CensusEasy
METRO AREA · 2010 ACS

Charleston Metro

Charleston-North Charleston, SC · 3 counties · 664,607 residents · 2,590 sq mi
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The short version

Charleston is home to 664,607 people. Growth has run 21% since 2000, or 115,574 more people. The foreign-born share is 5%. The typical home is worth $202,848, having more than doubled since 2000. About 30% of adults have finished a four-year degree. Households earn $50,417 at the median, near the US median.

At a glance
Average income
near the US median
US median: $52,703
Younger
median age 35.5
US median: 37.2
Average education
30% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 28%
Less affordable
home values up 55%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $225,659
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
664,607
+21%since 2000
from 549,033 in 2000
1990 – 2025
Population density
257 / sq mi
+21%since 2000
from 212 / sq mi in 2000
Median age
35.5
+5%since 2000
from 33.9 in 2000
US average: 37.2
Land area
2,590 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
474K572K671K769K867K19902000201020202024Charleston
2024834K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2010
Under 56.9%(45,898)
US avg: 6.5%
5 to 96.4%(42,674)
US avg: 6.6%
10 to 146.1%(40,863)
US avg: 6.7%
15 to 196.8%(45,355)
US avg: 7.1%
20 to 248%(53,315)
US avg: 7%
25 to 3415.1%(100,417)
US avg: 13.3%
35 to 4413.1%(87,386)
US avg: 13.3%
45 to 5414.1%(93,733)
US avg: 14.6%
55 to 6411.8%(78,602)
US avg: 11.8%
65 to 746.8%(45,128)
US avg: 7%
75 to 843.4%(22,578)
US avg: 4.2%
85 and over1.3%(8,658)
US avg: 1.8%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$50,417
+1%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $39,322 in 2000
US average: $52,703
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$26,644
+35%since 2000
from $19,772 in 2000
US average: $27,286
Households earning $100K+
31.1%
+1.3 ptssince 2009
from 29.8% in 2009
US average: 33.3%
Poverty rate
14.4%
+0.4 ptssince 2000
from 14.0% in 2000
US average: 13.8%
Income inequality (Gini)
0.452
US average: 0.461
Workforce by industry, 2010
Information12%
US avg: 11.5%
Wholesale trade8.9%
US avg: 7.2%
Retail trade8.7%
US avg: 10.9%
Other services6%
US avg: 7%
Finance & insurance5.9%
US avg: 5.1%
Professional, scientific, technical4.6%
US avg: 4.2%
Public administration3.4%
US avg: 4.9%
Transportation & warehousing2.6%
US avg: 3.1%
Arts, entertainment, food2.2%
US avg: 2.4%
Education & health services1.2%
US avg: 0.9%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing0.5%
US avg: 1.9%
Construction0.4%
US avg: 1.4%
Manufacturing0%
US avg: 0.5%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$202,848
+55%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $103,401 in 2000
US average: $225,659
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$862
+16%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $587 in 2000
US average: $853
Owner-occupied
65.9%
−1.0 ptssince 2000
from 66.9% in 2000
34.1% rent
Vacancy rate
14.9%
+0.1 ptssince 2009
from 14.7% in 2009
US average: 12.1%
Persons per household
2.55 people
−2%since 2009
from 2.59 people in 2009
US average: 2.60
Owner cost-burdened
32.4%
+0.9 ptssince 2009
from 31.5% in 2009
US average: 30.9%
Renter cost-burdened
44.3%
+2.2 ptssince 2009
from 42.1% in 2009
US average: 46.8%
Afford Score
4.1
+2%since 2009
from 4.0 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic64%(351,434)
Black30.6%(168,143)
Hispanic / Latino2.4%(13,091)
Asian1.3%(7,123)
Other0%
2010
White, non-Hispanic63.2%(420,240)
Black27.4%(182,363)
Hispanic / Latino5.4%(35,707)
Asian1.6%(10,657)
Other2.3%(15,114)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Hispanic origin
Mexican2.9%(18,490)
Puerto Rican0.6%(4,003)
Central American0.6%(3,900)
Guatemalan0.3%(2,148)
South American0.3%(2,003)
Honduran0.1%(891)
Cuban0.1%(806)
Colombian0.1%(777)
Spaniard0.1%(600)
Peruvian0.1%(475)
Salvadoran0%(306)
Argentine0%(270)
+ 9 more hispanic origin groups with data
Panamanian0%(243)
Dominican0%(183)
Venezuelan0%(179)
Ecuadorian0%(162)
Nicaraguan0%(107)
Bolivian0%(86)
Chilean0%(41)
Uruguayan0%(13)
Ancestry
German12.1%(77,696)
American11%(70,515)
Irish10.2%(65,681)
English9.8%(62,971)
Italian3.5%(22,704)
Scotch-Irish2.9%(18,650)
French2.7%(17,580)
Scottish2.7%(17,315)
Polish1.7%(11,139)
Dutch1.1%(6,898)
Swedish0.7%(4,431)
Welsh0.6%(4,071)
+ 48 more ancestry groups with data
Russian0.5%(3,451)
Norwegian0.5%(3,166)
British0.4%(2,805)
Greek0.4%(2,782)
French Canadian0.4%(2,628)
Arab0.3%(1,936)
Czech0.3%(1,729)
Hungarian0.3%(1,645)
West Indian0.2%(1,424)
Swiss0.2%(1,379)
Ukrainian0.2%(1,327)
Portuguese0.2%(1,307)
Austrian0.2%(1,072)
Danish0.2%(1,019)
Canadian0.2%(977)
Slovak0.1%(870)
Brazilian0.1%(830)
Lebanese0.1%(822)
Lithuanian0.1%(767)
Jamaican0.1%(630)
Belgian0.1%(609)
Egyptian0.1%(462)
Romanian0.1%(418)
Finnish0.1%(361)
Croatian0%(237)
Syrian0%(220)
Turkish0.1%(213)
Slovene0%(176)
Armenian0%(168)
Iranian0%(143)
Serbian0%(143)
Nigerian0%(143)
Jordanian0%(140)
Bulgarian0%(107)
Latvian0%(96)
Haitian0%(84)
Moroccan0%(77)
Israeli0%(63)
Guyanese0%(45)
Ethiopian0%(32)
Iraqi0%(21)
Barbadian0%(13)
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
29.6%
+4.8 ptssince 2000
from 24.8% in 2000
US average: 27.9%
High school or higher
87.4%
+6.1 ptssince 2000
from 81.3% in 2000
US average: 84.9%
Graduate degree
10.2%
+1.5 ptssince 2000
from 8.6% in 2000
US average: 10.2%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
24.5 min
+52%since 2000
from 16.1 min in 2000
US average: 25.2
Drive alone to work
81.0%
Unchangedsince 2009
from 81.0% in 2009
US average: 76.2%
Carpooled to work
9.7%
−0.4 ptssince 2009
from 10.0% in 2009
US average: 10.4%
Public transit
1.2%
+0.1 ptssince 2009
from 1.1% in 2009
US average: 4.7%
Worked from home
3.7%
+0.2 ptssince 2009
from 3.5% in 2009
US average: 4.1%
Walked to work
2.7%
+0.1 ptssince 2009
from 2.5% in 2009
US average: 2.8%
Biked to work
0.6%
+0.1 ptssince 2009
from 0.5% in 2009
US average: 0.5%
No vehicle available
7.0%
Unchangedsince 2009
from 7.0% in 2009
US average: 8.7%
Section 07

Work & employment

Self-employed
13.4%
Unchangedsince 2009
from 13.3% in 2009
US average: 12.9%
Management & professional
34.5%
+0.6 ptssince 2009
from 33.9% in 2009
US average: 35.2%
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
5.3%
+0.7 ptssince 2009
from 4.6% in 2009
US average: 12.8%
Veterans
14.2%
−0.2 ptssince 2009
from 14.4% in 2009
US average: 9.9%
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
Section 09

Health coverage

Showing 2024 (the nearest year with coverage data).

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
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

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

Compare Charleston side by side

CHARLESTON VS
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Income$85,100+69%
Home value$302,579+49%
Population887,615same
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
CHARLESTON VS
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Income$85,629+70%
Home value$469,641+132%
Population864,243−3%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
CHARLESTON VS
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Income$88,339+75%
Home value$288,584+42%
Population915,835+3%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
CHARLESTON VS
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Income$85,433+69%
Home value$267,787+32%
Population1,009,836+14%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

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

Charleston-North Charleston, SC has about 664,607 residents according to the 2010 American Community Survey.

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

The typical household in Charleston-North Charleston, SC earns about $50,417 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 $202,848, and the typical rent is about $862 a month.

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

About 29.6% 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 14.4% 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 157,732 residents, a change of about 31 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 →