What it's like to live in Charleston
Charleston is a mid-size city in South Carolina with unemployment below the national average, household incomes running above the national average, a highly educated workforce, and a growing population. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Charleston deals with rent well above the national average, home prices well above the national average, air quality that falls short of national benchmarks, and a rent burden that leaves many renters stretched thin.
The good
- Low unemployment
- Higher-than-average incomes
- Highly educated workforce
- Growing population
- Several well-rated hospitals
- Low student-teacher ratio
The not so good
- Rent well above the national average
- High home prices
- Air quality concerns
- High rent burden for renters
How Charleston compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Charleston
Based on Charleston's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$3,444
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $68,880 a year
- 52% of Charleston renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$101,940
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $50,970
- Homes cost 5.5× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▲ 22% above US
$1,722/mo median rent
Rent runs on the higher side, at $1,722 a month median. Whether that premium makes sense usually comes down to the local job market and what it pays. Home prices are steep, with a median around $509,700. Renting first to get a feel for the city before buying is often the more practical route.
Median home value $509,700 · 52% of renters cost-burdened
Job market▼ 19% below US
3.5% unemployment
Unemployment here is 3.5%, a little below the national average of 4.3%.
City-level (BLS)
Safety▼ 15% below US
279 violent crimes per 100k
Crime runs about typical for a city this size. Some neighborhoods are safer than others, and one overall rate doesn't tell the whole story, so a neighborhood-level look matters more than the headline stat.
Property crime 1612/100k · Charleston Police Department · 2025 data
Getting aroundNear US average
24 min average commute
Commutes run about average, at 24.2 minutes. Fine day to day, but it adds up over a year, and where someone lives relative to where they work starts to matter. 7 in 10 workers drive to work; 19% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are warm, with highs around 86°F, and winters are mild, with lows rarely dropping below 46°F. Rainfall is regular throughout the year.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Healthcare
4 hospitals
There are 4 Medicare-certified hospitals inside city limits. They average 3.5 out of 5 on Medicare's star rating.
Medicare-certified hospitals
Education & workforce▲ 62% above US
58% bachelor's degree or higher
This is a highly educated city, with over half the adult population holding a college degree. That tends to shape the job market and the broader culture, and it's a solid indicator of a strong professional scene.
Schools
35 public schools inside the boundary
There are 35 public schools inside the boundary and 19 private schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 14:1, well below the national average of 16:1. Smaller class sizes are generally a positive sign for a district.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Fort Sumter and Fort Moultrie National Historical Park (7 miles away). There are 5 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Charleston's strongest points are unemployment below the national average and household incomes running above the national average; the main tradeoffs are rent well above the national average and home prices well above the national average. A year of median rent ($1,722/mo) equals 22% of the median household income here, about the same as the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit remote workers (19% of workers here already work from home) and college-educated professionals.
See all the data for Charleston →·All South Carolina cities →
Other places near Charleston
All South Carolina guides →Moving to North Charleston →
9 mi away · pop. 119,913
Rent $1,430/mo · Income $62,956
Compare with Charleston →Moving to Mount Pleasant →
9 mi away · pop. 93,993
Rent $2,159/mo · Income $124,755
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