000
US average: 13.2%
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$72,031
−8%inflation adjusted, since 2000
vs $103,401 in 2000
US average: $93,722
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$432
−3%inflation adjusted, since 2000
vs $587 in 2000
US average: $450
Owner-occupied
62.9%
−4.0 ptsvs 2000
vs 66.9% in 2000
37.1% rent
RELATED:See current rent listings in Charleston on RentDataNow
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic64%(351,434)
Black30.6%(168,143)
Hispanic / Latino2.4%(13,091)
Asian1.3%(7,123)
Other0%
1990
White, non-Hispanic67.9%(344,007)
Black30.2%(153,219)
Hispanic / Latino1.4%(7,150)
Asian1.2%(5,881)
Other0.7%(3,768)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Detailed origin tables are available for 2024; showing 2024 data.

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)
RANKED:Largest English population · Largest German population · Largest Irish population · Largest American population · Largest Italian population
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
18.8%
−6.1 ptsvs 2000
vs 24.8% in 2000
US average: 20.3%
High school or higher
75.7%
−5.6 ptsvs 2000
vs 81.3% in 2000
US average: 75.2%
Graduate degree
6.3%
−2.3 ptsvs 2000
vs 8.6% in 2000
US average: 7.1%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
23.6 min
+46%vs 2000
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 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
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$85,100+203%
Home value$302,579+320%
Population887,615same
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
CHARLESTON VS
Boise City
Income$85,629+205%
Home value$469,641+552%
Population864,243−3%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
CHARLESTON VS
Albany
Income$88,339+215%
Home value$288,584+301%
Population915,835+3%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
CHARLESTON VS
Omaha
Income$85,433+204%
Home value$267,787+272%
Population1,009,836+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.

Keep going

Explore from here

Metro rankings
Largest US metrosHighest income metrosFastest growing metros
Compare
Compare Charleston with another metro

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

How we source and harmonize this data →