Census Bureau data for Charleston city from the American Community Survey. "Cities" in Census data include incorporated places, towns, villages, and census-designated places (CDPs) — all places where the Census collects community-level estimates.
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023 (released December 2024).
Quick Facts — Charleston city
- What is the median household income in Charleston city?
- The median household income in Charleston city is $35,139 (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023).
- What is the poverty rate in Charleston city?
- The poverty rate in Charleston city is 20.5% (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023).
- What is the median home value in Charleston city?
- $107,700 (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023).
- What is the average rent in Charleston city?
- The median gross rent in Charleston city is $734 per month (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023).
- What percentage of Charleston city residents have a college degree?
- 10.4% of adults in Charleston city hold a bachelor's degree or higher (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023).
Population
4,565
Median Income
$35,139
Median Home Value
$107,700
Poverty Rate
20.5%
Unemployment (ACS 2023)
5.3%
Median Age
42.0 yrs
Since 2019
Median Income:
+$4,566 (+14.9%)
Home Value:
+$35,300 (+48.8%)
Poverty Rate:
-15.7 pp (-43.4%)
Bachelor's+:
-1.1 pp (-9.6%)
Unemployment:
-9.4 pp (-63.9%)
Demographics
Total Population
4,565
Median Age
42.0
Female
39.3%
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino 1.0%
White (non-Hisp.) 37.2%
Black 55.7%
Two or More 7.0%
Hispanic Subgroups (% of total pop.)
Puerto Rican
0.6%
Mexican
0.4%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023
Income & Poverty
Median Household Income
$35,139
±$17,529
-$33,781 vs. state
Per Capita Income
$55,931
Median Family Income
$49,238
Poverty Rate
20.5%
+12.1 pp vs. state
Child Poverty Rate
40.8%
Working-Age Poverty Rate
—
SNAP Recipients
39.1%
Social Security Income
—
Retirement Income
31.1%
Household Income Distribution
< $10k
5.9%
$10–15k
18.2%
$15–25k
16.1%
$25–35k
9.8%
$35–50k
13.7%
$50–75k
17.0%
$75–100k
4.8%
$100–150k
8.3%
$150–200k
3.3%
$200k+
3.0%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023
Housing
Total Housing Units
1,477
Owner-Occupied
50.8%
Renter-Occupied
49.2%
Vacancy Rate
11.0%
Median Home Value
$107,700
-$107,900 vs. state
Median Gross Rent
$734
Owner Cost Burden (30%+)
7.8%
Renter Cost Burden (30%+)
59.4%
Home Value Distribution
< $50k
7.2%
$50–100k
36.3%
$100–200k
34.3%
$200–300k
9.0%
$300–500k
3.4%
Gross Rent Distribution
< $500
28.8%
$500–1k
52.6%
$1–1.5k
17.3%
$3.5k+
1.3%
Vehicle Availability
No vehicle
22.2%
1 vehicle
36.5%
2 vehicles
30.2%
3+
11.0%
Housing Type
Single-fam. det.
72.8%
Single-fam. att.
0.9%
2–4 units
13.8%
5–19 units
0.5%
20+ units
0.9%
Mobile home
1.2%
Housing Age
Pre-1940
11.6%
1940–1969
9.6%
1970–1999
20.4%
2000–2009
3.7%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023
Education
High School or Higher
82.3%
Bachelor's or Higher
10.4%
-21.5 pp vs. state
Graduate Degree
2.2%
Some College / Associate
9.0%
Less Than High School
5.0%
Enrolled in School
—
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023
Employment
Labor Force Participation
36.0%
Unemployment Rate
5.3%
+1.2 pp vs. state
Work from Home
3.9%
Self-Employed
5.9%
Government Workers
19.6%
Private For-Profit
73.8%
Industry
Edu/Health
23.7%
Manufacturing
14.9%
Retail
9.1%
Construction
8.2%
Agriculture
6.9%
Arts/Entmt.
6.7%
Prof. Services
6.5%
Public Admin
6.5%
Transportation
6.3%
Wholesale
4.7%
Finance
3.7%
Information
0.2%
Occupation
Food Prep
28.8%
Sales
23.6%
Management
19.8%
Production
14.7%
Construction
13.0%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023
Commute
Median Travel Time
19.5 min
Drove Alone
78.6%
Carpool
13.6%
Public Transit
0.0%
Work from Home
3.9%
Walked
3.9%
Bicycle
—
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023
Households & Families
Total Households
1,314
Avg. Household Size
2.00
Avg. Family Size
—
Married-Couple Households
30.5%
Single-Mother Households
—
Single-Father Households
—
Living Alone
—
Households with Children
9.0%
Multigenerational
—
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023
Age Distribution
Under 5
3.3%
5–9
4.7%
10–14
7.3%
15–19
6.7%
20–24
4.5%
25–34
14.1%
35–44
15.8%
45–54
13.2%
55–64
10.2%
65–74
6.4%
75–84
9.2%
85+
3.5%
Under 18: 20.3%
Working age (18–64): 79.7%
65 and over: 13.7%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023
Social Characteristics
Immigration
Foreign Born
0.5%
Naturalized Citizen
41.7%
Speaks English Less Than Very Well
0.3%
Veterans & Disability
Veteran
3.2%
With a Disability
17.5%
Cognitive Difficulty
—
Ambulatory Difficulty
—
Health Insurance
Insured
90.2%
Uninsured
9.8%
Employer Insurance
—
Medicaid
—
Medicare
—
Technology & Mobility
Broadband Internet
88.6%
Has a Computer
88.5%
Same House 1 Year Ago
86.9%
Moved from Abroad
0.3%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023