Charleston County, SC

County

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2021 Population

404,946

0.637% 1-year decline

US Senator

Lindsey Graham

Republican Party

US Senator

Tim Scott

Republican Party

2021 Median Age

38.4

1.05% 1-year increase

2021 Poverty Rate

12.5%

2.47% 1-year decrease

2021 Median Household Income

$70,807

5.4% 1-year growth

2021 Median Property Value

$352,800

5.44% 1-year growth

2021 Employed Population

207,899

0.000962% 1-year growth

About

In 2021, Charleston County, SC had a population of 405k people with a median age of 38.4 and a median household income of $70,807. Between 2020 and 2021 the population of Charleston County, SC declined from 407,543 to 404,946, a −0.637% decrease and its median household income grew from $67,182 to $70,807, a 5.4% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Charleston County, SC are White (Non-Hispanic) (64.9%), Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) (25.2%), White (Hispanic) (2.52%), Two+ (Non-Hispanic) (2.43%), and Other (Hispanic) (1.7%).

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.

96.6% of the residents in Charleston County, SC are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Charleston County, SC are College of Charleston (2,417 degrees awarded in 2021), Trident Technical College (2,180 degrees), and Citadel Military College of South Carolina (1,074 degrees).

In 2021, the median property value in Charleston County, SC was $352,800, and the homeownership rate was 62.6%.

Most people in Charleston County, SC drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 24.3 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 405k people, from which 96.6% are citizens. As of 2021, 5.89% of Charleston County, SC residents were born outside of the country (23.9k people).

In 2021, there were 2.57 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (263k people) in Charleston County, SC than any other race or ethnicity. There were 102k Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) and 10.2k White (Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

96.6%

2021 Citizenship

96.7%

2020 Citizenship

As of 2021, 96.6% of Charleston County, SC residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.4%. In 2020, the percentage of US citizens in Charleston County, SC was 96.7%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been decreasing.

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)
263k ± 666
Black or African American (Non-Hispanic)
102k ± 1.03k
White (Hispanic)
10.2k ± 1.21k

5.31%

Hispanic Population

21.5k people

5.31% of the people in Charleston County, SC are hispanic (21.5k 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
59,828 ± 5,970 people
India
16,728 ± 3,170 people
Honduras
13,020 ± 2,798 people

In 2021, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of South Carolina was Mexico, the natal country of 59,828 South Carolina residents, followed by India with 16,728 and Honduras with 13,020.

Foreign-Born Population

5.89%

2021 Foreign-Born Population

23.9k people

5.82%

2020 Foreign-Born Population

23.7k people

As of 2021, 5.89% of Charleston County, SC residents (23.9k people) were born outside of the United States, which is lower than the national average of 13.6%. In 2020, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Charleston County, SC was 5.82%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

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
8,997 ± 728
Gulf War (2001-)
6,940 ± 830
Gulf War (1990s)
4,954 ± 750

Charleston County, SC has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 1.3 times greater than any other conflict.

Economy

The economy of Charleston County, SC employs 208k people. The largest industries in Charleston County, SC are Health Care & Social Assistance (28,847 people), Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services (22,365 people), and Retail Trade (20,922 people), and the highest paying industries are Management of Companies & Enterprises ($78,569), Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services ($73,273), and Finance & Insurance ($64,285).

Males in South Carolina have an average income that is 1.38 times higher than the average income of females, which is $47,907. The income inequality in South Carolina (measured using the Gini index) is 0.463, which is lower than than the national average.

Employment

Occupations

208k

2021 Value

± 4,506

0.000962%

1 Year growth

± 3.02%

From 2020 to 2021, employment in Charleston County, SC grew at a rate of 0.000962%, from 208k employees to 208k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Charleston County, SC, are Management Occupations (27,553 people), Sales & Related Occupations (22,427 people), and Office & Administrative Support Occupations (18,372 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

208k

2021 Value

± 4,506

0.000962%

1 Year growth

± 3.02%

From 2020 to 2021, employment in Charleston County, SC grew at a rate of 0.000962%, from 208k employees to 208k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Charleston County, SC, are Health Care & Social Assistance (28,847 people), Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services (22,365 people), and Retail Trade (20,922 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

$52,336

Median earning men ± $1,351

$39,129

Median earning women ± $1,123

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2021 are Professional, Scientific, & Management, & Administrative & Waste Management Services ($68,711), Wholesale Trade ($68,382), and Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($66,647).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2021 are Professional, Scientific, & Management, & Administrative & Waste Management Services ($49,448), Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($49,353), and Construction ($47,478).

Employment by Industry Sector

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

Y-Axis

2.75%

Year-over-year growth

Employment change between February 2022 and February 2023

As of February 2023, there are 155M people employed in South Carolina. This represents a 2.75% increase in employment when compared to February 2022.

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

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Establishments by Size

The industries with the most establishments

5,763
Educational Services, Health Care & Social Assistance
3,502
Professional, Scientific & Management, and Administrative & Waste Management Services
3,344
Finance & Insurance, and Real Estate, Rental & Leasing

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

Payroll by Industry Sector

The industries with the highest total annual payroll

$4.55M
Educational Services, Health Care & Social Assistance
$4.12M
Manufacturing
$2.32M
Professional, Scientific & Management, and Administrative & Waste Management Services

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

Domestic Trade

Domestic Production & Consumption

Domestic production and consumption consists of products and services shipped from South Carolina to other states, or from other states to South Carolina.

Top Domestic Production in Dollars

In 2020, the top outbound South Carolina product (by dollars) was Motorized vehicles with $39.9B, followed by Plastics/rubber ($29.5B) and Machinery ($26.9B).

The following chart shows the share of these products in relation to all outbound South Carolina products.

Domestic Trade Growth

Showing data for South Carolina.

$273B

2020 Value in South Carolina

$613B

Projected 2050 Value in South Carolina

124% growth

In 2020, total outbound South Carolina trade was $273B. This is expected to increase 124% to $613B by 2050.

The following chart shows how the domestic outbound South Carolina trade is projected to change in comparison to its neighboring states.

Interstate Trade

Interstate trade consists of products and services shipped from South Carolina to other states, or from other states to South Carolina.

Most Common Trade Partners

North Carolina
$28.9B
Georgia
$21.4B
Texas
$10.9B

In 2020, the top outbound South Carolina domestic partner for goods and services (by dollars) was North Carolina with $28.9B, followed by Georgia with $21.4B and Texas and $10.9B.

The following map shows the amount of trade that South Carolina shares with each state (excluding itself).

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 2021, universities in Charleston County, SC awarded 8,144 degrees. The student population of Charleston County, SC in 2021 is skewed towards women, with 13,408 male students and 20,584 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Charleston County, SC are White (5,555 and 68.8%), followed by Black or African American (1,269 and 15.7%), Hispanic or Latino (414 and 5.13%), and Two or More Races (315 and 3.9%).

The largest universities in Charleston County, SC by number of degrees awarded are College of Charleston (2,417 and 29.7%), Trident Technical College (2,180 and 26.8%), and Citadel Military College of South Carolina (1,074 and 13.2%).

The most popular majors in Charleston County, SC are Liberal Arts & Sciences (505 and 6.2%), Registered Nursing (490 and 6.02%), and General Business Administration & Management (352 and 4.32%).

The median tuition costs in Charleston County, SC are $24,266 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 2021 in Charleston County, SC, the percentage of applicants admitted was 74.5%, while the percentage of admitted who enrolled was 19.1%. The number of students enrolled in 2021 was 33,992 (39.4% men and 60.6% 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 2021 there were 33,992 students enrolled in Charleston County, SC, 39.4% men and 60.6% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in White with 23,053 records, of which 58.9% were women and 41.1% men.

Completions

Concentrations

Most Common

Registered Nursing
299 degree-majors awarded
General Biological Sciences
206 degree-majors awarded
General Psychology
198 degree-majors awarded

In 2021, 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

College of Charleston
2,417 degrees awarded
Trident Technical College
2,180 degrees awarded
Citadel Military College of South Carolina
1,074 degrees awarded

In 2021, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was College of Charleston with 2,417 degrees awarded.

Student Diversity

University

In 2021, 3,187 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Charleston County, SC, which is 0.643 times less than the 4,957 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2021 the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was White students. These 5,555 degrees mean that there were 4.38 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Black or African American, with 1,269 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 ($24,266) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2021.

Private for-profit, 2-year ($1,800) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2021.

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 2021, 0.829% of men over 25 years of age had not completed any academic degree (no schooling), while 0.722% 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 2021 were High School or Equivalent (1.18M), Some college (890k), and Bachelors Degree (688k).

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 $352,800 in 2021, which is 1.44 times larger than the national average of $244,900. Between 2020 and 2021 the median property value increased from $334,600 to $352,800, a 5.44% increase. The homeownership rate in Charleston County, SC is 62.6%, which is approximately the same as the national average of 64.6%.

People in Charleston County, SC have an average commute time of 24.3 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 $70,807. In 2021, the tract with the highest Median Household Income in Charleston County, SC was Census Tract 46.13 with a value of $250,001, followed by Census Tract 21.04 and Census Tract 2, with respective values of $216,750 and $178,958.

In 2022, 17.9% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Charleston County, SC. From 2014 to 2022, the indicator declined 2.36%.

Housing

Property

$352,800

Median Property Value 2021

±$6,748

$105,009

Median Property Taxes

±$2,842

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

62.6%

Homeownership

2021

66.2%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2021

In 2021, 62.6% of the housing units in Charleston County, SC were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 62.2%.

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 2021, the tract with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Charleston County, SC was Census Tract 46.13 with a value of $250,001, followed by Census Tract 21.04 and Census Tract 2, with respective values of $216,750 and $178,958.

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.

$70,807

Median Household Income

± $1,936

168k

Number of Households

± 3,843

In 2021, the median household income of the 168k households in Charleston County, SC grew to $70,807 from the previous year's value of $67,182.

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.

0.463

2021 Wage GINI in South Carolina

0.462

2020 Wage GINI in South Carolina

In 2021, the income inequality in South Carolina was 0.463 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.122% growth from 2020 to 2021, 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 2021

Drove Alone (76.5%)
Worked At Home (10.8%)
Carpooled (7.46%)

In 2021, 76.5% of workers in Charleston County, SC drove alone to work, followed by those who worked at home (10.8%) and those who carpooled to work (7.46%).

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

24.3 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Charleston County, SC have a shorter commute time (24.3 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.8 minutes). Additionally, 1.34% 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 2022, 17.9% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Charleston County, SC. From 2014 to 2022, the indicator declined 2.36%.

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

Poverty & Diversity

12.5% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Charleston County, SC (49.4k out of 394k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is lower than the national average of 12.6%. 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 2022, 15% of the children was living in poverty in Charleston County, SC. From 2014 to 2022, the indicator declined 13.1%.

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.

Security

Crimes & Accidents

Indicator

In 2022, the number of reported violent crimes offenses per 100,000 population was 426 in Charleston County, SC. From 2014 to 2022, the indicator declined 143 per 100,000 population.

The graph shows the trend in the number of reported violent crimes offenses per 100,000 population.

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Health

90.2% of the population of Charleston County, SC has health coverage, with 50.1% on employee plans, 10.4% on Medicaid, 11.9% on Medicare, 15.3% on non-group plans, and 2.58% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in Charleston County, SC see 800 patients per year on average, which represents a 1.11% decrease from the previous year (809 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 917 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 261 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

800 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Charleston County, SC

Primary care physicians in Charleston County, SC see an average of 800 patients per year. This represents a 1.11% decrease from the previous year (809 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 2021, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 21.2% under 18 years, 23.3% between 18 and 34 years, 38.9% between 35 and 64 years, and 16.6% 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

9.83%

Uninsured

50.1%

Employer Coverage

10.4%

Medicaid

11.9%

Medicare

15.3%

Non-Group

2.58%

Military or VA

Between 2020 and 2021, the percent of uninsured citizens in Charleston County, SC declined by 4.46% from 10.3% to 9.83%.

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 2022, 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.

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Health Behaviors

Indicator

In 2022, 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 30.3% in Charleston County, SC.

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

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