Charleston County, South Carolina Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
Charleston 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 averageAmong the top 3 healthiest counties in South Carolina
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B
Income Around averageAmong the top 3 wealthiest counties in South Carolina
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A
Education Above averageBest educated county in South Carolina
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population: density and quick facts
| Metric | Charleston County | South Carolina Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 420,867 | 5,295,781 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 310.1 | 165.5 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | 1.25% | 1.16% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 37.8 | 40.4 | 37.3 |
| Households | 179,265 | 2,118,015 | 130,235,071 |
Population in Charleston County grew by 20.0% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 420,867 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in Charleston County is Millennials, aged 29–44, at 23.7% of residents. That is 2.7 points above South Carolina as a whole.
- Gen Z 13–28 87,568 20.8% -0.3 pts
- Millennials 29–44 99,673 23.7% +2.7 pts
- Gen X 45–60 84,260 20.0% -0.1 pts
- Boomers 61–79 72,557 17.2% -1.2 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 51.3% of the people living in Charleston County and men 48.7%.
- Women 51.3% South Carolina 51.2%
- Men 48.7% South Carolina 48.8%
How many residents match a customer profile?
Residents matching this profile
100% of everyone living in Charleston County
Pick an age range and a women/men split and the figure above answers with how many residents that profile reaches.
Economy
Charleston County has a the economy index of B, which means it is quite prosperous.
| Metric | Charleston County | South Carolina Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $88,480 | $69,383 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 5.99% | 5.01% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 3.4% | 4.8% | 5.2% |
The median household income in Charleston County is about 28% higher than in South Carolina.
Housing
| Metric | Charleston County | South Carolina Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $482,575 | $239,609 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $1,621 | $1,179 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 63.9% | 71.9% | 65.2% |
The median home price in Charleston County is about 24.8 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $1,621 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in Charleston County spend about 45 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 186 hours, about 7.7 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | Charleston County | South Carolina Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 22.3 | 22.3 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 44.6 | 44.5 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 186 | 186 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $5,766 | $5,753 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 17.7% | 11.5% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | 16,714 | 9,507 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 3,219 | 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 Charleston County is about the same as 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 County has a education index of A, which means it is very educated.
| Metric | Charleston County | South Carolina Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 45.1% | 28.2% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 2.29 | 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
Charleston County has a health index of B, which means it is quite healthy.
| Metric | Charleston County | South Carolina Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 77.6 | 75.8 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 14.9% | 19.6% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 15.8% | 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).
Charleston County, SC Compared With Nearby Counties
Charleston County, SC is the largest of the 6 counties compared here, 420,867 residents against a local median of 64,818. Where Charleston County, SC breaks from the counties next to it is median home price, sitting 110% above the local median of $229,758 at $482,575.
Median household income tells the same story from another angle: $88,480 against a local median of $67,903, 30% above it. Every measure here with a clear better direction points the same way, so Charleston County, SC is not trading one advantage for another, it reads stronger than its neighbours across the board. The counties themselves spread $269,136 on median home price, so Charleston County, SC sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Charleston County, SC has the highest median home price of the 6 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Median home price | Commute |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Charleston County, SC | 420,867 | $88,480 #1/6 | $482,575 #1/6 | 22.3 min #1/6 |
| Berkeley County, SC | 246,888 | $84,225 | $293,174 | 27.8 min |
| Dorchester County, SC | 166,443 | $78,650 | $229,758 | 30.3 min |
| Colleton County, SC | 38,792 | $51,815 | $202,900 | 30.5 min |
| Williamsburg County, SC | 30,282 | $45,868 | $24,038 | 30.0 min |
| Georgetown County, SC | 64,818 | $67,903 | $252,872 | 22.7 min |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Charleston County, South Carolina.
What is the population of Charleston County, South Carolina?
About 420,867 people live in Charleston County, South Carolina, in 179,265 households of 2.3 people on average. The median age is 37.8, close to the U.S. median of 37.3.
How densely populated is Charleston County, South Carolina?
Averaged over its land area, Charleston County, South Carolina has 310 people per square mile, a density typical of a mix of suburbs, small towns and farmland. That is about 3.6 times the U.S. average of 86.
Can a typical household afford a home in Charleston County, South Carolina?
The median home costs 5.5 times the median household income ($482,575 against $88,480), compared with 3.1 times nationally. A ratio of about 3 is traditionally considered affordable. Median rent of $1,621 a month takes about 22% of the median household's income, below the 30% level at which HUD considers renters cost-burdened.
Is unemployment high in Charleston County, South Carolina?
Unemployment in Charleston County, South Carolina is only 3.4%, well below the U.S. rate of 5.2%, a sign of a tight labor market where employers compete for workers.
What share of adults in Charleston County, South Carolina have a college degree?
45.1% of adults in Charleston County, South Carolina hold a bachelor's degree or higher (about 1 in 2), well above the U.S. share of 31.6%.
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