Near National AverageSafer than AverageCharleston 01
Rainbow Row Panorama · Something Original (talk) / CC BY-SA 3.0East Battery Street Charleston Aug2010 · Chris Pruitt / CC BY-SA 3.0Charleston-ColumbusSt-port-terminal · JonathanLamb / Public domainWaterfront Park - panoramio (1) · Bohao Zhao / CC BY 3.0
Charleston is a mid-sized city of 149,960 in South Carolina, with a median household income of $83,891
and a 3.7% unemployment rate.
Its cost of living index is 102 (US average = 100), which is
2% above the national average.
Strengths:
Charleston stands out for lower-than-average crime, solid school ratings (A), a well-educated population, short average commutes.
Trade-offs:
Potential downsides include high home prices. Whether Charleston is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Charleston city data on this page comes from official government sources —
the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.
Cost of Living
Index: 102.4
Charleston's overall cost of living index is 102.4,
where 100 represents the US national average.
Living in Charleston costs roughly 2% more than the average American city.
Metric
Charleston, SC
National Avg
Median Home Value
$438,900
$244,900
Median Monthly Rent
$1,517
$1,163
Homeownership Rate
55.6%
65.9%
Median Household Income
$83,891
$74,755
Crime & Safety
Safer than Average
Charleston's violent crime rate is 357.6 per 100,000 residents
— 6% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Violent Crime
357.6 /100k
Property Crime
2021.7 /100k
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Charleston is served primarily by Charleston 01.
The student-to-teacher ratio is 13.0:1
(better than the national average of ~16:1).
Metric
Charleston, SC
National Avg
School District
Charleston 01
—
Elementary Schools
52
—
Middle Schools
12
—
High Schools
18
—
Student/Teacher Ratio
13.0:1
16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
57.4%
35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher
95.7%
91.1%
Weather & Climate
Charleston sees average highs of 58.0°F in January
and 87.5°F in July,
with 52.2 inches of annual precipitation
and 0.3 inches of snow per year.
Charleston's cost of living index is 102, where 100 is the national average.
That puts Charleston roughly 2% above the national average in cost.
The median home price is $438,900 and median rent is $1,517/month.
Charleston's violent crime rate is 357.6 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 2021.7 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
Public schools in Charleston are operated by Charleston 01.
The district has 52 elementary, 12 middle, and 18 high schools.
The student-to-teacher ratio is 13.0:1. 57.4% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Charleston, SC has a population of 149,960, a median household income of $83,891, and an unemployment rate of 3.7%.
Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.
Charleston averages 58.0°F in January and 87.5°F in July. Annual rainfall is 52.2 inches
with about 0.3 inches of snow per year.
Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
Charleston, SC is covered by 10 ZIP codes: 29492, 29414, 29412, 29455, 29407, 29403, 29401, 29409, 29425, 29424.
The population of Charleston, South Carolina is 149,960 with a median age of 36.3. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Charleston: cost of living index 102 (100 = US average), median home $438,900, median household income $83,891, crime index 95 (100 = US average, lower is safer), schools rated A. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Charleston side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.
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