Discover Charleston, SC: Scores, Rankings, and Comparisons

Arthur Ravanel Jr Bridge

David Martin on Unsplash

USS Yorktown

Thomas Fields on Unsplash

Arthur Ravanel Jr Bridge

David Martin on Unsplash

❮ ❯

Charleston is centrist with a liberal slant and has a Democratic representative in Congress. However, the city is politically segregated with clear Democratic and Republican enclaves, which commonly can be attributed to racial divides

133,762

Charleston Population7

49,501

Median Income6

4.9

Unemployment Rate17

Economy

76
- Income6
  
  $37,391
- Income (full-time)6
  
  $49,501
- Income ($100,000 or more)6
  
  15.5 %
- Income ($25,000 and less)6
  
  15.8 %
- Income growth (1-year)6
  
  4.2 %
- Income growth (10-year)6
  
  19.3 %
- Employment rate17
  
  95.1 %
- Employment rate (full-time)6
  
  48.1 %
- Employment rate growth (1-year)17
  
  3.2 %
- Employment rate growth (10-year)17
  
  21.2 %
- Population growth (1-year)7
  
  1.9 %
- Population growth (10-year)7
  
  15.0 %
Outdoor Activities

75
- Beaches9
  
  12
- Parks15
  
  123
- Ski resorts
  
  0
Safety

74
- Property crimes1
  
  2,129.2 per 100,000 residents
- Violent crimes1
  
  310.3 per 100,000 residents
Attractions

71
- Restaurants8
  
  50.6 per 100,000 residents
- Bars8
  
  104.1 per 100,000 households
- Performing arts centers8
  
  58.0 per 100,000 households
- Museums8
  
  4.9 per 100,000 households
- Music venues18
  
  22
- Historical sites
  
  2
- Golf courses20
  
  35
- Wineries
  
  0
- Casinos
  
  0
Air Quality

66
- Unhealthy air quality
  
  0 days per year
- Unhealthy air quality for sensitive groups13
  
  1 days per year
- High PM2.5 pollution13
  
  80 days per year
- High ozone13
  
  182 days per year
Taxes

59
- City income tax
  
  0.0 % (for median earners)
- City income tax
  
  0.0 % (for high earners)
- State income tax16
  
  4.2 % (for median earners)
- State income tax16
  
  5.8 % (for high earners)
- City sales tax19
  
  3.0 %
- State sales tax19
  
  6.0 %
- Property tax21
  
  0.6 %
- Vehicle tax21
  
  2.4 %
Climate

56
- Sunny days3
  
  64 days
- Rainy days11
  
  107 days
- Hot days11
  
  30 days
- Cold days11
  
  10 days
- Average humidity11
  
  71 %
- Average wind speed11
  
  8 mph
- Annual snowfall11
  
  0 inches
- Temperature in January11
  
  50 °F
- Temperature in July11
  
  82 °F
- Wildfire risk22
  
  High
- Hurricane risk22
  
  High
- Tornado risk22
  
  Medium
- Earthquake risk22
  
  High
- Flood risk22
  
  Low
Healthcare

53
- Hospitals (<50 miles)2
  
  8
- Hospital rating (avg)2
  
  3.33 / 5
- 5-star hospitals2
  
  2
- 5-star hospitals (%)2
  
  33.3 %
- 5-star hospital (nearest)
  
  0.5 miles from city center
Internet Connectivity

44
- Access to 25+ mbps wired broadband23
  
  91.5 %
- Access to 100+ mbps broadband23
  
  90.2 %
- Average download speed23
  
  63 mpbs
- Households with broadband24
  
  77.5 %
Diversity

41
- White or Middle Eastern7
  
  71.2 %
- Black7
  
  22.3 %
- Asian7
  
  1.9 %
- Hispanic7
  
  3.0 %
Home Pricing

39
- Median home value5
  
  $339,202
- Median home value (sq ft)12
  
  $421
- Median rent price12
  
  $2,000
Local Transportation

39
- Walkability score10
  
  40
- Bikeability score10
  
  52
- Transit score10
  
  23
- Commute via public transit17
  
  0.8 %
- Commute via walking17
  
  5.1 %
- Commutes via driving solo17
  
  77.0 %
- Commute time (avg)17
  
  22.7 minutes
Education

35
- Public schools rated 8+4
  
  1
- Public schools rated 8+ (%)4
  
  2.9 %
- High schools in top 25%14
  
  2
- High schools in top 25% (%)14
  
  28.6 %
- Top rated public high school14
  
  James Island Charter High
- Top rated public high school (national rank)14
  
  3,369
Travel Connectivity

33
- Airports
  
  1
- Train stations
  
  1

Charleston's 5 to 9 year old population grew by 24% since 2010, making it one of the fastest growing cities for that segment in the United States where the average growth rate is 1%

Age

34.7

Median Age7

15.0

Population Growth Since 20107

Proportion of Population by Age Group vs. United States average7

Charleston residents are mostly white and the city is becoming less diverse as the white community has grown by 19.5% since 2010, while the Black community, 2nd largest in the city, has shrunk by 6.7%

Race

63.7

South Carolina Population, White7

61.1

United States population, White7

Population Distribution by Race/Ethnicity7

Charleston has warm summers, high humidity, and little snowfall. The average temperature in July is 82°F, the average humidity is 71%, and the annual snowfall is 0 inches

Weather

Chance of Rain11

Chance of Sunshine3

Average Temperature40

The average home value in Charleston increased by 39% since 2010 which is 3% lower than the national average and 13% higher than the state average

Rent

2,000

Monthly Average12

Renters41

Average Home Value5

Charleston is an average tax location with property tax 49% lower than the national average, but income tax 20% higher than the national average and sales tax 31% higher than the national average.

Other

0.57

Property Tax21

9.0

Sales Tax19

2.4

Vehicle Tax21

Effective Income Tax Rate at Various Income Levels (Married, Filing Jointly)42

Charleston has a high employment rate of 95% which is 2% higher than the national average. The largest employers are Medical University of South Carolina and Charleston County School District

Income

15.8

<$25,0006

15.5

$100,000+6

Distribution by Industry17

2016 Presidential Election Results44

Representatives

Mayor27	John Tecklenburg Democratic
House of Representative27	Joe Cunningham Democratic

The nearest 5-star hospital, Roper Hospital, is 0.5 miles from the center of Charleston, the nearest Veterans Affairs medical center, Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center, is 0.0 miles away, and the nearest top-rated hospital for cancer care, MUSC Health-University Medical Center, is 0.5 miles away

Medicare-Rated Hospitals (<50 Miles)2

Is Marijuana Legal?

Medical28	No
Decriminalized28	No

In South Carolina, 45.0% of adults live in a household with at least one gun, which is a marginal decrease from 2000 when 49.2% of adults lived in households with guns

Gun Laws

Universal Background Checks29

Permit to Purchase Law29

Property Crimes and Violent Crimes per 100,000 Residents

#42	2020 Best Cities to Live by Niche30
#31	2020 Best Cities to Retire by U.S. News & World Report31
#22	2020 Best Cities to Retire by Niche32
#54	2020 Best Cities for Families by Niche33
#45	2019 Best Cities to Live by U.S. News & World Report34
#4	2019 Best Cities to Retire by WalletHub35
#3	2019 Best Cities for Healthcare by healthgrades36

1	2018 Offenses Known to Law Enforcement \| FBI
2	Medicare-certified hospitals \| Medicare.gov
3	Sunshine - Average Percent of Possible
4	School Rankings & Reviews for Public and Private Schools \| Great Schools
5	Zillow Housing Data
6	2018 Earnings in the Past 12 Months \| ACS 5-Year Estimates Data Profiles \| United States Census
7	2018 Demographic And Housing Estimates \| ACS 5-Year Estimates Data Profiles \| United States Census
8	2017 County Business Patterns \| United States Census
9	Beaches \| Yelp
10	2020 City & Neighborhood Scores \| Walk Score
11	Comparative Climatic Data \| National Centers for Environmental Information
12	United States Home Prices & Home Values
13	AirData \| United States Environmental Protection Agency
14	Best High Schools in the US \| U.S. News & World Report's
15	Parks \| Yelp
16	State Individual Income Tax Rates and Brackets for 2020 \| Tax Foundation
17	2018 Economic Characteristics \| ACS 5-Year Estimates Data Profiles \| United States Census
18	Music Venues \| Yelp
19	2020 State and Local Sales Tax Rates \| Tax Foundation
20	Golf Courses \| Yelp
21	2020 Property and Vehicle Taxes by State \| WalletHub
22	Natural Center for Disaster Preparedness \| Columbia University
23	Internet Service Providers: Availability & Coverage \| Broadband Now
24	2018 Social Characteristics \| ACS 5-Year Estimates Data Profiles \| United States Census
25	Largest Cities of U.S. States \| Wikipedia
26	Zippia, The Career Expert
27	Who represents me \| Ballotpedia
28	State Policy \| Marijuana Policy Project
29	State-Level Estimates of Household Firearm Ownership \| The RAND Corporation
30	2020 Best Cities to Live \| Niche
31	2020 Best Cities to Retire \| U.S. News & World Report
32	2020 Best Cities to Retire \| Niche
33	2020 Best Cities for Families \| Niche
34	2019 Best Cities to Live \| U.S. News & World Report
35	2019 Best Cities to Retire \| WalletHub
36	National Health Index
37	2010 Demographic And Housing Estimates \| ACS 5-Year Estimates Data Profiles \| United States Census
38	Elevations and Distances \| U.S. Geological Survey Publications Repository
39	Normal Precipitation, Inches
40	Normal Daily Minimum Temperature, °F
41	2018 Selected Housing Characteristics \| ACS 5-Year Estimates Data Profiles \| United States Census
42	Federal Income Tax Calculator \| smartasset
43	Where Democrats And Republicans Live In Your City \| fivethirtyeight
44	2016 Presidential Election Results \| Politico

Charleston, SC

City Score

Economy

Outdoor Activities

Safety

Attractions

Air Quality

Taxes

Climate

Healthcare

Internet Connectivity

Diversity

Home Pricing

Local Transportation

Education

Travel Connectivity

Population

Age