Charleston County · South Carolina · South · 154k residents
Charleston, SC: economy, jobs & business costs
The site-selection read on Charleston: labor costs, talent, corporate tax, energy, and business activity, with the South Carolina median as the yardstick. Compare it live against any of 3,000 US cities.
Data coverage: Curated city row; coverage varies by fact.
Average weekly wages in the surrounding labor market run $1,389/wk. South Carolina's corporate income tax rate is 5%. Commercial electricity averages 10.6¢/kWh.
Compare Charleston side by side
Avg. weekly wage
$1,389/wk
Corporate income tax
5%
Bachelor's degree or higher
58.3%
Commercial electricity
10.6¢/kWh
Economic momentum
How fast Charleston's economy is moving, ranked against the US cities we track.
78/100
Heating
Ranks Charleston's residential building-permit and jobs growth against the US cities we cover. The label is relative pace, not a direction, so a market can rank low while some figures still rise. A higher score moves faster, it is not cheaper or better. This is economic activity, not commercial lease rates or vacancy. Not investment or relocation advice.
| Median home value | $550,000 |
| Price per sq. ft. | $320 |
| Property tax rate | 0.5% |
| 1-bedroom rent | $1,750/mo |
| 2-bedroom rent | $2,050/mo |
| State & local income tax | 3.39% |
| Sales tax | 9% |
| Corporate income tax | 5% |
| Avg. weekly wage | $1,389/wk |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 58.3% |
| Commercial electricity | 10.6¢/kWh |
| Businesses per 1k residents | 52.6/1k |
| Wage: Software developer | $132,150 |
| Wage: Registered nurse | $92,800 |
| Wage: General manager | $109,260 |
| Wage: Customer service | $44,000 |
| Wage: Warehouse worker | $36,620 |
| Wage: Heavy truck driver | $55,150 |
| Wage: Electrician | $59,010 |
| Wage: Retail salesperson | $34,090 |
| Cost of living index | 108 |
| Groceries index | 103 |
| Utilities | $185/mo |
| Transit pass | $40/mo |
| Gas price | $3.00/gal |
| Healthcare index | 100 |
| Childcare (per child) | $1,150/mo |
| Median household income | $78,000 |
| Unemployment rate | 3% |
| Population | 154k |
| Crime index | 42/100 |
| School rating | 6.5/10 |
| Walkability | 41/100 |
| Disaster risk | 99/100 |
| Avg. commute | 25 min |
| Sunny days / year | 230 days |
| July high | 88°F |
| January low | 44°F |
| Annual snowfall | — |
| Home price YoY | +0.7% |
| Home price MoM | 0.0% |
| Rent YoY | +2.5% |
| Rent MoM | +0.3% |
| Employment (jobs) YoY | +1.8% |
| Building permits YoY | +14.6% |
| Ocean coast | 5 mi |
| Big lake | 118 mi |
| Mountains | 245 mi |
| Major airport | 10 mi |
| Ski resort | 256 mi |
Popular comparisons
Nearby
- Mount Pleasant, SC · 94k
- Hanahan, SC · 21k
- North Charleston, SC · 120k
- Goose Creek, SC · 48k
- Ladson, SC · 16k
Similar size
- Columbia, SC · 140k
- Rock Hill, SC · 75k
- Greenville, SC · 73k
- Summerville, SC · 52k
- Sumter, SC · 43k
Real listings in Charleston
LoopNet ↗Crexi ↗CommercialCafe ↗
Links open third-party listing searches. WhereToHQ has no paid relationship with these sites.
- Is Charleston a good place to run a business?
- South Carolina's corporate income tax rate is 5%; average weekly wages in the surrounding labor market run $1,389/wk; commercial electricity averages 10.6¢/kWh. Weigh these against your own priorities in the business comparison tool.
- What is the cost of living in Charleston, SC?
- Charleston indexes at 108 for day-to-day costs against a national baseline of 100, with a typical two-bedroom renting for $2,050/mo and a median home value of $550,000.
- How much does a house cost in Charleston?
- The median home value in Charleston is $550,000 (compiled estimate; individual listings vary).
- How much is rent in Charleston?
- A two-bedroom in Charleston rents for about $2,050/mo.