Charleston Authority

Charleston is a upper-middle-income small city of 154,338 with home prices 2.0× the South Carolina median.

Charleston, South Carolina

Charleston is one of South Carolina's mid-sized cities, with 154,338 residents in Berkeley County, South Carolina. At $92,414 median household income, Charleston sits in the upper income bracket of South Carolina.

Definition and scope

Charleston sits within Berkeley County, South Carolina, one of South Carolina's administrative subdivisions. Local services and ordinances are coordinated through county and state-level agencies. The city operates within Congressional District 1 and is part of the Charleston-North Charleston, SC metropolitan area.

Who lives here

Charleston has approximately 154,338 residents. The median age is 36.6 years. Roughly 56% of housing units are owner-occupied. The median home value is $509,700.

Demographic composition (Census 2023 ACS5):

• White (non-Hispanic): 71.7%
• Black or African American: 15.8%
• Hispanic or Latino: 6.1%
• Asian: 1.9%

Economy and earnings

Median household income in Charleston is $92,414. Poverty rate stands at 12.3%. Unemployment rate at last release was 2.3%. Educational attainment: 58.3% of residents 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

Public services and infrastructure

Available public services on file for Charleston:

• Public schools: 33
• Public libraries: 6
• Fire stations: 3
• Police stations: 3
• Hospitals: 6

Getting around

For air travel, residents typically use Charleston Executive Airport. The closest U.S. courthouse for federal proceedings is Charleston County Judicial Center. Amtrak service is available at Charleston, South Carolina.

Geography and climate

Charleston sits at an elevation of 1 feet above sea level. Local growing conditions correspond to USDA hardiness zone 9a.

References

• South Carolina State Authority — state-level reference for South Carolina.
• U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates — population, income, demographic data.
• Authority Network America — federal- and network-level reference.