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, 2009	Median Selling Price, 2009	Average Selling Price, 2009
Total Charleston S.C. MSA		8,178	$182,040	$253,660
Adams Run	29426	3	$124,000	$127,720
Awendaw	29429	9	$400,000	$692,388
Bonneau	29431	26	$117,000	$122,707
Charleston Peninsula	29401	133	$735,000	$1,135,571
Charleston Peninsula	29403	151	$235,000	$270,034
Cross	29436	18	$49,750	$50,270
Daniel Island/ Wando/Cainhoy	29492	254	$263,500	$386,546
Dorchester	29437	10	$90,025	$116,805
Edisto Island	29438	71	$364,000	$413,964
Folly Beach	29439	49	$410,000	$495,565
Goose Creek	29445	653	$154,000	$159,632
Hanahan	29410	212	$185,000	$187,386
Harleyville	29448	5	$138,000	$166,000
Hollywood	29449	52	$195,000	$218,712
Huger	29450	10	$117,500	$149,200
Isle Of Palms	29451	130	$640,000	$907,529
James Island	29412	443	$206,000	$235,998
Jamestown	29453	3	$125,000	$98,300
Johns Island	29455	267	$285,000	$380,513
Ladson	29456	373	$146,000	$142,352
McClellanville	29458	6	$187,500	$266,630
Moncks Corner	29461	345	$168,000	$167,561
Mount Pleasant	29464	584	$279,995	$384,601
Mount Pleasant	29466	577	$320,000	$356,070
North Charleston	29405	170	$124,450	$125,930
North Charleston	29406	191	$136,000	$129,096
North Charleston	29418	174	$124,000	$132,789
North Charleston	29420	380	$160,000	$186,413
Pineville	29468	2	$32,500	$32,500
Pinopolis	29469	4	$239,632	$270,191
Ravenel	29470	13	$160,000	$256,273
Reevesville	29471	4	$50,200	$49,475
Ridgeville	29472	40	$147,804	$130,105
Russellville	29476	1	$45,000	$45,000
St. George	29477	21	$80,000	$111,947
St. Stephen	29479	15	$38,000	$54,640
Sullivans Island	29482	22	$1,000,600	$1,321,645
Summerville	29483	920	$159,000	$170,755
Summerville	29485	775	$165,910	$175,750
Wadmalaw Island	29487	7	$299,000	$288,142
West Ashley	29407	343	$197,500	$237,912
West Ashley	29414	544	$205,000	$212,653
Source: Charleston Trident Association of Realtors, 4/2010.

Charleston S.C. MSA Apartments, Average Monthly Rent by Sub-Market (Feb 2009)

Submarket	1-bedroom unit	2-bedroom unit	3-bedroom unit
Downtown Charleston	$683	$722	$724
West of the Ashley River	$658	$757	$884
Goose Creek	$667	$725	$848
James Island	$822	$949	$1,151
Mount Pleasant	$825	$973	$1,138
North Charleston	$625	$686	$808
Summerville	$634	$746	$867
Total Charleston S.C. MSA	$676	$763	$883
Source: Real Data Inc., www.aptindex.com. The Charleston S.C. MSA has more than 28,000 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.

Latitude	32° 54' N
Longitude	80° 02' W
Average Daily Temperature	65.7° F; 18.7° C
Average Daily High	75.2° F; 24.0° C
Average Daily Low	56.1° F; 13.4° C
Average Days with Sunshine	63%
Average Precipitation	50.08"; 127.2 cm
Average Relative Humidity	86% (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	48.2	9.0	83%	55%	3.18	8.08
February	49.8	9.9	82%	53%	3.14	7.98
March	58.0	14.4	83%	50%	3.94	10.01
April	64.5	18.1	84%	49%	2.73	6.93
May	73.3	22.9	85%	53%	3.55	9.02
June	80.9	27.2	86%	59%	5.72	14.53
July	80.9	27.2	88%	62%	7.31	18.57
August	81.6	27.6	90%	63%	6.84	17.37
September	76.6	24.8	90%	62%	5.35	13.59
October	67.5	19.7	89%	56%	3.07	7.80
November	58.8	14.9	87%	53%	2.30	5.84
December	50.9	10.5	84%	55%	3.02	7.67
Annual	65.9	18.8	86%	56%	50.14	127.36
Source: Southeast Regional Climate Center, 5/2010.

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)	99.4
Grocery Items	109.6
Housing	91.5
Utilities	90.3
Transportation	96.1
Health Care	105.4
Miscellaneous Goods and Services	105.9
U.S. Cities Baseline Index = 100
Source: ACCRA Cost of Living Index, 2009 Annual Average.

Tax Burden, 2008

	South Carolina	United States
State and Local Taxes, Total (Per Capita)	$3,127	$4,283
Property ('07)	$984	$1,278
Sales & Use	$1,045	$1,386
Individual Income	$748	$918
Corporate Income	$72	$167
State and Local Taxes per $1,000 of Personal Income	$97.73	$107.37
Source: TaxFoundation.org, 5/2010

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 Facilities	Contact	Beds/Employees
East Cooper Medical Center	www.eastcoopermedctr.com	130 beds; 560 employees
Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC)	www.musc.edu	700 beds; 11,000 employees
Ralph H. Johnson V.A. Medical Center	www.charleston.va.gov	117 beds; 950 employees
Roper St. Francis Healthcare (Two area hospital facilities plus a third opening late 2010)	www.ropersaintfrancis.com	657 beds; 4,800 employees
Trident Health System (HCA) (Two area hospital facilities)	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.