Charleston, SC
Census place 4513330 · pop 154,338
The Civil War began here in 1861 when Confederate forces fired on Fort Sumter in its harbor.
Source ↗Sales & income are statewide.
The breakdown — worst first
U.S. median 0.43 · worse than most cities
Gini 0.49 (0 = equal, 1 = unequal) · Gini index of household income (0 = equal, 1 = unequal).
U.S. median $214,900 · worse than most cities
$509,700 median home value · Median home value — how expensive it is to buy in. Higher = less affordable.
U.S. median 77/100 · worse than most cities
98/100 FEMA risk (higher = riskier) · FEMA National Risk Index — wildfire, flood, earthquake, heat and more. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median $1,756/mo · worse than most cities
$2,193/mo typical rent · Typical monthly rent (Zillow Observed Rent Index, all home types).
U.S. median 67.2% · worse than most cities
55.6% own their home · Share of occupied homes that are owner-occupied.
U.S. median 12.1% · worse than most cities
12.3% live in poverty · Share of residents living below the federal poverty line.
U.S. median 24 min · worse than most cities
24 min average one-way commute · Average one-way commute to work, in minutes.
U.S. median 3.6% · better than most cities
3.5% unemployment · Share of the labor force out of work. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 9.3% · better than most cities
8.7% of adults · Adults 18–64 without health insurance.
U.S. median 90.0% · better than most cities
92.8% of homes have broadband · Share of households with a broadband internet subscription.
U.S. median $67,857 · better than most cities
$92,414 median household income · Median household income — a proxy for local economic health.
U.S. median 17.4% · better than most cities
15.1% of adults · Adults reporting frequent poor mental health (14+ days a month).
U.S. median 36.5% · better than most cities
28.7% of adults · Share of adults with obesity (BMI ≥ 30).
U.S. median 42 AQI · better than most cities
37 median AQI · Median air quality index — lower is cleaner air. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 14.6% · better than most cities
9.5% of adults · Share of adults who currently smoke.
U.S. median 1 days · better than most cities
0 unhealthy-air days per year · Days per year with unhealthy air (AQI above 100). Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 26.5% · better than most cities
18.3% of adults · Adults with no leisure-time physical activity.
U.S. median +2.4% · better than most cities
+14.1% population change (5yr) · 5-year population change — are people moving in, or fleeing?
U.S. median 24.3% · better than most cities
58.3% have a bachelor's degree or higher · Share of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.
U.S. median 0.99% · better than most cities
0.43% of home value paid in property tax · Median real-estate taxes paid as a share of home value.
Not measured for Charleston: Crime, Property crime. Not every public source covers every city — EPA air monitors and Zillow rent only reach some places, and national crime data is still being added.
Frequently asked
- Is Charleston, SC a good place to live?
- By the numbers, Charleston scores 56/100 — a D (Meh) on Shcity, which ranks U.S. cities on public data across 20 metrics like crime, cost, jobs and health. Its strongest area is property-tax burden and its weakest is income inequality. South Carolina overall ranks #21 of 50 states. Whether it's "good" depends on what you value — re-weight the factors to score it your way.
- Is Charleston, SC expensive to live in?
- Charleston has a median home value of $509,700 and typical rent around $2,193/mo — pricier than most U.S. cities.
- What's the biggest downside of living in Charleston, SC?
- Its weakest measured area is income inequality (0.49) — 14/100, worse than most U.S. cities.
- What is Charleston, SC best at?
- Its strongest measured area is property-tax burden (0.43%) — 95/100, better than most U.S. cities. Fun fact: The Civil War began here in 1861 when Confederate forces fired on Fort Sumter in its harbor.
Sources: U.S. Census (ACS), CDC PLACES, FBI Crime Data Explorer, BLS, EPA AirData, FEMA National Risk Index, and Zillow.