Berkeley County, South Carolina Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
Berkeley County, SC Population Density Map and Area Scores
Area Score
Health, income and education, each graded from F to A+. Explore interactive maps for deeper analysis.
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B
Health Around averageHealthier than 84% of counties in South Carolina
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B
Income Around averageAmong the top 5 wealthiest counties in South Carolina
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D
Education Well below averageBetter educated than 73% of counties in South Carolina
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population: density and quick facts
| Metric | Berkeley County | South Carolina Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 246,888 | 5,295,781 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 200.2 | 165.5 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | 2.65% | 1.16% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 38.2 | 40.4 | 37.3 |
| Households | 93,649 | 2,118,015 | 130,235,071 |
Population in Berkeley County grew by 49.9% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 246,888 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in Berkeley County is Millennials, aged 29–44, at 22.5% of residents. That is 1.5 points above South Carolina as a whole.
- Gen Z 13–28 55,026 22.3% +1.1 pts
- Millennials 29–44 55,637 22.5% +1.5 pts
- Gen X 45–60 49,709 20.1% on par
- Boomers 61–79 36,759 14.9% -3.6 pts
Residents by birth cohort, from the 2025 age distribution. The right-hand figure is how far each cohort's share sits above or below South Carolina, in percentage points. Children younger than Gen Z and the generations before the Boomers are counted in the population but not shown here, so these shares do not add up to 100%.
Male and female share
Women are 50.0% of the people living in Berkeley County and men 50.0%.
- Women 50.0% South Carolina 51.2%
- Men 50.0% South Carolina 48.8%
How many residents match a customer profile?
Residents matching this profile
100% of everyone living in Berkeley County
Pick an age range and a women/men split and the figure above answers with how many residents that profile reaches.
Economy
Berkeley County has a the economy index of B, which means it is quite prosperous.
| Metric | Berkeley County | South Carolina Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $84,225 | $69,383 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 5.45% | 5.01% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 3.0% | 4.8% | 5.2% |
The median household income in Berkeley County is about 21% higher than in South Carolina.
Housing
| Metric | Berkeley County | South Carolina Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $293,174 | $239,609 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $1,651 | $1,179 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 74.6% | 71.9% | 65.2% |
The median home price in Berkeley County is about 14.8 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $1,651 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in Berkeley County spend about 56 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 232 hours, about 9.7 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | Berkeley County | South Carolina Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 27.8 | 22.3 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 55.7 | 44.5 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 232 | 186 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $7,190 | $5,753 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 12.4% | 11.5% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | 15,201 | 9,507 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 2,570 | 1,499 | 1,355 |
Fastest commutes among counties in
South Carolina:
Greenwood County (16.5 min), Sumter County (18.2 min), Florence County (18.3 min).
Slowest:
McCormick County (33.9 min), Fairfield County (30.8 min), Chester County (30.6 min).
The average commute time in Berkeley County is 28 minutes, longer than the 22 minutes in South Carolina.
Estimated yearly cost applies a single national wage rule of thumb (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics average hourly earnings), not a measurement of wages in this area. Traffic volume figures come from proprietary Ticon and TrafficZoom data.
Education & Households
Berkeley County has a education index of D, which means it is barely educated.
| Metric | Berkeley County | South Carolina Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 26.3% | 28.2% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 2.60 | 2.44 | 2.53 |
Highest education index among counties in
South Carolina:
Charleston County (0.4), Beaufort County (0.3), Richland County (0.3).
Lowest:
Allendale County (0.1), Marlboro County (0.2), Chesterfield County (0.2).
Health
Berkeley County has a health index of B, which means it is quite healthy.
| Metric | Berkeley County | South Carolina Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 77.0 | 75.8 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 15.0% | 19.6% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 19.1% | 21.5% | 19.0% |
Highest health index among counties in
South Carolina:
Beaufort County (0.8), Charleston County (0.8), Dorchester County (0.8).
Lowest:
Dillon County (0.8), Allendale County (0.8), Marlboro County (0.8).
Berkeley County, SC Compared With Nearby Counties
Berkeley County, SC is the 2nd largest of the 6 counties compared here, 246,888 residents against a local median of 64,818. Where Berkeley County, SC breaks from the counties next to it is median home price, sitting 28% above the local median of $229,758 at $293,174.
Median household income tells the same story from another angle: $84,225 against a local median of $67,903, 24% above it. The one measure here that carries a verdict is median household income, and at 24% above the local median it puts Berkeley County, SC at the better end of the local range. The counties themselves spread $458,537 on median home price, so Berkeley County, SC sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Berkeley County, SC has the 2nd highest median home price of the 6 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Median home price | Commute |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Berkeley County, SC | 246,888 | $84,225 #2/6 | $293,174 #2/6 | 27.8 min #3/6 |
| Charleston County, SC | 420,867 | $88,480 | $482,575 | 22.3 min |
| Dorchester County, SC | 166,443 | $78,650 | $229,758 | 30.3 min |
| Williamsburg County, SC | 30,282 | $45,868 | $24,038 | 30.0 min |
| Clarendon County, SC | 30,986 | $52,680 | $43,750 | 28.8 min |
| Georgetown County, SC | 64,818 | $67,903 | $252,872 | 22.7 min |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Berkeley County, South Carolina.
How many people live in Berkeley County, South Carolina?
About 246,888 people live in Berkeley County, South Carolina, in 93,649 households of 2.6 people on average. The median age is 38.2, close to the U.S. median of 37.3.
How densely populated is Berkeley County, South Carolina?
Averaged over its land area, Berkeley County, South Carolina has 200 people per square mile, a density typical of a mix of suburbs, small towns and farmland. That is about 2.3 times the U.S. average of 86.
Can a typical household afford a home in Berkeley County, South Carolina?
The median home costs 3.5 times the median household income ($293,174 against $84,225), compared with 3.1 times nationally. A ratio of about 3 is traditionally considered affordable. Median rent of $1,651 a month takes about 24% of the median household's income, below the 30% level at which HUD considers renters cost-burdened.
How strong is the job market in Berkeley County, South Carolina?
Unemployment in Berkeley County, South Carolina is only 3.0%, well below the U.S. rate of 5.2%, a sign of a tight labor market where employers compete for workers.
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