Charleston, South Carolina Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
Charleston, 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 average
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B
Income Around average
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A+
Education Top grade
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population
| Metric | Charleston | South Carolina Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 138,300 | 5,295,781 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 1016.0 | 165.5 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | 1.32% | 1.16% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 38.6 | 40.4 | 37.3 |
| Households | 60,867 | 2,118,015 | 130,235,071 |
Population in Charleston grew by 27.7% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 138,300 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in Charleston is Gen Z, aged 13–28, at 24.6% of residents. That is 3.5 points above South Carolina as a whole.
- Gen Z 13–28 34,043 24.6% +3.5 pts
- Millennials 29–44 32,678 23.6% +2.6 pts
- Gen X 45–60 25,854 18.7% -1.5 pts
- Boomers 61–79 22,530 16.3% -2.2 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 51.9% of the people living in Charleston and men 48.1%.
- Women 51.9% South Carolina 51.2%
- Men 48.1% South Carolina 48.8%
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Economy
Charleston has a the economy index of B, which means it is quite prosperous.
| Metric | Charleston | South Carolina Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $92,795 | $69,383 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 6.20% | 5.01% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 3.2% | 4.8% | 5.2% |
The median household income in Charleston is about 34% higher than in South Carolina.
Housing
| Metric | Charleston | South Carolina Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $424,827 | $239,609 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $1,717 | $1,179 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 59.0% | 71.9% | 65.2% |
The median home price in Charleston is about 20.6 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $1,717 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in Charleston spend about 42 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 174 hours, about 7.3 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | Charleston | South Carolina Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 20.9 | 22.3 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 41.8 | 44.5 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 174 | 186 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $5,398 | $5,753 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 18.7% | 11.5% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | 16,031 | 9,507 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 3,870 | 1,499 | 1,355 |
The average commute time in Charleston is 21 minutes, shorter 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
Charleston has a education index of A+, which means it is exceptionally educated.
| Metric | Charleston | South Carolina Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 50.6% | 28.2% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 2.18 | 2.44 | 2.53 |
Health
Charleston has a health index of B, which means it is quite healthy.
| Metric | Charleston | South Carolina Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 78.0 | 75.8 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 12.9% | 19.6% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 13.7% | 21.5% | 19.0% |
Charleston, SC Compared With Nearby Cities
How Charleston, SC compares with the 2 cities closest to it.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Median home price | Commute |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Charleston, SC | 138,300 | $92,795 #1/3 | $424,827 #1/3 | 20.9 min #1/3 |
| Hanahan, SC | 21,136 | $84,455 | $259,261 | 23.0 min |
| North Charleston, SC | 123,884 | $64,619 | $282,140 | 22.5 min |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Charleston, South Carolina.
What is the population of Charleston, South Carolina?
About 138,300 people live in Charleston, South Carolina, in 60,867 households of 2.2 people on average. The median age is 38.6, close to the U.S. median of 37.3.
Is Charleston, South Carolina mostly urban or rural?
Averaged over its land area, Charleston, South Carolina has 1,016 people per square mile, a density typical of urban and suburban areas. That is about 12 times the U.S. average of 86.
How affordable is housing in Charleston, South Carolina?
The median home costs 4.6 times the median household income ($424,827 against $92,795), compared with 3.1 times nationally. A ratio of about 3 is traditionally considered affordable. Median rent of $1,717 a month takes about 22% of the median household's income, below the 30% level at which HUD considers renters cost-burdened.
How strong is the job market in Charleston, South Carolina?
Unemployment in Charleston, South Carolina is only 3.2%, well below the U.S. rate of 5.2%, a sign of a tight labor market where employers compete for workers.
How educated are people in Charleston, South Carolina?
50.6% of adults in Charleston, South Carolina hold a bachelor's degree or higher (about 5 in 10), well above the U.S. share of 31.6%.
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