Charleston County, SC

County

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2022 Population

409,840

1.21% 1-year growth

US Senator

Lindsey Graham

Republican Party

US Senator

Tim Scott

Republican Party

2022 Median Age

38.9

1.3% 1-year increase

2022 Poverty Rate

12.3%

2.04% 1-year decrease

2022 Median Household Income

$78,795

11.3% 1-year growth

2022 Median Property Value

$415,000

17.6% 1-year growth

2022 Employed Population

211,159

1.57% 1-year growth

About

In 2022, Charleston County, SC had a population of 410k people with a median age of 38.9 and a median household income of $78,795. Between 2021 and 2022 the population of Charleston County, SC grew from 404,946 to 409,840, a 1.21% increase and its median household income grew from $70,807 to $78,795, a 11.3% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Charleston County, SC are White (Non-Hispanic) (65.2%), Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) (24.5%), Two+ (Non-Hispanic) (2.64%), Other (Hispanic) (2.03%), and White (Hispanic) (1.78%).

None of the households in Charleston County, SC reported speaking a non-English language at home as their primary shared language. This does not consider the potential multi-lingual nature of households, but only the primary self-reported language spoken by all members of the household.

96.8% of the residents in Charleston County, SC are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Charleston County, SC are Trident Technical College (2,581 degrees awarded in 2022), College of Charleston (2,414 degrees), and Citadel Military College of South Carolina (1,158 degrees).

In 2022, the median property value in Charleston County, SC was $415,000, and the homeownership rate was 63.2%.

Most people in Charleston County, SC drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 24.5 minutes. The average car ownership in Charleston County, SC was 2 cars per household.

Charleston County, SC borders Berkeley County, SC, Colleton County, SC, Dorchester County, SC, and Georgetown County, SC.

Photo by Roland Turner

United States South Carolina Charleston-North Charleston, SC

Population & Diversity

Charleston County, SC is home to a population of 410k people, from which 96.8% are citizens. As of 2022, 5.78% of Charleston County, SC residents were born outside of the country (23.7k people).

In 2022, there were 2.66 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (267k people) in Charleston County, SC than any other race or ethnicity. There were 101k Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) and 10.8k Two+ (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

96.8%

2022 Citizenship

96.6%

2021 Citizenship

As of 2022, 96.8% of Charleston County, SC residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.5%. In 2021, the percentage of US citizens in Charleston County, SC was 96.6%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been increasing.

The following chart shows US citizenship percentages in Charleston County, SC compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Charleston County, SC

White (Non-Hispanic)
267k ± 749
Black or African American (Non-Hispanic)
101k ± 894
Two+ (Non-Hispanic)
10.8k ± 1.16k

5.41%

Hispanic Population

22.2k people

5.41% of the people in Charleston County, SC are hispanic (22.2k people).

The following chart shows the 7 races represented in Charleston County, SC as a share of the total population.

Global Diversity

The PUMS dataset is not available at the County level, so we are showing data for South Carolina.

Most Common Origin

Mexico
58,419 ± 5,900 people
India
18,341 ± 3,319 people
Honduras
13,844 ± 2,885 people

In 2022, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of South Carolina was Mexico, the natal country of 58,419 South Carolina residents, followed by India with 18,341 and Honduras with 13,844.

Foreign-Born Population

5.78%

2022 Foreign-Born Population

23.7k people

5.89%

2021 Foreign-Born Population

23.9k people

As of 2022, 5.78% of Charleston County, SC residents (23.7k people) were born outside of the United States, which is lower than the national average of 13.6%. In 2021, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Charleston County, SC was 5.89%, meaning that the rate has been decreasing.

The following chart shows the percentage of foreign-born residents in Charleston County, SC compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
8,678 ± 747
Gulf War (2001-)
7,190 ± 871
Gulf War (1990s)
5,015 ± 676

Charleston County, SC has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 1.21 times greater than any other conflict.

Economy

The economy of Charleston County, SC employs 211k people. The largest industries in Charleston County, SC are Health Care & Social Assistance (29,193 people), Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services (23,828 people), and Retail Trade (21,019 people), and the highest paying industries are Management of Companies & Enterprises ($85,128), Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services ($82,066), and Utilities ($76,170).

Males in South Carolina have an average income that is 1.37 times higher than the average income of females, which is $52,636. The income inequality in South Carolina (measured using the Gini index) is 0.464, which is lower than than the national average.

Employment

Occupations

211k

2022 Value

± 4,419

1.57%

1 Year growth

± 2.97%

From 2021 to 2022, employment in Charleston County, SC grew at a rate of 1.57%, from 208k employees to 211k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Charleston County, SC, are Management Occupations (29,392 people), Sales & Related Occupations (23,192 people), and Office & Administrative Support Occupations (17,943 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Charleston County, SC.

Unemployment Insurance Claims

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for false.

This chart shows weekly unemployment insurance claims in South Carolina (not-seasonally adjusted) compared with the four states with the most similar impact.

The most recent data point uses Advance State Claims data, which can be revised in subsequent weeks.

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Industries

Employment by Industries

211k

2022 Value

± 4,419

1.57%

1 Year growth

± 2.97%

From 2021 to 2022, employment in Charleston County, SC grew at a rate of 1.57%, from 208k employees to 211k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Charleston County, SC, are Health Care & Social Assistance (29,193 people), Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services (23,828 people), and Retail Trade (21,019 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Charleston County, SC, though some of these residents may live in Charleston County, SC and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$57,001

Median earning men ± $1,294

$43,296

Median earning women ± $1,713

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2022 are Professional, Scientific, & Management, & Administrative & Waste Management Services ($78,678), Wholesale Trade ($75,421), and Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($73,892).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2022 are Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($54,192), Professional, Scientific, & Management, & Administrative & Waste Management Services ($53,077), and Construction ($50,837).

Employment by Industry Sector

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for South Carolina.

Y-Axis

2.54%

Year-over-year growth

Employment change between February 2022 and February 2023

As of February 2023, there are 2.26M people employed in South Carolina. This represents a 2.54% increase in employment when compared to February 2022.

Right after the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, during April 2020, a general dip can be seen across industry sectors, resulting in an overall decline in employment by 13.4%.

The following chart shows monthly employment numbers for each industry sector in South Carolina.

Establishments by Size

The industries with the most establishments

1,541
Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
1,037
Real Estate and Rental and Leasing
925
Retail Trade

The visualization shows the distribution of establishments by industry and by size according to the number of employees.

Depending on the option selected, the visualization shows the number of employees or number of establishments and its share across establishment sizes.

Payroll by Industry Sector

The industries with the highest total annual payroll

$1.95M
Health Care and Social Assistance
$1.59M
Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
$1.13M
Retail Trade

The chart shows the total annual payroll and the average annual payroll by industry.

Civics

In the 2020 presidential election, the popular vote in Charleston County, SC went to Joseph R Biden Jr. with 55.5% of the vote. The runner-up was Donald J. Trump (42.6%), followed by Jo Jorgensen (1.45%).

Lindsey Graham and Tim Scott are the senators currently representing the state of South Carolina. In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

South Carolina is currently represented by 7 members in the U.S. house, and members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms.

Presidential Elections

Presidential Popular Vote Over Time

2020 Election Results

Joseph R Biden Jr. (55.5%)
Democratic Party
Donald J. Trump (42.6%)
Republican Party
Jo Jorgensen (1.45%)
Libertarian Party

The following chart shows the popular vote results in Charleston County, SC for each registered party from 1976 to 2020.

Senator Elections

US Senators from South Carolina

Senatorial voting results are only available at the state level. Showing data for South Carolina.

Lindsey Graham

Senator from South Carolina

Assumed office on January 3, 2003

Tim Scott

Senator from South Carolina

Assumed office on January 2, 2013
Appointed to the seat following the resignation of Jim DeMint.

Lindsey Graham and Tim Scott are the senators currently representing South Carolina.

In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

The following chart shows elected senators in South Carolina over time, excluding special elections, colored by their political party.

US Representative Elections

US Representatives from South Carolina

South Carolina is currently represented by 7 members in the U.S. house.

Members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms, and the following chart shows the how the members for South Carolina have changed over time starting in 2008.

Education

In 2022, universities in Charleston County, SC awarded 8,752 degrees. The student population of Charleston County, SC in 2022 is skewed towards women, with 13,469 male students and 21,017 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Charleston County, SC are White (5,616 and 64.5%), followed by Black or African American (1,273 and 14.6%), Unknown (810 and 9.3%), and Hispanic or Latino (446 and 5.12%).

The largest universities in Charleston County, SC by number of degrees awarded are Trident Technical College (2,581 and 29.5%), College of Charleston (2,414 and 27.6%), and Citadel Military College of South Carolina (1,158 and 13.2%).

The most popular majors in Charleston County, SC are Liberal Arts & Sciences (517 and 5.91%), Registered Nursing (464 and 5.3%), and General Business (345 and 3.94%).

The median tuition costs in Charleston County, SC are $24,681 for private four year colleges, and $12,518 and $30,857 respectively, for public four year colleges for in-state students and out-of-state students.

Admissions & Enrollments

Applicants, Admissions & Enrolled

University

Measure

In 2022 in Charleston County, SC, the percentage of applicants admitted was 79.4%, while the percentage of admitted who enrolled was 15.9%. The number of students enrolled in 2022 was 34,486 (39.1% men and 60.9% women).

The line chart shows the evolution of the percentage of applicants admitted, admitted who enrolled or the number of students enrolled according to the option selected in the upper button.

Enrollments by Gender and Races

Universities

In 2022 there were 34,486 students enrolled in Charleston County, SC, 39.1% men and 60.9% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in White with 22,472 records, of which 59.3% were women and 40.7% men.

Completions

Concentrations

Most Common

Registered Nursing
299 degrees awarded
General Biological Sciences
218 degrees awarded
General Psychology
208 degrees awarded

In 2022, the most common concentation for Bachelors Degree recipients in Charleston County, SC was Registered Nursing with 299 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of students graduating with a Bachelors Degree from schools in Charleston County, SC according to their major.

Universities

Gender

Race

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

Trident Technical College
2,581 degrees awarded
College of Charleston
2,414 degrees awarded
Citadel Military College of South Carolina
1,158 degrees awarded

In 2022, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was Trident Technical College with 2,581 degrees awarded.

Student Diversity

University

In 2022, 3,424 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Charleston County, SC, which is 0.643 times less than the 5,328 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2022 the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was White students. These 5,616 degrees mean that there were 4.41 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Black or African American, with 1,273 degrees awarded.

Awarded Degrees over Time

The graph shows the evolution of awarded degrees by degrees. Under the paragraphs, the average number of awarded degrees by university in each degree is shown.

Tuition

Average Net Price by Sector

Universities

Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above ($24,681) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2022.

Private for-profit, 2-year ($1,800) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2022.

Public, 4-year or above ($4,703) is the sector with the highest average net price of books and supplies.

The graph shows the average net price by sector and year.

Working Population

Educational Pyramid

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for South Carolina.

Measure

In 2022, 0.83% of men over 25 years of age had not completed any academic degree (no schooling), while 0.688% of women were in the same situation.

This visualization shows the gender distribution of the population according to the academic level reached.

Educational Attainment

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for South Carolina.

Race

The most common educational levels obtained by the working population in 2022 were High School or Equivalent (1.18M), Some college (892k), and Bachelors Degree (705k).

This visualization illustrates the percentage distribution of the population according to the highest educational level reached. You can filter the data by race by using the selector above.

Housing & Living

The median property value in Charleston County, SC was $415,000 in 2022, which is 1.47 times larger than the national average of $281,900. Between 2021 and 2022 the median property value increased from $352,800 to $415,000, a 17.6% increase. The homeownership rate in Charleston County, SC is 63.2%, which is approximately the same as the national average of 64.8%.

People in Charleston County, SC have an average commute time of 24.5 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Charleston County, SC is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Median household income in Charleston County, SC is $78,795. In 2022, the tract with the highest Median Household Income in Charleston County, SC was Census Tract 46.13 with a value of $228,214, followed by Census Tract 21.04 and Census Tract 2, with respective values of $214,250 and $180,491.

In 2023, 17.2% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Charleston County, SC. From 2014 to 2023, the indicator declined 3.09%.

Housing

Property

$415,000

Median Property Value 2022

±$8,451

$108,650

Median Property Taxes

±$2,697

The following chart display owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Charleston County, SC the largest share of households pay taxes in the $800 - $1,499 range.

The chart underneath the paragraph shows the property taxes in Charleston County, SC compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies.

Rent vs Own

63.2%

Homeownership

2022

66.5%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2022

In 2022, 63.2% of the housing units in Charleston County, SC were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 62.6%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Charleston County, SC compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

Equity

Income by Location

Use the dropdown to filter by race/ethnicity.

Race/Ethnicity

Highest Median Household Income (Total)

Census Tract 46.13
Census Tract 21.04
Census Tract 2

In 2022, the tract with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Charleston County, SC was Census Tract 46.13 with a value of $228,214, followed by Census Tract 21.04 and Census Tract 2, with respective values of $214,250 and $180,491.

The following map shows all of the tracts in Charleston County, SC colored by their Median Household Income (Total).

Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.

$78,795

Median Household Income

± $2,075

172k

Number of Households

± 4,022

In 2022, the median household income of the 172k households in Charleston County, SC grew to $78,795 from the previous year's value of $70,807.

The following chart displays the households in Charleston County, SC distributed between a series of income buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households have an income in the $200k+ range.

Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Charleston County, SC is from South Carolina.

0.464

2022 Wage GINI in South Carolina

0.463

2021 Wage GINI in South Carolina

In 2022, the income inequality in South Carolina was 0.464 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.334% growth from 2021 to 2022, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat less even. The GINI for South Carolina was lower than than the national average of 0.478. In other words, wages are distributed more evenly in South Carolina in comparison to the national average.

This chart shows the number of workers in South Carolina across various wage buckets compared to the national average.

Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2022

Drove Alone (74%)
Worked At Home (13.1%)
Carpooled (7.45%)

In 2022, 74% of workers in Charleston County, SC drove alone to work, followed by those who worked at home (13.1%) and those who carpooled to work (7.45%).

The following chart shows the number of households using each mode of transportation over time, using a logarithmic scale on the y-axis to help better show variations in the smaller means of commuting.

Commute Time

24.5 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Charleston County, SC have a shorter commute time (24.5 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.7 minutes). Additionally, 1.43% of the workforce in Charleston County, SC have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in Charleston County, SC compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Car Ownership

2 cars

Average Number

The following chart displays the households in Charleston County, SC distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Charleston County, SC have 2 cars.

Poverty

Severe Housing Problems

In 2023, 17.2% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Charleston County, SC. From 2014 to 2023, the indicator declined 3.09%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the population living with severe housing problems.

Poverty & Diversity

12.3% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Charleston County, SC (49k out of 399k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is lower than the national average of 12.5%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 18 - 24, followed by Females 25 - 34 and then Females 55 - 64.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Charleston County, SC is White, followed by Black and Hispanic.

The Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who classifies as impoverished. If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold than that family and every individual in it is considered to be living in poverty.

Children in Poverty

In 2023, 18.5% of the children was living in poverty in Charleston County, SC. From 2014 to 2023, the indicator declined 9.6%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the children living in poverty.

Social Needs

Data only available at the state level.

Most prevalent states

California
35,798 individuals
New York
5,087 individuals
Florida
4,915 individuals

In 2017, California had the highest estimated number of chronically homeless individuals in the nation, at 35,798. New York has the second highest (5,087), followed by Florida (4,915).

The following map shows the estimated number of chronically homeless individuals by state over multiple years.

Health

91.1% of the population of Charleston County, SC has health coverage, with 49.6% on employee plans, 10.4% on Medicaid, 12.3% on Medicare, 16.2% on non-group plans, and 2.57% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in Charleston County, SC see 801 patients per year on average, which represents a 0.125% increase from the previous year (800 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 883 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 245 patients per year.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 47.1% were men and 52.9% were women.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

801 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Charleston County, SC

Primary care physicians in Charleston County, SC see an average of 801 patients per year. This represents a 0.125% increase from the previous year (800 patients).

The following chart shows how the number of patients seen by primary care physicians has been changing over time in Charleston County, SC in comparison to its neighboring geographies.

Health Care Diversity

In 2022, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 20.9% under 18 years, 22.9% between 18 and 34 years, 38.9% between 35 and 64 years, and 17.3% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 47.1% were men and 52.9% were women.

The following chart shows the number of people with health coverage by gender.

Uninsured People

8.95%

Uninsured

49.6%

Employer Coverage

10.4%

Medicaid

12.3%

Medicare

16.2%

Non-Group

2.57%

Military or VA

Between 2021 and 2022, the percent of uninsured citizens in Charleston County, SC declined by 8.96% from 9.83% to 8.95%.

The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in Charleston County, SC changed over time compared with the percent of individuals enrolled in various types of health insurance.

Health Indicators

Health Outcomes

Indicator

In 2023, the number of deaths among residents under age 18 per 100,000 population was 57.5 in Charleston County, SC.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Charleston County, SC.

Health Behaviors

Indicator

In 2023, the percentage of the adult population (age 18 and older) that reports a body mass index (BMI) greater than or equal to 30 kg/m2 (age-adjusted) was 30% in Charleston County, SC.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Charleston County, SC.