Charleston County, South Carolina Housing Market Prices
Charleston County Home Prices and Rent at a Glance
The median home price (often called the average home price), rent costs, affordability metrics, and housing stock characteristics for this housing market.
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Median home price 101% above the South Carolina median Among the 3 most expensive counties in South Carolina$482,575
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Median rent 37% above the South Carolina median Among the 3 most expensive counties in South Carolina$1,621
Median Home Price Map: Nearby Counties
Housing Market Overview
| Metric | Charleston County | South Carolina Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Price | $482,575 | $239,609 | $248,835 |
| Price Trend (Annual %) | 11.1% | 8.9% | 7.5% |
| Median Gross Rent | $1,621 | $1,179 | $1,407 |
| Rent Trend (Annual %) | 5.8% | 4.8% | 5.1% |
| Household Income Trend (Annual %) | — | — | — |
The median home price in Charleston County is about 101% higher than in South Carolina. Rent is about 37% higher than the South Carolina average.
Median Home and Rent Price Trends
Median Home Prices, 2015-2024
Median Rent Prices, 2015-2024
Both home prices and rent are rising in Charleston County, up about 11.1% and 5.8% a year respectively. Home prices are changing faster.
Median rent in Charleston County rose about 63.6% between 2015 and 2024, from $991 to $1,621. Over the same span, rent in South Carolina rose about 49.3%.
Affordability
On average, housing unit costs 5.5 yearly household incomes in Charleston County.
Buying the median-priced home in Charleston County costs roughly 24.8 years of rent at the median monthly rate. That is a relatively high price-to-rent ratio, which tends to favor renting over buying in Charleston County. The price-to-rent ratio in South Carolina is about 16.9.
| Metric | Charleston County | South Carolina Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Price | $482,575 | $239,609 | $248,835 |
| Median Household Income | $88,480 | $69,383 | $80,455 |
| Price-to-Income Ratio | 5.5 | 3.5 | 3.1 |
Home Prices vs Income Over Time
Between 2015 and 2024, the median home price in Charleston County rose about 138.8%, while median household income rose about 71.6% between 2009 and 2025 — the home price grew faster than income.
Income Growth vs Housing Cost Growth (Year-over-Year %)
Compare income and housing cost trends.
Occupancy & Tenure
| Metric | Charleston County | South Carolina Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homeownership Rate | 54.5% | 62.3% | 58.5% |
| Rental Rate | 30.8% | 24.4% | 31.2% |
| Vacancy Rate | 14.7% | 13.3% | 10.2% |
| Median Tenure (years) | 13.0 | 15.0 | 15.0 |
| Median Year Moved In | 2013 | 2011 | 2011 |
Charleston County has a homeownership rate of 54.5%, lower than the South Carolina average of 62.3%. Its housing vacancy rate is 14.7%, compared with 13.3% in South Carolina.
Housing Stock
| Metric | Charleston County | South Carolina Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Household Size | 2.29 people | 2.44 people | 2.53 people |
| Median Structure Built Year | 1988 | 1990 | 1978 |
| Median Number of Rooms | 5.6 | 5.7 | 5.5 |
The typical housing unit in Charleston County was built around 1988. On average, 2.3 people live in a home with about 5.6 rooms, staying for about 13.0 years on average.
Charleston County, SC Housing Compared With Nearby Counties
Charleston County, SC is the largest of the 5 counties compared here, 420,867 residents against a local median of 115,631. Where Charleston County, SC breaks from the counties next to it is median home price, sitting 100% above the local median of $241,315 at $482,575.
Median rent tells the same story from another angle: $1,621 against a local median of $1,333, 22% above it. The counties themselves sit within $90,274 of each other on median home price, a tighter band than the gap between any of them and Charleston County, SC, which makes it a genuine outlier here rather than one end of a wide local spread. Charleston County, SC has the highest median home price of the 5 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Median home price | Median rent | Homeownership |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Charleston County, SC | 420,867 | $482,575 #1/5 | $1,621 #2/5 | 63.9% #5/5 |
| Berkeley County, SC | 246,888 | $293,174 | $1,651 | 74.6% |
| Dorchester County, SC | 166,443 | $229,758 | $1,463 | 75.5% |
| Colleton County, SC | 38,792 | $202,900 | $949 | 73.3% |
| Georgetown County, SC | 64,818 | $252,872 | $1,203 | 84.0% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about the housing market in Charleston County, South Carolina.
What is the median home price in Charleston County, South Carolina?
The median home price in Charleston County, South Carolina is $482,575, higher than the South Carolina average of $239,609.
What is the average home price in Charleston County, South Carolina?
The typical home price in Charleston County, South Carolina, reported as the median sale price, is $482,575. The median is used instead of a mathematical average because it is not skewed by a small number of very expensive or very cheap homes, so it better reflects what a typical buyer pays.
What is the median rent in Charleston County, South Carolina?
The median gross rent in Charleston County, South Carolina is $1,621 per month, higher than the South Carolina average of $1,179.
What was the median gross rent in Charleston County in 2020?
In 2020, the median gross rent in Charleston County, South Carolina was $1,228 per month.
What is the price-to-rent ratio in Charleston County, South Carolina?
The price-to-rent ratio in Charleston County, South Carolina is about 24.8, meaning it would take roughly 24.8 years of rent payments at the median rent to equal the median home price. That is a relatively high price-to-rent ratio, which tends to favor renting over buying in Charleston County.
Are home prices or rent rising faster in Charleston County, South Carolina?
Both home prices and rent are rising in Charleston County, up about 11.1% and 5.8% a year respectively. Home prices are changing faster.
What is the homeownership rate in Charleston County, South Carolina?
54.5% of households in Charleston County, South Carolina own their home, lower than the South Carolina average of 62.3%.
What is the vacancy rate in Charleston County, South Carolina?
The housing vacancy rate in Charleston County, South Carolina is 14.7%, higher than the South Carolina average of 13.3%.
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