Census tract · Charleston County
Census Tract 53, Charleston County, South Carolina
Census Tract 53, GEOID 45019005300, in Charleston County, South Carolina, entirely within Charleston. 4,275 residents in the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates (±566); the 2020 Census counted 3,629.
Residents, 2020-2024
4,275
±566 (90% margin)
2020 Census count: 3,629
Median household income
$42,037
±$14,340 (90% margin)
Charleston County: $88,494
Median home value
$738,800
±$162,494 (90% margin)
Charleston County: $489,100
Median gross rent
$1,426
±$151 (90% margin)
Charleston County: $1,620
Where is Census Tract 53?
Census Tract 53 is one of 99 census tracts in Charleston County, South Carolina. It covers 0.50 square miles of land, 7,215 residents per square mile in 2020. Its GEOID, 45019005300, names it uniquely (how tract numbers and GEOIDs work).
| Place | Share of the tract |
|---|---|
| Charleston | 100% |
6 census tracts border Census Tract 53: Tract 9 ($71,250), Tract 10 ($68,906), Tract 11 ($71,410), Tract 15 ($107,778), Tract 54 ($38,705) and Tract 59 ($110,536). The figure in brackets is each tract's median household income.
Whether a tract counts as low- or moderate-income for bank lending (the Community Reinvestment Act) is set by the FFIEC against its metro area's family income: look it up in the FFIEC census geocoder.
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 block assignment files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Census Tract 53?
The 2020-2024 American Community Survey puts Census Tract 53's population at 4,275 (±566) in 2,292 households; the 2020 Census counted 3,629 residents and 2,630 housing units.
| Measure | Tract 53 | Charleston |
|---|---|---|
| Total population | 4,275 ±566 | 154,338 |
| Households | 2,292 ±270 | 68,027 |
| Average household size | 1.83 ±0.16 | 2.18 |
| Housing units | 2,632 ±276 | 77,417 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Census Tract 53?
The median resident of Census Tract 53 is 34.6 years old; 13.7% are under 18 and 13.5% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic Black residents at 47.4%, then non-Hispanic white residents at 42.5%. 3.1% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Tract 53 | Charleston |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 34.6 ±5.3 | 36.6 |
| Under 18 years | 13.7% ±4.1 pts | 17.3% |
| 65 years and over | 13.5% ±4.2 pts | 16.4% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 4.0% ±2.3 pts | 6.1% |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 42.5% ±6.1 pts | 71.7% |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 47.4% ±6.6 pts | 15.8% |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 1.0% ±0.9 pts | 1.9% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.8% ±1.0 pts | 0.1% |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.0 pts | 0.1% |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 2.5% ±2.0 pts | 4.0% |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 1.8% ±1.8 pts | 0.4% |
| Born outside the United States | 3.1% ±1.8 pts | 6.0% |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 5.1% ±2.2 pts | 7.8% |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 8.8% ±4.7 pts | 6.8% |
| With a disability | 14.5% ±6.5 pts | 9.8% |
| No health insurance coverage | 3.9% ±2.3 pts | 6.0% |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 92.0% ±3.4 pts | 96.1% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 42.4% ±7.1 pts | 58.3% |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 15.2% ±4.9 pts | 22.8% |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 73.8% ±7.5 pts | 81.9% |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Census Tract 53 earn?
Half of the 2,292 households in Census Tract 53 earn less than $42,037 a year (±$14,340), against $88,494 across Charleston County: 88th highest of the county's 93 tracts with a reliable estimate. 33.8% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Tract 53 | Charleston |
|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $42,037 ±$14,340 | $92,414 |
| Mean household income | $76,597 ±$13,551 | $132,092 |
| Per capita income | $41,893 ±$7,842 | $59,875 |
| People below the poverty line | 33.8% ±9.3 pts | 12.3% |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 70.5% ±24.1 pts | 16.9% |
| Households receiving SNAP | 20.7% ±7.3 pts | 5.7% |
| Households with a computer | 95.2% ±3.1 pts | 97.5% |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 77.9% ±7.6 pts | 92.8% |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Census Tract 53?
Owners occupy 18.9% of Census Tract 53's occupied homes and renters 81.1%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $738,800 by its owner (±$162,494). The median renter pays $1,426 a month including utilities, and 49.2% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Tract 53 | Charleston |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $738,800 ±$162,494 | $509,700 |
| Median gross rent | $1,426 ±$151 | $1,722 |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 49.2% ±12.8 pts | 46.0% |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $2,900 ±$928 | $2,253 |
| Owner-occupied homes | 18.9% ±6.1 pts | 55.6% |
| Renter-occupied homes | 81.1% ±6.1 pts | 44.4% |
| Housing units | 2,632 ±276 | 77,417 |
| Single-family detached homes | 17.7% ±5.2 pts | 47.7% |
| Mobile homes | 0.0% ±1.7 pts | 0.8% |
| Built 2020 or later | 9.1% ±3.9 pts | 4.1% |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 23.9% ±5.3 pts | 22.2% |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 20.3% ±5.6 pts | 10.0% |
| Households with no vehicle | 32.5% ±8.4 pts | 7.2% |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How do people in Census Tract 53 get to work?
45.4% of Census Tract 53's workers drive alone and 18.0% work from home. The average trip to work takes 17.0 minutes. The unemployment rate in 2020-2024 averaged 4.6%.
| Measure | Tract 53 | Charleston |
|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 65.9% ±8.6 pts | 67.6% |
| Unemployment rate | 4.6% ±2.6 pts | 3.4% |
| Drove alone to work | 45.4% ±8.8 pts | 66.2% |
| Carpooled | 14.9% ±6.1 pts | 7.2% |
| Public transportation | 1.2% ±1.9 pts | 0.7% |
| Walked | 13.4% ±7.0 pts | 3.5% |
| Worked from home | 18.0% ±6.8 pts | 19.4% |
| Mean travel time to work | 17.0 min ±2.4 | 24.2 min |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
How does Census Tract 53 compare with the other tracts in Charleston County?
Among Charleston County's tracts with a reliable estimate, Census Tract 53 ranks as shown below (1 = highest).
| Measure | In Charleston County | In Charleston |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 42nd of 98 | 17th of 45 |
| Residents per square mile | 6th of 98 | 6th of 45 |
| Median household income | 88th of 93 | 41st of 43 |
| Per capita income | 70th of 97 | 39th of 44 |
| Median home value | 25th of 92 | 12th of 44 |
| Median gross rent | 62nd of 86 | 33rd of 42 |
| Poverty rate | 6th of 64 | 5th of 30 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 66th of 96 | 39th of 45 |
| Median age | 77th of 98 | 34th of 45 |
| Owner-occupied share | 93rd of 97 | 42nd of 45 |
The tracts next to it on Charleston County's income ladder
| Tract | Rank | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 31.15 | 85th | $46,625±$17,626 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 31.04 | 86th | $45,915±$10,636 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 37 | 87th | $45,139±$12,729 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 53 | 88th | $42,037±$14,340 |
| Tract 54 | 89th | $38,705±$9,738 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 44 | 90th | $37,692±$13,765 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 4 | 91st | $36,071±$12,463 · within the margin of this tract |
"Within the margin": the two incomes differ by less than their combined 90% margins, so the survey cannot say which is higher and the ranks between them are not firm.
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Census Tract 53?
1 of the 18 figures for Census Tract 53 on this page carries a coefficient of variation over 40% and is marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
A census tract's figures rest on a few hundred sampled households over five years, so its margins are wider than a city's. Two tracts differ only when the gap between them is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins). How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · Check it at data.census.gov
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections