Population 108,071 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in North Charleston
Household size in North Charleston
| Period | North Charleston | Charleston area | South Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.59 | 2.61 | 2.54 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.67 | 2.62 | 2.59 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.55 | 2.63 | 2.57 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.39 | 2.51 | 2.50 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.20 | −0.10 | −0.04 | −0.03 |
North Charleston is a place of small households, averaging 2.39 people against 2.65 for the U.S., which points to many singles, couples and roommates and relatively few children. Since 2006–10, household size has dropped from 2.59, a much bigger shift than nationally. Households are largest in the northwest and smallest in the center.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in North Charleston
| Period | North Charleston | Charleston area | South Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 32.2 | 36.2 | 38.3 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 32.5 | 37.1 | 39.3 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 35.2 | 38.5 | 40.6 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 36.6 | 39.2 | 41.2 | 40.1 |
| Change | +4.4 | +3.0 | +2.9 | +2.3 |
North Charleston is younger than the country as a whole: its median age is 36.6, against 40.1 nationally. The median age has climbed from 32.2 in 2006–10, mirroring the country. Residents skew youngest in the north and oldest in the southeast.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in North Charleston
| Period | North Charleston | Charleston area | South Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 19.1% | 12.9% | 13.0% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 19.6% | 12.3% | 13.0% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 15.9% | 10.5% | 11.8% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 13.5% | 10.1% | 11.7% | 11.6% |
| Change | −5.6 pts | −2.8 pts | −1.3 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are a bit more common in North Charleston than nationally: 13.5%, against 11.6%. The single-parent share is down 5.6 points from 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in North Charleston
Renters in North Charleston
| Period | North Charleston | Charleston area | South Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 51.9% | 33.8% | 30.1% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 53.8% | 35.4% | 31.4% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 53.1% | 33.8% | 30.6% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 50.0% | 30.9% | 28.1% | 34.8% |
| Change | −1.9 pts | −2.8 pts | −2.0 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renters far outnumber owners in North Charleston: 50.0% of households rent their homes, against 34.8% nationally. About four in ten owners (39.0%) have paid off their mortgages, about the same as nationally. The renter share is down 1.9 points from 2006–10, even as the national share rose. Only six of the 172 South Carolina cities with 5,000+ people have a higher share of renters.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in North Charleston
| Period | North Charleston | Charleston area | South Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 14.3% | 13.5% | 14.2% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 13.7% | 11.6% | 14.2% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 12.0% | 10.7% | 13.3% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 10.1% | 9.9% | 11.8% | 9.6% |
| Change | −4.3 pts | −3.6 pts | −2.5 pts | −1.8 pts |
About as many homes sit empty in North Charleston as nationally: 10.1%, against 9.6%. Since 2006–10, vacancy has fallen 4.3 points, as it has nationally.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in North Charleston
| Period | North Charleston | Charleston area | South Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1980 | 1986 | 1984 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1981 | 1987 | 1985 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1982 | 1989 | 1987 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1987 | 1995 | 1991 | 1980 |
| Change | +7 | +9 | +7 | +6 |
Homes in North Charleston are newer than the national norm: the median home was built in 1987, versus 1980 across the U.S. Still, homes here are older than in the wider Charleston area, where the median home dates to 1995. The median year built has moved up from 1980 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. The newest homes are mostly in the northwest, the oldest in the southeast.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in North Charleston
| Period | North Charleston | Charleston area | South Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $850 | $1,002 | $780 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $904 | $1,088 | $859 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,033 | $1,260 | $984 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,458 | $1,767 | $1,294 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$608 | +$765 | +$514 | +$606 |
The median renter in North Charleston pays $1,458 a month for rent and utilities, below the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $608 a month since 2006–10, up 72%, faster than rents rose nationally. Rent takes 33.9% of the typical renter's income, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in North Charleston
Bachelor's degrees in North Charleston
| Period | North Charleston | Charleston area | South Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 15.8% | 30.2% | 25.2% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 18.0% | 32.6% | 26.5% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 21.7% | 35.9% | 28.9% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 25.9% | 41.2% | 32.6% | 35.6% |
| Change | +10.2 pts | +11.0 pts | +7.4 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are less common in North Charleston than nationally: 25.9% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's or higher, against 35.6%. The share with a degree has risen 10.2 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend. College graduates are most concentrated in the east and least in the south.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in North Charleston
| Period | North Charleston | Charleston area | South Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 79.4% | 87.9% | 84.0% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 80.5% | 89.1% | 85.7% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 82.8% | 90.9% | 87.8% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 86.8% | 92.8% | 90.2% | 89.3% |
| Change | +7.3 pts | +4.8 pts | +6.2 pts | +4.3 pts |
Just over one in eight adults in North Charleston never finished high school, a bit more than nationally: 86.8% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% across the U.S. Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has risen 7.3 points, mirroring the country.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in North Charleston
| Period | North Charleston | Charleston area | South Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.4% | 7.8% | 9.1% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 11.9% | 9.5% | 10.6% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 5.4% | 4.3% | 5.8% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.3% | 3.6% | 4.9% | 5.4% |
| Change | −6.1 pts | −4.2 pts | −4.2 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in North Charleston runs below the national rate: 4.3% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4% nationally. Since 2006–10, unemployment has fallen 6.1 points, as it has nationally. Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
North Charleston compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| North Charleston | 2.39 | 36.6 | 13.5% | 50.0% | 10.1% | 1987 | $1,458 | 25.9% | 86.8% | 4.3% |
| Charleston Afb | 2.40 | 27.1 | 13.5% | 84.4% | 17.0% | 1999 | $1,902 | 38.8% | 88.0% | 0.7% |
| Hanahan | 2.68 | 37.6 | 11.4% | 32.7% | 8.7% | 1984 | $1,572 | 38.7% | 92.9% | 2.8% |
| Ladson | 2.71 | 33.6 | 13.0% | 33.1% | 7.3% | 2002 | $1,781 | 25.9% | 92.6% | 5.2% |
| Goose Creek | 2.60 | 36.7 | 11.4% | 30.4% | 5.8% | 1995 | $1,686 | 27.6% | 92.0% | 2.6% |
| Red Top | 2.69 | 40.9 | 15.7% | 12.6% | 13.3% | 2004 | $1,839 | 51.8% | 95.7% | 1.4% |
| Lincolnville | 2.60 | 32.7 | 20.2% | 21.7% | 7.9% | 2003 | $848 | 26.9% | 89.0% | 2.1% |
| Summerville | 2.73 | 37.4 | 13.4% | 22.2% | 6.9% | 2002 | $1,703 | 32.9% | 92.5% | 4.9% |
| Wando | 2.54 | 41.1 | 7.5% | 11.3% | 9.7% | 2003 | $2,134 | 45.1% | 90.5% | 3.7% |
| Mount Pleasant | 2.45 | 42.8 | 5.5% | 26.9% | 10.2% | 1999 | $2,439 | 67.5% | 97.3% | 3.2% |
| Pimlico | 2.51 | 53.2 | 8.5% | 19.4% | 1.0% | 1993 | $1,571 | 28.1% | 94.0% | 0.0% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Poughkeepsie, NY · Portland, OR · Rancho Cordova, CA · Queen Creek, AZ · Pleasanton, CA · Rancho Cucamonga, CA · Plainfield, IL · Ponce, PR · Pomona, CA · Portland, ME
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up North Charleston. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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