Housing data for North Charleston, SC
North Charleston, SC has an estimated 119,913 residents and 54,781 homes (US Census Bureau, 2020–2024 American Community Survey).
It is a city in Charleston County.
50.2% of households rent.
The median gross rent is $1,430 a month.
Its population grew measurably since 2015–2019 (+7.5%).
Figures last updated on .
- Residents
- 119,913 (±119)
- Housing units
- 54,781 (±1,173)
- Households that rent
- 50.2%
- Median gross rent
- $1,430
- Residents since 2015–2019
- +7.5%
What stands out in North Charleston
Median home value: $302,200 (±$11,654) in North Charleston, lower than in Charleston County ($489,100).
Households that rent: 50.2% (±1.8 points) in North Charleston, higher than in Charleston County (36.1%).
Working from home: 9.7% (±1.2 points) in North Charleston, lower than in Charleston County (17.7%).
Median household income: $62,956 (±$3,840) in North Charleston, lower than in Charleston County ($88,494).
- Home values in North Charleston
- Renters and owners in North Charleston
- Commute and cars in North Charleston
- Income and affordability in North Charleston
Housing in North Charleston at a glance
- Median rent: $1,430 median gross rent a month
- Rent by bedrooms: $1,448 median gross rent, 2 bedrooms
- Rent burden: 55.4% of renters pay 30% or more of income
- Renters and owners: 50.2% of households rent
- Income and affordability: $62,956 median household income
- Home values: $302,200 median home value
- Homeowner costs: $1,652 median monthly cost with a mortgage
- Property taxes: $1,527 median real estate taxes a year
- Types of homes: 27.1% of homes are in buildings of 5 or more units
- Bedrooms: 53.3% of homes have 3 or more bedrooms
- Age of homes: 32.1% of homes were built before 1980
- Vacancy rate: 9.0% rental vacancy rate
- Heating fuel: 77.0% heat with electricity
- Commute and cars: 24.5 minutes average trip to work
- Crime reported to police: 670 violent crimes per 100,000 residents
- Growth: +7.5% residents since 2015–2019
- How long people stay: 35.6% moved in since 2020
- Crowding and facilities: 3.8% of homes have more than 1 person per room
- Fair Market Rent: $2,260 Small Area FMR, 2 bedrooms (ZIP 29404)
North Charleston against Charleston County, its state and the nation
| North Charleston | Charleston County | South Carolina | United States | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 119,913 (±119) | 420,264 (exact) | 5,296,225 (exact) | 334,922,499 |
| Housing units | 54,781 (±1,173) | 209,803 (±117) | 2,443,039 (±311) | 143,775,355 |
| Households that rent | 50.2% (±1.8 points) | 36.1% (±1.0 points) | 28.1% (±0.3 points) | 34.8% |
| Median gross rent | $1,430 (±$30) | $1,620 (±$36) | $1,180 (±$9) | $1,413 |
| Median household income | $62,956 (±$3,840) | $88,494 (±$1,950) | $69,324 (±$570) | $80,734 |
| Median home value | $302,200 (±$11,654) | $489,100 (±$9,282) | $259,000 (±$1,421) | $332,700 |
| Median real estate taxes (a year) | $1,527 (±$107) | $1,901 (±$31) | $1,251 (±$7) | $3,119 |
| Built before 1980 | 32.1% (±2.3 points) | 34.5% (±1.1 points) | 32.8% (±0.3 points) | 49.7% |
| Average commute | 24.5 minutes (±0.8) | 25.1 minutes (±0.5) | 25.6 minutes (±0.1) | 26.4 minutes |
| Households with broadband | 89.2% (±1.8 points) | 88.9% (±0.8 points) | 88.8% (±0.2 points) | 91.0% |
| Median age of residents | 34.6 years (±1.0) | 39.2 years (±0.3) | 40.2 years (±0.2) | 38.9 years |
North Charleston covers 78.0 square miles of land, about 1,538 residents per square mile (Census Bureau Gazetteer).
How North Charleston has changed since 2015–2019
| 2015–2019 | 2020–2024 | Amount of change | Verdict | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 111,501 (±92) | 119,913 (±119) | +7.5% | Measurable increase |
| Housing units | 47,066 (±904) | 54,781 (±1,173) | +16.4% | Measurable increase |
| Median gross rent | $1,051 (±$22) | $1,430 (±$30) | +36.1% | Up after inflation |
| Median home value | $174,800 (±$5,619) | $302,200 (±$11,654) | +72.9% | Up after inflation |
| Median household income | $45,510 (±$1,923) | $62,956 (±$3,840) | +38.3% | Up after inflation |
| Median owner cost with a mortgage | $1,353 (±$33) | $1,652 (±$75) | +22.1% | No measurable change after inflation |
| Median real estate taxes | $1,030 (±$57) | $1,527 (±$107) | +48.3% | Up after inflation |
| Households that rent | 55.2% (±1.7 points) | 50.2% (±1.8 points) | −5.0 percentage points | Measurable decrease |
| Rental vacancy rate | 9.0% (±1.5 points) | 9.0% (±1.8 points) | 0.0 percentage points | Not a measurable change |
The Census Bureau publishes 2015–2019 dollars in 2019 dollars and 2020–2024 dollars in 2024 dollars.
Prices (the CPI-U, US Bureau of Labor Statistics) rose 22.7% between 2019 and 2024, so a dollar figure’s verdict compares the two after raising the earlier one by that much, using the Census Bureau’s test for a difference.
The two periods do not overlap, as the Census Bureau recommends for 5-year estimates.
Crime reported to police in North Charleston
In 2025, the North Charleston Police Department reported 670 violent and 3,457 property crimes per 100,000 residents to the FBI.
ZIP codes in North Charleston
| ZIP code | Share of the ZIP’s land in this place | Residents | Median gross rent | Median home value | Median household income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 29404 | 100% | 2,334 | $1,939 | — | $54,716 |
| 29406 | 93% | 32,001 | $1,342 | $229,300 | $49,815 |
| 29405 | 90% | 26,254 | $1,253 | $307,800 | $56,600 |
| 29418 | 86% | 26,052 | $1,340 | $267,600 | $64,583 |
| 29420 | 84% | 23,959 | $1,529 | $331,700 | $72,661 |
| 29456 | 38% | 41,214 | $1,650 | $270,100 | $78,361 |
| 29485 | 30% | 58,507 | $1,574 | $341,600 | $82,987 |
A ZIP code is a mail route rather than a boundary, so the Census Bureau publishes figures for ZIP Code Tabulation Areas built from census blocks; the share column says how much of each one’s land lies in this place.
Places near North Charleston
| Place | Distance | Median gross rent | Median home value | Households that rent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hanahan | 3.8 mi | $1,412 | $374,800 | 31.9% |
| Goose Creek | 6.2 mi | $1,690 | $306,000 | 31.8% |
| Ladson | 6.8 mi | $1,785 | $234,900 | 23.4% |
| Lincolnville | 8.1 mi | — | $245,100 | 40.1% |
| Charleston | 8.2 mi | $1,722 | $509,700 | 44.4% |
| Sangaree | 8.7 mi | $1,419 | $251,800 | 14.9% |
| Summerville | 9.0 mi | $1,526 | $328,100 | 30.9% |
| Ravenel | 14 mi | $1,115 | $238,700 | 13.5% |
Places in South Carolina most like North Charleston
| Place | Median gross rent | Median home value | Median household income | Households that rent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rock Hill | $1,341 | $295,100 | $68,771 | 45.8% |
| Travelers Rest | $1,033 | $284,800 | $54,583 | 40.1% |
| Duncan | $1,032 | $211,400 | $52,500 | 43.3% |
| Mauldin | $1,490 | $258,500 | $82,331 | 32.0% |
| Valley Falls | $1,021 | $256,600 | $55,661 | 49.5% |
| Columbia | $1,204 | $264,300 | $55,529 | 54.5% |
Matched on rent, home value, income, the share who rent, the age of the homes, the share in apartment buildings and the commute, each measured against the spread across South Carolina.
HUD Fair Market Rent for North Charleston, fiscal year 2027
| Studio | 1 bedroom | 2 bedrooms | 3 bedrooms | 4 bedrooms |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $1,661 | $1,731 | $1,884 | $2,336 | $2,687 |
HUD also publishes a Small Area Fair Market Rent for each ZIP code in the area; the Fair Market Rent page for this place lists its ZIP codes.
HUD income limits for North Charleston, fiscal year 2026
| Household size | Extremely low (30%) | Very low (50%) | Low (80%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 person | $24,700 | $41,150 | $65,800 |
| 2 people | $28,200 | $47,000 | $75,200 |
| 3 people | $31,750 | $52,900 | $84,600 |
| 4 people | $35,250 | $58,750 | $94,000 |
| 5 people | $38,680 | $63,450 | $101,550 |
| 6 people | $44,360 | $68,150 | $109,050 |
| 7 people | $50,040 | $72,850 | $116,600 |
| 8 people | $55,720 | $77,550 | $124,100 |
These are the limits HUD sets for its housing programs in the Charleston-North Charleston, SC MSA, where HUD’s median family income for fiscal year 2026 is $117,500.
A program can use its own limits; tax-credit and local programs often do.
Survey years: 2020–2024 (American Community Survey 5-year estimates), compared with 2015–2019.
Margins of error are at the 90% confidence level.
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Questions about North Charleston
What is the average rent in North Charleston, SC?
The Census Bureau publishes the median rather than the average: the median gross rent in North Charleston is $1,430 (±$30) a month (2020–2024 American Community Survey), so half of renting households pay less and half pay more.
How much is a one-bedroom apartment in North Charleston?
The median gross rent for a one-bedroom home in North Charleston, SC is $1,297 (±$50) a month (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
Are renters in North Charleston rent-burdened?
55.4% of renting households in North Charleston pay 30% or more of their income in gross rent, the share housing researchers usually call rent-burdened (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
How many renters are there in North Charleston?
North Charleston has an estimated 24,702 (±1,066) renting households, 50.2% of its occupied homes (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
What is the median household income in North Charleston?
The median household income in North Charleston is $62,956 (±$3,840) a year (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
What is the average home value in North Charleston, SC?
The Census Bureau publishes the median: $302,200 (±$11,654) for owner-occupied homes in North Charleston (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
Is North Charleston growing?
In North Charleston, the number of residents went from 111,501 in 2015–2019 to 119,913 in 2020–2024 (+7.5%), a measurable increase.
What ZIP codes are in North Charleston?
The ZIP codes that cover North Charleston are 29404, 29406, 29405, 29418, 29420, 29456, 29485.
What is the median rent in ZIP code 29404?
The median gross rent in ZIP Code Tabulation Area 29404 is $1,939 (±$128) a month (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
Sources
- Demographic and Housing Estimates (DP05), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — North Charleston city, South Carolina
- Selected Housing Characteristics (DP04), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — North Charleston city, South Carolina
- Selected Economic Characteristics (DP03), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — North Charleston city, South Carolina
- Median Real Estate Taxes Paid by Mortgage Status (B25103), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — North Charleston city, South Carolina
- Selected Social Characteristics (DP02), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — North Charleston city, South Carolina
- Total Population (B01003), 2015–2019 ACS 5-year estimates — North Charleston city, South Carolina
- Median Gross Rent (B25064), 2015–2019 ACS 5-year estimates — North Charleston city, South Carolina
- HUD Fair Market Rents, fiscal year 2027: Charleston-North Charleston, SC MSA
- HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents, fiscal year 2027
- HUD Income Limits, fiscal year 2026: Charleston-North Charleston, SC MSA
- US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates for ZIP Code Tabulation Areas
- FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program, Crime Data Explorer: North Charleston Police Department (ORI SC0100800)
- FBI: Uniform Crime Reporting statistics and their proper use
- Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U), US city average, all items, US Bureau of Labor Statistics: annual averages 2019 and 2024
- US Census Bureau, 2024 Gazetteer Files
To check these figures in the Census Bureau’s own API, request the variables below from the 2024 ACS 5-year data profile (acs/acs5/profile) for North Charleston city, South Carolina (place:50875, in state:45).
Each estimate (E or PE) has a margin of error beside it (M or PM).
The 2015–2019 figures are B01003_001E, B01003_001M, B25064_001E, B25064_001M from the 2019 release.
The API needs a free key.
DP05_0001E, DP05_0001M, DP04_0001E, DP04_0001M, DP04_0047PE, DP04_0047PM, DP04_0134E, DP04_0134M, DP03_0062E, DP03_0062M, DP04_0089E, DP04_0089M
This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.
Figures are published by the US Census Bureau, HUD, the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the FBI; Seayora reproduces them and does not adjust them, except where a sentence says it compares dollar figures after inflation. They describe the whole place, not any one building or street, and are not an appraisal, a rent determination, a tax bill, a safety rating or legal advice.
Figures last updated on .