Charleston County, South Carolina
Located in South Carolina, Charleston County has a population of 420,264 residents and a median age of 39.2 years, making it the #176 most populous county out of 3,222 nationwide. In terms of economic indicators, the county has a poverty rate of 11.3%. The median home value is $489,100, and the median household income is $88,494, which is 18% above the national median.
Demographics
Charleston County has a population of 420,264, making it the #176 most populous county in the US. The median age is 39.2 years, which is 0.8% above the national median.
Population Trend
Rankings →Year-over-Year Population Growth
Age & Sex Distribution
Race & Ethnicity
Nativity
Geographic Mobility (Past Year)
Economy
The median household income in Charleston County is $88,494, ranking #338 out of 3,222 counties — 17.8% above the national median. The poverty rate is 11.3% and unemployment stands at 3.4%.
Median Household Income Trend
Rankings →Income Distribution
Industry of Employment
Occupation
Housing
The median home value in Charleston County is $489,100 (+73.5% vs national). Renters pay a median of $1,620/mo and the homeownership rate is 63.9%.
Median Home Value Trend
Rankings →Household Type
Education
In Charleston County, 50.3% of adults age 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher, which is 49.4% above the national average, ranking #96 out of 3,222 counties.
Bachelor's Degree or Higher Trend
Rankings →Health & Wellbeing
Life expectancy in Charleston County is 77.9 years. 12.0% of adults report poor or fair health and 9.7% lack health insurance. Data from County Health Rankings (2025).
Life Expectancy Trend
Substance Use
10.1% of adults in Charleston County smoke , 28.8% are obese , and 25.6% report excessive drinking. The drug overdose death rate is 37.6 per 100,000.
Adult Smoking Trend
Safety
The homicide rate in Charleston County is 13.0 per 100,000 and the suicide rate is 15.4 per 100,000. Motor vehicle deaths occur at a rate of 15.1 per 100,000.
Homicide Rate Trend
Families & Children
14.2% of children in Charleston County live in poverty and the infant mortality rate is 6.1 per 1,000 live births. The teen birth rate is 15.8 per 1,000 females age 15–19.
Infant Mortality Trend
Civic & Transportation
Voter turnout in Charleston County is 69.3%. The mean commute time is 27.7 min, which is 0.3% above the national average.
Voter Turnout Trend
Mean Commute Time Trend
Rankings →Elections
In the 2024 presidential election, Charleston County voted Democratic with a margin of 5.6%. The vote was 51.9% Dem / 46.3% Rep. Compared to 2020, the margin shifted 7.3 toward Republicans .
Vote Share Over Time
About Charleston County, South Carolina
Charleston County, South Carolina has a total population of 420,264, making it the 176th most populous county in the United States. The median age in Charleston County is 39.2 years, which is 0.8% above the national median of 38.9 years.
The median household income in Charleston County is $88,494, which ranks #338 of 3,222 counties nationwide. This is 17.8% above the national median of $75,149. The poverty rate is 11.3%, lower than the national rate of 12.6%. The unemployment rate stands at 3.4%.
The median home value in Charleston County is $489,100, 73.5% above the national median. Renters in Charleston County pay a median gross rent of $1,620 per month. The homeownership rate is 63.9%, compared to the national rate of 64.4%.
In Charleston County, 50.3% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 49.4% above the national average of 33.7%. Health insurance coverage stands at 91.7% of the population. The average commute time for workers is 27.7 min.
Charleston County is a diverse community. The largest racial or ethnic group is White (non-Hispanic) at 64.5% of the population, followed by Black (non-Hispanic) (22.7%) and Hispanic or Latino (7.2%).
All data for Charleston County, South Carolina comes from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates. These figures are estimates based on survey sampling and are subject to margin of error. For the most detailed and up-to-date data, visit the Census Bureau's official data portal.