Goose Creek, SC — Momentum Score, Home Values & Best-For

All states·South Carolina·Goose Creek

Berkeley County · Charleston-North Charleston · population 50,352

Growing fast
Goose Creek, SC
Image: Wikipedia · Goose Creek, South Carolina
OverviewCost of livingMoving guide
View watchlist →
68
Rising
Momentum score · 0–100

Where Goose Creek stands

At or near all-time high. population growing 2.3% per year.

Median home $323,626
1-year -0.9%
5-yr CAGR +6.0%
vs 5-yr peak -1.0%
Population +2.3%/yr

Home value trajectory · last 10 years

Zillow ZHVI · monthly
peak 2025-03$324k$154k$216k$278k$340k201620182020202220242026

Lifestyle scores

🚶
Walkability
25/100
Very car-dependent
Estimated from population density. Higher = denser, more amenities within walking distance.
🚉
Public transit
22/100
Transit limited
Curated list of major US transit systems + population-based estimate. Higher = real subway/rail/bus options.
💻
Remote work fit
88/100
Excellent for remote work
Composite of city size, housing cost, state tax structure, and region's remote-work track record.

Scores are heuristic estimates from population density, state, and known transit/walkable cities. Not based on a paid Walk Score / Transit Score API — see methodology for the formula.

Rent trajectory · last 5 years

Zillow ZORI · monthly
$1,782/mo$1,178$1,536$1,894202220242026

Home value vs rent · indexed to 100

Both rebased at first month of ZORI data (~2015)
Home valueRent134142100120140202220242026

Rent vs buy

Price-to-rent ratio: 15.1
Lean buy

At a 15.1 price-to-rent ratio, Goose Creek is in the 'depends on horizon' zone. Buy if you'll be there 5+ years and value flexibility on the home; rent if you might move, want zero maintenance friction, or expect rates to drop.

How the momentum score breaks down

methodology →
Home YoY
45 · w22%
Home 5-yr CAGR
69 · w22%
Distance from peak
84 · w18%
Population growth
83 · w16%
Rent YoY
62 · w12%
Home 10-yr CAGR
74 · w10%
Long thesis

Goose Creek has been growing population at 2.3% per year while home values compounded +6.0% annually. Demand-driven appreciation — the kind that persists as long as people keep showing up, which they currently are.

Short thesis

Goose Creek's bear case is the boring one: the cycle is real and any market that's run hard can stall. Watch for slowing population growth, rising days-on-market, or builder discounts as the early warning signals.

About Goose Creek

Goose Creek is a city in Berkeley County, South Carolina, with an estimated population of 50,352. It anchors the Charleston-North Charleston metro area. The population has grown 2.3% per year on average between 2020 and 2024 — among the faster-growing communities in the state. The median home value in Goose Creek is $323,626 as of 2026-04, down 0.9% over the last 12 months. Over the last five years, home values have averaged +6.0% annual growth, with prices at or near the 5-year peak. Rents in Goose Creek average $1,782 per month, roughly flat year-over-year (+2.5%). The composite momentum score is 68 of 100 (Rising). The market is healthy with prices supported by underlying demand.

▲ Bull case

●People are voting with their feet: population growing 2.3% per year since 2020 — that’s faster than ~80% of US cities.
●Healthy 5-year run: +6.0% annualized over 5 years, outpacing US inflation.
●Held the highs: currently -1.0% from the 5-year peak — this market refused to give back gains.

▼ Bear case

○Local nuance: city-level data smooths over neighborhood differences. School zones, HOA rules, and street-level character matter — visit before deciding.

About Goose Creek (Wikipedia)

Goose Creek is the most populous city in Berkeley County in the U.S. state of South Carolina. The population was 45,946 at the 2020 census, making it the 7th-most populous city in the state. Most of Naval Support Activity Charleston is in Goose Creek. As defined by the U.S. Office of Management and Budget, and used only by the U.S. Census Bureau and other federal agencies for statistical purposes, Goose Creek is included within the Charleston-North Charleston, SC Metropolitan Statistical Area.

Source: Wikipedia · this summary is contributed and licensed under CC-BY-SA.

City facts

Area42.84 sq mi
Elevation13 ft
Incorporated1961
Motto"Small Town Vibe. Big Time Recreation."
Density1085.01/sq mi
Named forA creek resembling a goose

Extracted from the Wikipedia infobox. Values may be slightly out of date relative to the latest sources.

Playbook

Buyer

You're not in a frenzy but you're not getting bargains either. Make a competitive offer with normal inspection terms. Don't lowball — the listing will move with or without you.

Seller

Price at fair market value; expect movement in 30-45 days. Don't get clever with terms (rent-back, contingencies) — buyers in a Rising market have options.

Investor

Appreciation tailwind exists but cash flow requires discipline on price. Run the numbers conservatively and confirm rent comps before committing.

Local safety & alerts

No active National Weather Service alerts for Berkeley County right now.

NWS active alerts (SC)South Carolina Emergency ManagementHow to prepare (NWS)

Public-safety links are official .gov sources, not curated by us. Berkeley County routes NWS alerts; check the state EM portal for non-weather emergencies.

Cities like Goose Creek

Myrtle Beach, SC61 · StableNorth Myrtle Beach, SC66 · RisingHanahan, SC74 · RisingLexington, SC69 · Rising

Run the numbers for Goose Creek

ToolCan I afford Goose Creek?Income → city shortlistToolROI on a Goose Creek rentalCap rate, cash-on-cash, DSCRToolCompare Goose Creek to anywhereSide-by-side up to 3 citiesToolGoose Creek cost-of-livingEquivalent income elsewhere

Sources: Zillow ZHVI (home values), Zillow ZORI (rents), US Census ACS + place population. Updated when source agencies publish revisions.

Climate & natural-disaster risk

Winter (Jan)
57° / 36°
avg high / low
Summer (Jul)
91° / 71°
avg high / low
Sunny days/yr
220
~60% of year
Annual precip
50″ rain
2″ snow
Disaster risk (1=very low, 5=very high)
Hurricane
High
Tornado
Moderate
Wildfire
Low
Earthquake
Low
Flood
High

State-level averages from NOAA Climate Normals (1991-2020) and FEMA National Risk Index. City-level conditions can vary significantly within a state.

Current weather

Loading current conditions…

7-day forecast on weather.gov →

Find rentals & listings

Open current Goose Creek listings on the major real-estate sites.

Links open the live search on the destination site — results are always current.

Local news & community

Updated 2026-05-21 from Google News + Reddit RSS. Headlines link to original sources.

Local sports teams

Major professional teams the Charleston-North Charleston area cheers for. Detailed stats, schedules, and player pages on intherafters.com.

Local economy & environment

Humidity
73%
Humid climate
Median household income
$63,600
South Carolina state median
Top industries (state-level)
Manufacturing (auto)TourismHealthcare

Humidity is annual average relative humidity (NOAA). Income is Census ACS 5-year estimate. Industries are largest employment sectors statewide (BLS); the local mix in a given city may vary.

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