City profile · South Carolina · Census ACS 2023

Charleston, SC

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Charleston - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

152,014
Residents
$90,038
Median income
$469,100
Median home
$1,787
Median rent (state)

Charleston - the verdict

Measured against every US city with at least 1,000 residents, Charleston lands in the 71st percentile for household income and the 24th percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

71st
percentile, household income
83rd
percentile, home value
74th
percentile, median rent
24th
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Charleston, SC

South Carolina's Charleston is a mid-sized U.S. city, with 152,014 residents per the latest Census Bureau ACS figures. Charleston households earn a median of $90,038 annually, above the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 6.3%. Home values in Charleston run a median of $469,100, and the median resident age is 36.1 years. Educational attainment runs 57.7% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher. Separately, 64.6% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Housing supply pressure shows in Census Building Permit Survey data: 1,144 residential units were authorized in 2024 (Stable), down 4% from five years earlier. Crime here tracks close to the national norm: per-100,000 total crime stands at 2379.3 in FBI UCR data, near the national average (a voluntary reporting program, read this as reporting activity, not a definitive danger score). The annual average temperature per NOAA climate normals runs 66.5°F with 52.5 inches of precipitation per year and 0.3 inches of snowfall.

Living costs in South Carolina run below the national norm: the state registers 93.7 on a 100-equals-national-average index (Below Average) per BEA Regional Price Parities 2024. HUD Fair Market Rent for a typical two-bedroom in this state is $1,787 per month. Statewide, average monthly utility bills in South Carolina run around $224, per EIA 2023 residential energy data. FEMA's National Risk Index rates natural-hazard exposure at 98.6 out of 100 (Very High).

Population

152,014 residents

Census ACS 2023 - South Carolina

Median Household Income

$90,038 /yr

Poverty 6.3%

Cost of Living Index (state)

93.7 (US=100)

Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, South Carolina average

How does Charleston compare to other US cities?

Where Charleston sits among all US cities (population 1,000+) on each measure, computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 71% higher than other cities
Home value 83% pricier than other cities
Median rent 74% pricier than other cities
Safety 24% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

National percentiles can mask local variation. Looking only at South Carolina, Charleston ranks #49 of 127 South Carolina cities by lowest crime rate - a narrower, more locally useful cut than the national comparison above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

Each percentile compares Charleston against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to South Carolina only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.

South Carolina-relative analysis

Median Home Value is Charleston's strongest outlier among South Carolina cities

Among the 404 South Carolina cities PlainCities tracks with reported median home value data, Charleston ranks #21 - the 95th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Charleston only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#47 of 403
88th percentile in South Carolina
Median Gross Rent
#15 of 441
89th percentile in South Carolina
Median Home Value
#21 of 404
95th percentile in South Carolina
Poverty Rate
#326 of 439
25th percentile in South Carolina
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#22 of 441
95th percentile in South Carolina

Ranked by raw value (highest first); a higher rank is not automatically "better" for every measure, see each metric's own context above. This is a comparison within South Carolina only, not a livability score. See the methodology for the source and calculation.

71stIncome percentile
24thSafety percentile

71st percentile nationally for median household income · 24th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Charleston's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Charleston's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 39 Avg. percentile National median
Charleston's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Charleston's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$469,100 17th percentile more affordable than 17% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Below this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). This entry sits in this band. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Charleston $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Charleston, SC Charleston, SC's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Charleston, SC-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Charleston, SC median $90,038/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Charleston, SC's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Charleston, SC. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 57.7%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 6.3%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 64.6%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
152,014
Median Income
$90,038
Median Home Value
$469,100
Median Age
36.1
Poverty Rate
6.3%
Labor force participation
64.6%
Bachelor's Degree+
57.7%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
2379.3
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
357.6
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
2021.7
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Climate

Avg Temperature
66.5°F
Annual Precipitation
52.5"
Annual Snowfall
0.3"

Schools

Total Schools
32
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
150,000 residents155,000 residents160,000 residents165,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 151,225 residents 159,423 residents ▲ +5.4%
Charleston's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

🏗️ Stable
Total Permits (2024)
1,144
housing units authorized
Single-Family
878
detached homes
Multifamily
266
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
7.5
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 1,188
2020 1,281
2021 1,469
2022 1,401
2023 1,254
2024 1,144

Permit volume decreased 4% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
68.1%
Carpool
6.5%
Public Transit
0.9%
Walk
4.1%
Work from Home
17.6%
Other
2.8%

Based on 82,755 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for South Carolina - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$130
avg/month
Natural Gas
$52
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$42
avg/month
Total Utilities
$224
estimated/month

Estimates reflect South Carolina state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a South Carolina state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Charleston sits in

Cost of Living Index
93.7
Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,787/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
98.6 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in South Carolina

Columbia
138,019 people
North Charleston
117,460 people
Mount Pleasant
92,662 people
Rock Hill
74,769 people
Greenville
71,755 people
Summerville
51,262 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Charleston's 152,014 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Roseville, CA
152,438 people
Bellevue, WA
151,199 people
Hollywood, FL
152,935 people
Sunnyvale, CA
153,455 people
Escondido, CA
149,913 people
Jackson, MS
149,827 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Charleston's $90,038 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Richmond, CA
$90,038 median income
Allouez, WI
$90,035 median income
Shaftsburg, MI
$90,054 median income
Cornelius, OR
$90,071 median income
Lake Wazeecha, WI
$90,074 median income
Sonoita, AZ
$90,000 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Charleston, SC Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Charleston, SC - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 72.9% 17.4% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 5.9% White 72.9% Black or African American 17.4% Asian 2.2% American Indian 0.6% Native Hawaiian 0.2% Some other race 1.9% Two or more races 5.0% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Charleston compares to nearby South Carolina cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Charleston (this city) 152,014 $90,038
Columbia 138,019 $55,653
North Charleston 117,460 $62,789
Mount Pleasant 92,662 $121,364
Census ACS 5-year FIPS SC FBI UCR NOAA Normals NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Charleston, SC?

What is the population of Charleston, SC? +

Charleston, SC counts 152,014 residents according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Charleston, SC? +

Charleston households earn a median of $90,038 annually, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Charleston? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Charleston; the closest available measure is the South Carolina state average, a cost of living index of 93.7 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Below Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within South Carolina vary by metro area.

Is Charleston, SC safe? +

Charleston has a total crime rate of 2379.3 per 100,000 residents, which is near the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Charleston, SC? +

The median home value in Charleston is $469,100, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the climate like in Charleston? +

Climate normals put Charleston's yearly average temperature at 66.5°F, 52.5 inches of precipitation, and 0.3 inches of snowfall per year. Source: NOAA Climate Normals.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.