What percentage of people rent in North Charleston, SC?

Name: Renters and owners in North Charleston, SC, 2020–2024
Creator: US Census Bureau
License: https://www.census.gov/data/developers/about/terms-of-service.html

50.2% (±1.8 points) of the occupied homes in North Charleston, SC are rented (2020–2024 American Community Survey).

That is 24,702 renting households against 24,483 that own their home.

In North Charleston, the share of households that rent went from 55.2% in 2015–2019 to 50.2% in 2020–2024 (−5.0 percentage points), a measurable decrease.

Figures last updated on November 12, 2026.

Households that rent: 50.2% (±1.8 points)
Renting households: 24,702 (±1,066)
Median renter income: $52,172 (±$3,299)

Who rents and who owns in North Charleston

Tenure, estimate (90% margin of error)
	North Charleston	Charleston County	South Carolina	United States
Renter-occupied share	50.2% (±1.8 points)	36.1% (±1.0 points)	28.1% (±0.3 points)	34.8%
Renting households	24,702 (±1,066)	64,625 (±2,013)	595,868 (±5,739)	45,017,354
Owning households	24,483 (±1,080)	114,350 (±1,763)	1,522,121 (±8,375)	84,210,142
Average renter household size	2.2 (±0.1)	2.1 (±0.1)	2.3 (±0.0)	2.3
Average owner household size	2.5 (±0.1)	2.4 (±0.0)	2.5 (±0.0)	2.6
Median renter household income	$52,172 (±$3,299)	$56,259 (±$3,206)	$43,796 (±$694)	$52,966
Median owner household income	$83,285 (±$7,692)	$114,288 (±$2,838)	$82,205 (±$598)	$100,009

In North Charleston, the renter share is higher than in Charleston County (36.1%).

It is also higher than in South Carolina (28.1%).

It is higher than the national figure (34.8%).

In Charleston County, North Charleston ranks 1 of 16 places with a published estimate, from highest to lowest renter share.

Statewide, it ranks 53 of 381.

Rankings use the estimates alone; where margins of error overlap, neighboring ranks may not truly differ.

How renting in North Charleston has changed since 2015–2019

2015–2019 and 2020–2024 American Community Survey 5-year estimates
	2015–2019	2020–2024	Amount of change	Verdict
Households that rent	55.2% (±1.7 points)	50.2% (±1.8 points)	−5.0 percentage points	Measurable decrease
Median gross rent	$1,051 (±$22)	$1,430 (±$30)	+36.1%	Up after inflation
Median household income	$45,510 (±$1,923)	$62,956 (±$3,840)	+38.3%	Up after inflation

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.

Households that rent in places near North Charleston

Nearest places with a published estimate, compared with North Charleston
Place	Distance	Households that rent	Compared with this place
North Charleston	—	50.2% (±1.8 points)	—
Hanahan	3.8 mi	31.9% (±5.0 points)	Lower
Goose Creek	6.2 mi	31.8% (±2.7 points)	Lower
Ladson	6.8 mi	23.4% (±6.2 points)	Lower
Lincolnville	8.1 mi	40.1% (±14.0 points)	Not measurably different
Charleston	8.2 mi	44.4% (±1.7 points)	Lower
Sangaree	8.7 mi	14.9% (±6.2 points)	Lower
Summerville	9.0 mi	30.9% (±3.7 points)	Lower
Ravenel	14 mi	13.5% (±8.1 points)	Lower

Nearby places with a measurably lower figure: Hanahan, SC (31.9%), Goose Creek, SC (31.8%), Ladson, SC (23.4%).

Distance is measured in a straight line between the Census Bureau’s internal points for each place.

Households that rent across Charleston County, place by place

Rank	Place	Households that rent
1	North Charleston	50.2% (±1.8 points)
2	Charleston	44.4% (±1.7 points)
3	Lincolnville	40.1% (±14.0 points)
4	Mount Pleasant	26.4% (±2.8 points)
5	Sullivan's Island	14.7% (±6.0 points)
6	Ravenel	13.5% (±8.1 points)
7	James Island	12.5% (±3.7 points)

Showing 7 of 16 places in Charleston County, ranked from highest to lowest.

Survey years: 2020–2024 (American Community Survey 5-year estimates), compared with 2015–2019.

Margins of error are at the 90% confidence level.

What you can do on Seayora in North Charleston

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Questions about North Charleston

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).

Is renting growing in North Charleston?

In North Charleston, the share of households that rent went from 55.2% in 2015–2019 to 50.2% in 2020–2024 (−5.0 percentage points), a measurable decrease.

How big are renting households in North Charleston?

A renting household in North Charleston has 2.2 people on average, against 2.5 in an owned home.

How much do renters earn in North Charleston?

The median renting household in North Charleston, SC has an income of $52,172 (±$3,299) a year, against $83,285 for households that own their home.

Sources

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) and detailed tables (acs/acs5) 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 DP04_0047PE, DP04_0047PM, B25064_001E, B25064_001M, B19013_001E, B19013_001M from the 2019 release.

The API needs a free key.

Request a Census API key.

DP04_0047PE, DP04_0047PM, DP04_0047E, DP04_0047M, DP04_0046E, DP04_0046M, DP04_0049E, DP04_0049M, DP04_0048E, DP04_0048M, B25119_003E, B25119_003M, B25119_002E, B25119_002M

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.