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Living in
Mount Pleasant.
About
Life in Mount Pleasant
Living in Mount Pleasant means settling into a prosperous, rapidly growing suburban town that's become the economic and residential heart of the Charleston area—it's now the fourth-largest municipality in South Carolina with a population just under 93,000. This is solidly upper-middle-class territory: median household income sits at $125,000, median home values hover around $749,000, and unemployment is remarkably low at 3.3%, driven by a diverse job market that includes healthcare, education, retail, and professional services alongside tourism and military-adjacent work from nearby installations. The trade-off is that housing costs have climbed steadily as the town doubled in population between 1990 and 2000 and continues growing at 6.5% annually, so you're paying Charleston-adjacent prices without quite being in Charleston proper.
Mount Pleasant at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
42.6 yrs
Poverty Rate
6.1%
Foreign-Born
4.7%
Broadband Internet
83.9%
of households
Population Growth
+4.9%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics4.7% foreign-born, most often from Germany
Who lives in Mount Pleasant: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Mount Pleasant, the largest foreign-born group is from Germany (10.6%), and 1.6% of residents speak Other Indo-European at home.
Under 18
22.8%
of residents
65 and Older
18.4%
of residents
Households with Kids
30.5%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
30.2%
of households
Married Couples
56.2%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.34
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent 83% above SC average
Rent, home values, and income in Mount Pleasant
In Mount Pleasant, rent runs 83% above the SC average, and home values are 189% above the SC average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
51.0%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
31.6%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
101.0
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$2,300
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
73.6%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
2000
median year built
Vacant Homes
10.1%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $871,681 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 1.2 pts below SC average
Unemployment in Mount Pleasant and typical pay across the metro area
Unemployment in Mount Pleasant is 1.2 percentage points lower than the SC average.
Unemployment rate
City-level rate · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
City-level (BLS) · Annual averages
What Mount Pleasant Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Median Salary by Occupation · metro area
Charleston-North Charleston, SC metro area
Commute24.9 min avg
How Mount Pleasant residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Mount Pleasant, most residents drive alone to work (66%), and 67% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 12 mi
Charleston International Airport (CHS)
Medium hub3.1M passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 60% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Mount Pleasant runs 60% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
132.3
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
1,027.6
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Mount Pleasant Police Department
Natural DisastersThunderstorm Wind most common — 26 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively High
98.6 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Charleston County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Charleston County, which includes Mount Pleasant, the most common type is thunderstorm wind, with 26 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 26 | Thunderstorm Wind | $32,500 |
| 2024 | 20 | Thunderstorm Wind | $252,000 |
| 2023 | 26 | Thunderstorm Wind | $45,000 |
| 2022 | 31 | Thunderstorm Wind | $218,000 |
| 2021 | 13 | Thunderstorm Wind | $75,000 |
| 2020 | 24 | Thunderstorm Wind | $57,500 |
| 2019 | 25 | Thunderstorm Wind | $27,500 |
| 2018 | 28 | Thunderstorm Wind | $67,000 |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
1 earthquake of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Charleston County, county-wide
Air Quality47 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Charleston County, which includes Mount Pleasant, is typically good — 222 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
47
Good Days
222
per year
Moderate Days
142
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Charleston County, county-wide
Climate90°F summers, 38°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Mount Pleasant has warm summers (avg high 90°F) and mild winters (avg low 38°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
75°/54°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
90°/72°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
78°/57°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
61°/38°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
52.4"
Annual Snowfall
0.3"
Hot Days/Year
55
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
18
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
102
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 59°F | 37°F | 3.81" |
| Feb | 61°F | 39°F | 3.30" |
| Mar | 67°F | 45°F | 3.49" |
| Apr | 75°F | 54°F | 3.59" |
| May | 82°F | 63°F | 3.33" |
| Jun | 88°F | 70°F | 5.36" |
| Jul | 91°F | 73°F | 5.97" |
| Aug | 90°F | 72°F | 6.72" |
| Sep | 86°F | 68°F | 5.47" |
| Oct | 78°F | 58°F | 3.94" |
| Nov | 69°F | 47°F | 3.00" |
| Dec | 62°F | 40°F | 3.62" |
Healthcare2 hospitals, avg 4.5/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Mount Pleasant
Mount Pleasant has 2 hospitals, averaging 4.5 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating — above-average care.
Hospitals
2
within city limits
Uninsured
4.0%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
4.5 / 5
Mount Pleasant Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Novant Health East Cooper Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Nearby hospitals · within 15 miles
Musc Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 8.5 mi away · Charleston
Roper Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 8.8 mi away · Charleston
Charleston VA Medical Center
Acute Care - Veterans Administration · ER available · 8.9 mi away · Charleston
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education17.6:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Mount Pleasant
Mount Pleasant's student/teacher ratio is 17.6:1 (higher than the national average of 16:1), and 68.4% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
16
within city limits
Private Schools
10
within city limits
College Degree Rate
68.4%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
17.6:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near Mount Pleasant (within 15 miles)
Public · 4-year · 10,558 students · in-state tuition $12,978 · 63% graduate · median earnings $63,018 (10 yrs after entry)
Public · 2-year · 10,512 students · in-state tuition $4,836 · 23% graduate · median earnings $42,433 (10 yrs after entry)
Citadel Military College of South Carolina
8.8 mi awayPublic · 4-year · 2,705 students · in-state tuition $12,570 · 73% graduate · median earnings $82,609 (10 yrs after entry)
Medical University of South Carolina
8.6 mi awayPublic · 4-year · 303 students · 95% graduate · median earnings $96,122 (10 yrs after entry)
American College of the Building Arts
7.9 mi awayPrivate nonprofit · 4-year · 155 students · in-state tuition $21,500 · 67% graduate
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreationclosest: Charles Pinckney National Historic Site, 0 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Mount Pleasant
Mount Pleasant has 5 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Charles Pinckney National Historic Site (0 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Charles Pinckney National Historic Site
National Historic Site
0 mi awayFort Sumter and Fort Moultrie National Historical Park
National Historical Park
7 mi awayReconstruction Era National Historical Park
National Historical Park
58 mi awayCongaree National Park
National Park
84 mi awayFort Pulaski National Monument
National Monument
86 mi awayPublic Libraries in Mount Pleasant
Mt. Pleasant Library
1133 Mathis Ferry Road, Mt. Pleasant
Village Library
430 Whilden Street, Mt. Pleasant
Wando Mount Pleasant Library
1400 Carolina Park Boulevard, Mount Pleasant
Cities Near Mount Pleasant
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Mount Pleasant?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Mount Pleasant FAQ
Is Mount Pleasant, South Carolina affordable?⌄
Mount Pleasant's median rent is $2,159/month, which is significantly above the national average. The median household income is $124,755/year. Median home value is $748,500.
Is Mount Pleasant, South Carolina safe?⌄
Mount Pleasant's violent crime rate was 132 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is well below the national average — one of the safer cities in the country of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 1028 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina?⌄
Mount Pleasant has an unemployment rate of 3.3%, which is solid, slightly below the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina?⌄
The cost of living in Mount Pleasant is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $2,159/month and median household income is $124,755/year. The median home value is $748,500. About 51% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina?⌄
The average commute in Mount Pleasant is 25 minutes, which is about average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from