North Charleston, South Carolina Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
North 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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C
Health Below average
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D
Income Well below average
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D
Education Well below average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population
| Metric | North Charleston | South Carolina Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 123,884 | 5,295,781 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 1519.3 | 165.5 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | 1.12% | 1.16% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 33.9 | 40.4 | 37.3 |
| Households | 50,491 | 2,118,015 | 130,235,071 |
Population in North Charleston grew by 20.2% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 123,884 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in North Charleston is Millennials, aged 29–44, at 25.3% of residents. That is 4.3 points above South Carolina as a whole.
- Gen Z 13–28 30,087 24.3% +3.1 pts
- Millennials 29–44 31,360 25.3% +4.3 pts
- Gen X 45–60 22,733 18.4% -1.8 pts
- Boomers 61–79 15,561 12.6% -5.9 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 50.8% of the people living in North Charleston and men 49.2%.
- Women 50.8% South Carolina 51.2%
- Men 49.2% South Carolina 48.8%
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Economy
North Charleston has a the economy index of D, which means it is barely prosperous.
| Metric | North Charleston | South Carolina Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $64,619 | $69,383 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 6.04% | 5.01% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 4.1% | 4.8% | 5.2% |
The median household income in North Charleston is about 7% lower than in South Carolina.
Housing
| Metric | North Charleston | South Carolina Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $282,140 | $239,609 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $1,419 | $1,179 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 51.1% | 71.9% | 65.2% |
The median home price in North Charleston is about 16.6 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $1,419 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in North Charleston spend about 45 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 188 hours, about 7.8 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | North Charleston | South Carolina Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 22.5 | 22.3 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 45.0 | 44.5 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 188 | 186 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $5,816 | $5,753 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 9.4% | 11.5% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | 21,101 | 9,507 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 4,799 | 1,499 | 1,355 |
The average commute time in North Charleston is 23 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
North Charleston has a education index of D, which means it is barely educated.
| Metric | North Charleston | South Carolina Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 24.2% | 28.2% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 2.39 | 2.44 | 2.53 |
Health
North Charleston has a health index of C, which means it is somewhat healthy.
| Metric | North Charleston | South Carolina Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 74.6 | 75.8 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 19.8% | 19.6% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 21.3% | 21.5% | 19.0% |
North Charleston, SC Compared With Nearby Cities
How North Charleston, SC compares with the 2 cities closest to it.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Median home price | Commute |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| North Charleston, SC | 123,884 | $64,619 #3/3 | $282,140 #2/3 | 22.5 min #1/3 |
| Hanahan, SC | 21,136 | $84,455 | $259,261 | 23.0 min |
| Goose Creek, SC | 42,757 | $89,525 | $321,076 | 25.2 min |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about North Charleston, South Carolina.
How many people live in North Charleston, South Carolina?
About 123,884 people live in North Charleston, South Carolina, in 50,491 households of 2.4 people on average. The median age is 33.9, so residents are younger than the U.S. median of 37.3 by about 3 years.
Is North Charleston, South Carolina mostly urban or rural?
Averaged over its land area, North Charleston, South Carolina has 1,519 people per square mile, a density typical of urban and suburban areas. That is about 18 times the U.S. average of 86.
Can a typical household afford a home in North Charleston, South Carolina?
The median home costs 4.4 times the median household income ($282,140 against $64,619), compared with 3.1 times nationally. A ratio of about 3 is traditionally considered affordable. Median rent of $1,419 a month takes about 26% of the median household's income, below the 30% level at which HUD considers renters cost-burdened.
Is unemployment high in North Charleston, South Carolina?
Unemployment in North Charleston, South Carolina is only 4.1%, well below the U.S. rate of 5.2%, a sign of a tight labor market where employers compete for workers.
How common is a college degree in North Charleston, South Carolina?
24.2% of adults in North Charleston, South Carolina hold a bachelor's degree or higher (about 1 in 4), well below the U.S. share of 31.6%.
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