Charleston Regional Development Alliance

Berkeley, Charleston & Dorchester Counties

Printed from www.crda.org

Quality of Life

Anyone who's been here understands the Charleston allure. It's no wonder more than 33 new residents are added to the region each day.

In addition to Charleston's acclaimed culture, cuisine, entertainment and beaches, residents here enjoy a diverse range of housing options, one of the most impressive medical hubs in the Southeast, and a mild year-round climate – all at a cost of living below the national average.
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HousingClimateCost of LivingHealthcareArts & Recreation
With 27 incorporated communities, residential areas range from the rural towns of Jamestown and St. George to the vibrant, urban areas of Charleston and North Charleston. The growing demand for housing has spawned a number of new residential opportunities throughout the region, and most price ranges are well represented. For current residential real estate listings, visit the Charleston Trident Association of Realtors.

Charleston S.C. MSA Residential Home Sales by Zip Code Area

Area Name  Zip Code  Residential Units Sold, 2011  Median Selling Price, 2011  Average Selling Price, 2011 
Total Charleston S.C. MSA 9054 $159,275 $235,777
Adams Run 29426 4 $122,550 $143,775
Awendaw 29429 14 $156,550 $353,410
Bonneau 29431 27 $96,000 $109,328
Charleston Peninsula 29401 189 $560,000 $803,041
Charleston Peninsula 29403 217 $220,000 $256,405
Cross 29436 10 $53,250 $75,300
Daniel Island/ Wando/Cainhoy 29492 385 $330,000 $419,583
Dorchester 29437 8 $98,500 $95,050
Edisto Island 29438 93 $344,000 $393,123
Folly Beach 29439 86 $400,000 $431,543
Goose Creek 29445 644 $135,000 $138,230
Hanahan 29410 199 $171,900 $183,469
Harleyville 29448 6 $68,750 $62,983
Hollywood 29449 43 $171,500 $171,667
Huger 29450 11 $134,900 $136,100
Isle Of Palms 29451 182 $615,500 $740,833
James Island 29412 533 $185,000 $219,014
Jamestown 29453 3 $125,000 $91,800
Johns Island 29455 437 $210,000 $328,540
Ladson 29456 365 $130,000 $123,749
McClellanville 29458 10 $119,250 $128,850
Moncks Corner 29461 387 $164,000 $163,437
Mount Pleasant 29464 745 $309,000 $368,788
Mount Pleasant 29466 709 $315,000 $362,526
North Charleston 29405 178 $57,330 $88,472
North Charleston 29406 214 $110,000 $100,741
North Charleston 29418 177 $92,900 $106,300
North Charleston 29420 284 $162,000 $177,955
Pineville 29468 1 $48,000 $48,000
Pinopolis 29469 4 $122,750 $259,375
Ravenel 29470 17 $241,500 $214,298
Reevesville 29471 5 $55,000 $118,900
Ridgeville 29472 46 $164,922 $167,096
St. George 29477 25 $89,000 $101,147
St. Stephen 29479 12 $59,332 $68,786
Sullivans Island 29482 38 $1,272,500 $1,376,034
Summerville 29483 1012 $163,356 $176,945
Summerville 29485 735 $162,800 $171,235
Wadmalaw Island 29487 20 $414,000 $490,970
West Ashley 29407 303 $165,000 $213,284
West Ashley 29414 676 $182,500 $194,117
Source: Charleston Trident Association of Realtors, 6/2012.

Charleston S.C. MSA Apartments, Average Monthly Rent by Sub-Market

Submarket  1-bedroom unit  2-bedroom unit  3-bedroom unit 
Downtown Charleston $681 $698 $696
West of the Ashley River $647 $755 $877
Goose Creek $651 $705 $863
James Island $809 $963 $1,086
Mount Pleasant $882 $1,014 $1,146
North Charleston $593 $659 $767
Summerville $634 $726 $868
Total Charleston S.C. MSA $674 $755 $874
Source: Real Data Inc.'s March 2010 study, www.aptindex.com, 9/2010. The Charleston S.C. MSA has more than 29,000 rental apartment units. Average monthly rent prices exclude all utilities except water.


For information on current residential real estate offerings, visit the Charleston Trident Association of Realtors.
The climate of greater Charleston is considered "temperate to subtropical." On average, the region enjoys 230 days of sunshine each year, and the average growing season lasts 294 days.

Latitude32° 54' N
Longitude80° 02' W
Average Daily Temperature65.7° F; 18.7° C
Average Daily High75.2° F; 24.0° C
Average Daily Low56.1° F; 13.4° C
Average Days with Sunshine63%
Average Precipitation50.08"; 127.2 cm
Average Relative Humidity86% (AM); 56% (PM)


Monthly Averages, Charleston International Airport, Charleston S.C. MSA

Month  Temp (°F)  Temp (°C)  Relative Humidity (AM)  Relative Humidity (PM)  Precipitation (inches)  Precipitation (centimeters) 
January 49.2 9.6 83% 55% 3.17 8.05
February 51.3 10.7 82% 53% 3.12 7.92
March 57.7 14.3 83% 50% 3.95 10.03
April 64.9 18.3 84% 49% 2.69 6.83
May 72.7 22.6 85% 53% 3.51 8.92
June 78.8 26.0 86% 59% 5.73 14.55
July 81.5 27.5 88% 62% 7.34 18.64
August 80.7 27.1 90% 63% 6.89 17.50
September 76.3 24.6 90% 62% 5.36 13.61
October 66.8 19.3 89% 56% 3.02 7.67
November 57.9 14.4 87% 53% 2.27 5.77
December 50.9 10.5 84% 55% 2.99 7.59
Annual 65.7 18.7 86% 56% 50.04 127.10
Source: Southeast Regional Climate Center, 5/2013.
Compared to many other thriving coastal communities, Charleston offers a reasonable cost of living according to the ACCRA Cost of Living Index. This quarterly survey compares relative living costs for middle-management households among U.S. metropolitan areas and cities. Charleston residents also get a break when it comes to taxes, with the area's state and local tax burden significantly lower than the national average.

Charleston, S.C. MSA Cost of Living Index

All Items (Composite) 98.4
    Grocery Items 106.0
    Housing 85.4
    Utilities 113.2
    Transportation 95.8
    Health Care 105.2
    Miscellaneous Goods and Services 101.4
U.S. Cities Baseline Index = 100
Source: ACCRA Cost of Living Index, www.coli.org, 2012 Annual Average.


Tax Burden

  South Carolina  United States 
State and Local Taxes, Total (Per Capita) $2,742 $4,160
    Property $970 $1,388
    Sales & Use $686 $953
    Individual Income $617 $886
    Corporate Income $55 $151
Source: TaxFoundation.org, 8/2012


The South Carolina tax average is lower than the United States for property, sales & use, individual and corporate income. For more information on state and local tax structure, visit Taxes & Incentives or Personal Taxes.
With more than 2,000 physicians and a strong commitment to medical research, the Charleston region offers a vital health and wellness community. Several nationally recognized hospital systems serve the region, as well as numerous medical centers considered among the best in the United States. In all, more than 30,000 people are employed by the local healthcare industry.

Major Hospitals & Medical Facilities

Hospitals / Medical FacilitiesContactBeds/Employees
East Cooper Medical Center
First hospital in South Carolina to achieve five Gold Seals of Approval for heath care quality from The Joint Commission, a national health care accrediting organization.
www.eastcoopermedctr.com 130 beds; 560 employees
Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC)
Named "One of America's Best Hospitals" by U.S. News & World Report with nearly 300 MUSC Health physicians on the prestigious Best Doctors in America list.
www.musc.edu 700 beds; 11,000 employees
Ralph H. Johnson V.A. Medical Center
Conducting prominent research focused on post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), substance abuse, affective disorders, and mental health diseases associated with aging such as Alzheimer's disease.
www.charleston.va.gov 117 beds; 950 employees
Roper St. Francis Healthcare Three area hospital facilities
Ranked among the Top 100 Integrated Health Networks in the nation, earning 96 national awards recognizing high levels of patient, physician and employee satisfaction.
www.ropersaintfrancis.com 657 beds; 4,800 employees
Trident Health System (HCA) Two area hospital facilities
Offering a state-of-the-art da Vinci Surgical System, a robot that allows surgeons to perform extensive surgery with very small incisions.
www.tridenthealthsystem.com 390 beds; 2,500 employees
Naval Health Clinic Charleston www.med.navy.mil/sites/chas 87 employees
Source: Center for Business Research, 04/2010
Charleston area residents actively support the performing and visual arts – including a world-class symphony orchestra, a ballet company, several stage companies, a number of museums and a growing base of art galleries. In fact, AmericanStyle magazine lists the Charleston area as one of the top 10 art destinations in the United States.

For the outdoors enthusiast, acres of freshwater lakes, a large national forest, miles of beaches and 160 parks provide the perfect setting for numerous outdoor activities, including sailing, kayaking, fishing, hiking, hunting, windsurfing and water skiing.

To learn more about lifestyle options in the Charleston region, visit our Living & Working Here section.