Dorchester County · South Carolina · South · 120k residents
North Charleston, SC: cost of living, taxes & quality of life
Residential facts for North Charleston: housing, taxes, monthly costs, climate, schools, and household income, with the South Carolina median as the yardstick. Compare it live against any of 3,000 US cities.
Data coverage: ACS place data; supplementary fields may use state estimates.
The acs median home value in North Charleston is $302,200, 5% above the South Carolina median. A two-bedroom rents for about $1,448/mo. Day-to-day costs index at 93 against a national baseline of 100. The median household here earns $62,956 a year.
What the numbers show
Source-confirmed findings- Housing value: The ACS median home value in North Charleston is $302,200, 5% above the median for ACS-covered places in South Carolina.
- Household income: Median household income is $62,956, 14.4% below the median for ACS-covered places in South Carolina.
- Adult education: 28.6% of adults have a bachelor's degree or higher, 20.8% below the median for ACS-covered places in South Carolina.
- Home value to income: The ACS median home value is about 4.8 times median household income. This is a comparison measure, not a mortgage qualification or affordability promise.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 American Community Survey 5-year estimates(2024 ACS 5-year; tables B01003, B15003, B19013, B25077). Geography: Census place where available. This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.
WhereToHQ calculates the comparisons. Figures are estimates for context, not a guarantee or personal financial advice. Read the methodology or send a correction.
What makes this place distinctive
A factual snapshot of the place, based on the profile data. It is not a tourism or cultural claim.
A Lowcountry city with a working port, military history, and a fast-growing arts and food scene.
Known for: Ports, aviation, Riverfront Park, and access to Charleston culture.
Calendar note: The North Charleston Arts Fest is a signature annual event.
Story source: Explore Charleston
- Scale: A mid-sized city with a population between 50,000 and 250,000 in the profile data.
- Setting: The profile places North Charleston about 18 miles from the nearest tracked ocean.
- Climate signal: The profile records 220 sunny days and 0 inches of annual snow.
- Daily pace: The profile records a walk score of 38 and an average commute of 25 minutes.
WhereToHQ derives these signals from the committed city dataset. Read the methodology for coverage and source limits.
Compare North Charleston side by side
Cost of living index
93
ACS median home value
$302,200
2-bedroom rent
$1,448/mo
Median household income
$62,956
Housing momentum
How fast North Charleston's housing market is moving, ranked against the US cities we track.
29/100
Cooling
Ranks North Charleston's home-price and rent 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. Not investment or relocation advice.
Adjusted by North Charleston's cost-of-living index versus the US average.
| ACS median home value | $302,200 |
| Price per sq. ft. | $175 |
| Property tax rate | 0.55% |
| 1-bedroom rent | $1,297/mo |
| 2-bedroom rent | $1,448/mo |
| State & local income tax | 3.39% |
| Sales tax | 7.5% |
| Cost of living index | 93 |
| Groceries index | 98 |
| Utilities | $175/mo |
| Transit pass | $45/mo |
| Gas price | $2.95/gal |
| Healthcare index | 95 |
| Childcare (per child) | $850/mo |
| Median household income | $62,956 |
| Unemployment rate | 3.5% |
| Population | 120k |
| Crime index | 65/100 |
| School rating | 5.0/10 |
| Walkability | 38/100 |
| Disaster risk | 94/100 |
| Avg. commute | 25 min |
| Sunny days / year | 220 days |
| July high | 91°F |
| January low | 39°F |
| Annual snowfall | 0 in |
| Home price YoY | -2.2% |
| Home price MoM | -0.1% |
| Rent YoY | +1.7% |
| Rent MoM | -0.1% |
| Ocean coast | 18 mi |
| Big lake | 104 mi |
| Mountains | 232 mi |
| Major airport | 4 mi |
| Ski resort | 243 mi |
Popular comparisons
Nearby
- Ladson, SC · 16k
- Hanahan, SC · 21k
- Goose Creek, SC · 48k
- Summerville, SC · 52k
- Charleston, SC · 154k
Similar size
- Columbia, SC · 140k
- Mount Pleasant, SC · 94k
- Rock Hill, SC · 75k
- Greenville, SC · 73k
- Sumter, SC · 43k
Real listings in North Charleston
Homes on Zillow ↗Realtor.com ↗Rentals on Zillow ↗Apartments.com ↗
Links open third-party listing searches. WhereToHQ has no paid relationship with these sites.
- What is the cost of living in North Charleston, SC?
- North Charleston indexes at 93 for day-to-day costs against a national baseline of 100, with a typical two-bedroom renting for $1,448/mo and a acs median home value of $302,200.
- How much does a house cost in North Charleston?
- The acs median home value in North Charleston is $302,200, 5% above the South Carolina median (Census ACS estimate; individual listings vary).
- How much is rent in North Charleston?
- A two-bedroom in North Charleston rents for about $1,448/mo.