North Charleston, SC Profile: Facts & Data

The City of North Charleston is the 3rd largest city in South Carolina with a population of 123,698 as of July 1, 2024. North Charleston ranks in the upper quartile for Population Density and Diversity Index when compared to the other cities, towns and Census Designated Places (CDPs) in South Carolina. See peer rankings below.

The primary coordinate point for North Charleston is located at latitude 32.8546 and longitude -79.9748 in Charleston County. The formal boundaries for the City of North Charleston encompass a land area of 73.4 sq. miles and a water area of 3.46 sq. miles. Charleston County is in the Eastern time zone (GMT -5).

While the primary coordinates for City of North Charleston are located in Charleston County, it should be noted that the formal boundaries for this community also extend into and Dorchester County.

The City of North Charleston has a C1 Census Class Code which indicates an active incorporated place that does not serve as a county subdivision equivalent. It also has a Functional Status Code of "A" which identifies an active government providing primary general-purpose functions.

South Carolina is one of 20 states where Census County Divisions (CCDs) are used for statistical tracking of subdivisions within each county. The City of North Charleston is located within North Charleston Division of Charleston County.

North Charleston, SC Data & Demographics (As of July 1, 2024)

POPULATION
Total Population	123,698 (100%)
Population in Households	120,443 (97.4%)
Population in Families	93,060 (75.2%)
Population in Group Quarters¹	3,255 ( 2.6%)
Population Density	1,593
Diversity Index²	76


INCOME
Median Household Income	$60,851
Average Household Income	$84,601
% of Income for Mortgage⁴	30%
Per Capita Income	$34,542
Wealth Index⁵	60
Socioeconomic Status Index⁶	Moderate (45.8)

HOUSING
Total HU (Housing Units)	55,246 (100%)
Owner Occupied HU	23,778 (43.0%)
Renter Occupied HU	26,504 (48.0%)
Vacant Housing Units	4,964 ( 9.0%)
Median Home Value	$286,281
Average Home Value	$347,712
Housing Affordability Index³	88

HOUSEHOLDS
Total Households	50,282
Average Household Size	2.40
Family Households	29,484
Average Family Size	3.00

NOTES

Group Quarters - a place where people live or stay in a group living arrangement. Includes college residents halls, nursing facilities, military barracks, and correctional facilities.
The Diversity Index is a scale of 0 to 100 that represents the likelihood that two persons, chosen at random from the same area, belong to different races or ethnic groups. If an area's entire population belongs to one race AND one ethnic group, then the area has zero diversity. An area's diversity index increases to 100 when the population is evenly divided into two or more race/ethnic groups.
The Housing Affordability Index base is 100 and represents a balance point where a resident with a median household income can normally qualify to purchase a median price home. Values above 100 indicate increased affordability, while values below 100 indicate decreased affordability.
The % of Income for Mortgage quantifies the percentage of median household income dedicated to mortgage payments on a home priced at the median value (assuming a 30-year mortgage and a 20% down payment).
The Wealth Index is based on a number of indicators of affluence including average household income and average net worth, but it also includes the value of material possessions and resources. It represents the wealth of the area relative to the national level. Values above or below 100 represent above-average wealth or below-average wealth compared to the national level.
The Socioeconomic Index ranges from zero (lowest relative status) to 100 (highest relative status). This measure quantifies disparities in social position of an area's inhabitants and is built from a broad range of demographic, housing, and socioeconomic inputs. More information on this measure can be found in Esri's SEI tutorial.

North Charleston, SC - Peer Comparisons by Rank and Percentile

The table below compares North Charleston to the other 475 incorporated cities, towns and CDPs in South Carolina by rank and percentile using July 1, 2024 data. The location Ranked # 1 has the highest value. A location that ranks higher than 75% of its peers would be in the 75th percentile of the peer group.

GROWTH RATE / YEAR	2020-2024	2024-2029
Population	1.74%	0.94%
Households	2.15%	1.33%
Families		1.24%
Median Household Income		3.31%
Per Capita Income		3.83%
Owner Occupied HU		1.47%

Variable Description	Rank	Percentile
Total Population	# 3	100th
Population Density	# 62	87th
Median Household Income	# 152	68th
Housing Affordability Index	# 129	27th
Per Capita Income	# 152	68th
Diversity Index	# 16	97th

North Charleston, SC Profile: Facts & Data

North Charleston, South Carolina - Basic Facts

North Charleston, SC Data & Demographics (As of July 1, 2024)

POPULATION

INCOME

HOUSING

HOUSEHOLDS

GROWTH RATE / YEAR

North Charleston, SC - Peer Comparisons by Rank and Percentile

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