Best Life Index › States › South Carolina › Cities › Charleston

South Carolina city profile

What Is It Like to Live in Charleston?

What it costs to live in Charleston, and how it compares with other South Carolina cities, in plain numbers.

Value score

47

19th best value in South Carolina

How much you get for what you pay, versus other South Carolina cities.

Overall livability

69

12th overall in South Carolina

Cost, safety, schools, jobs and quality of life combined.

Charleston is home to about 147,928 people. A typical home runs $369,500 and a household earns around $76,600, a price-to-income ratio of 4.8. Among South Carolina's largest cities, it ranks 19th for value and 12th overall.

Charleston at a glance

Median home price

$369,500

35th in SC of 39

Median rent

$1,400/mo

Median household income

$76,600

Home price to income

4.8x

Unemployment

3.4%

8th in SC of 39

School rating

7/10

6th in SC of 39

Air quality (AQI)

45

0th in SC of 39

Walk score

17/100

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‹ See all top South Carolina cities ranked  ยท  South Carolina state profile ›

Sources: Home prices and rent from Zillow; income, unemployment and commute from the U.S. Census; school ratings from state education data; crime from the FBI; air quality from the EPA. City rankings are within South Carolina only. Updated 2026.