North Charleston, SC

All states·South Carolina·North Charleston

Charleston County · Charleston-North Charleston · population 126,005

Growing fast
North Charleston, SC
OverviewCost of livingMoving guide
View watchlist →
67
Rising
Momentum score · 0–100

Where North Charleston stands

Population growing 2.3% per year.

Median home $313,219
1-year -2.3%
5-yr CAGR +6.7%
vs 5-yr peak -2.4%
Population +2.3%/yr

Home value trajectory · last 10 years

Zillow ZHVI · monthly
peak 2025-02$313k$137k$203k$268k$334k201620182020202220242026

Lifestyle scores

🚶
Walkability
35/100
Car-dependent
Estimated from population density. Higher = denser, more amenities within walking distance.
🚉
Public transit
30/100
Minimal transit
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
$1,707/mo$1,135$1,482$1,830202220242026

Home value vs rent · indexed to 100

Both rebased at first month of ZORI data (~2015)
Home valueRent138141100120140202220242026

Rent vs buy

Price-to-rent ratio: 15.3
Lean buy

At a 15.3 price-to-rent ratio, North Charleston 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
38 · w22%
Home 5-yr CAGR
73 · w22%
Distance from peak
75 · w18%
Population growth
83 · w16%
Rent YoY
63 · w12%
Home 10-yr CAGR
80 · w10%
Long thesis

North Charleston has been growing population at 2.3% per year while home values compounded +6.7% annually. Demand-driven appreciation — the kind that persists as long as people keep showing up, which they currently are.

Short thesis

North Charleston'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 North Charleston

North Charleston is a city in Charleston County, South Carolina, with an estimated population of 126,005. 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 North Charleston is $313,219 as of 2026-04, down 2.3% over the last 12 months. Over the last five years, home values have averaged +6.7% annual growth (-2.4% from the 5-year peak). Rents in North Charleston average $1,707 per month, roughly flat year-over-year (+2.8%). The composite momentum score is 67 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: +6.7% annualized over 5 years, outpacing US inflation.
●Held the highs: currently -2.4% from the 5-year peak — this market refused to give back gains.

▼ Bear case

●Cooling: -2.3% over the trailing year — momentum has stalled.
○Local nuance: city-level data smooths over neighborhood differences. School zones, HOA rules, and street-level character matter — visit before deciding.

About North Charleston (Wikipedia)

North Charleston is a city in Berkeley, Charleston, and Dorchester counties in the U.S. state of South Carolina. As of the 2020 census, North Charleston had a population of 114,852, making it the third-most populous city in the state, and the 248th-most populous city in the United States. North Charleston is a principal city within the Charleston-North Charleston, SC Metropolitan Statistical Area, which had an estimated population of 849,417 in 2023.

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

City facts

Area81.06 sq mi
Elevation39 ft
IncorporatedJune 12, 1972
Density1527.8/sq mi
Named forBeing north of Charleston

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 Charleston 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. Charleston County routes NWS alerts; check the state EM portal for non-weather emergencies.

Cities like North Charleston

Myrtle Beach, SC61 · StableGoose Creek, SC68 · RisingNorth Myrtle Beach, SC66 · RisingRock Hill, SC63 · Rising

Run the numbers for North Charleston

ToolCan I afford North Charleston?Income → city shortlistToolROI on a North Charleston rentalCap rate, cash-on-cash, DSCRToolCompare North Charleston to anywhereSide-by-side up to 3 citiesToolNorth Charleston 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 North Charleston 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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