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Charleston, SC Relocation Guide

Table of Contents

Are you thinking of relocating or retiring to the Charleston, SC area? Charleston is one of the hottest cities in the United States with positive growth and job opportunities.

If so, our Charleston, SC relocation guide is a  user-friendly planning tool to help make your move as smooth as possible.

Relocation Home Search & Realtors

We recommend working with relocation experts who can guide you on the best schools, areas, neighborhoods to fit your lifestyle and budget.

Relocation Experts

Stephen Cooley is a Real Estate Professional that we recommend. He Services the entire Charleston area. For more info contact them at (843) 509-8365
Visit Stephen's Website

Charleston Areas & Districts

The Charleston Metro Area is comprised of three counties: Charleston, Berkeley and Dorchester. The Charleston region is growing 3x faster than the U.S. average, to more than 813,000. A steady stream of well-educated young talent, who come from jobs – or create their own in the local business friendly community.

The median age of 37.6 years old. 

Over 30 people move the the region each day.

 

charleston sc population demographics

 

POPULATION BY RACE
CHARLESTON SC HOUSEHOLD INCOME

Charleston is a beautiful coastal city with over 7 million visitors per year and is a perennial winner of many awards such as:

  • Best Cities in the U.S by Conde Nast Readers Choice Awards
  • 15 Best Cities to Visit in the U.S. – Travel + Leisure
  • and many…many more.

In 2020, Charleston, SC had a population of 137k people with a median age of 35.3 and a median household income of $72,071. Between 2019 and 2020 the population of Charleston, SC grew from 135,257 to 137,041, a 1.32% increase and its median household income grew from $68,438 to $72,071, a 5.31% increase.

 

charleston battery

Mount Pleasant

Located in Charleston County and is the 6th fastest growing city in South Carolina. Take a trip across the Arthur Ravenel, Jr. Bridge and you’re in Mount Pleasant, fast growing suburb of Charleston and city in it’s own right. The median home price of $739,000 is much higher than the area average.

Top areas to visit in Mount Pleasant
  • Shem Creek: home to some of the areas best restaurants and bars.
  • Towne Centre: shopping center that’s very popular with the locals and tourists alike.
  • Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum
  • Boone Hall Plantation

 

Daniel Island

Located in Berkeley County with a total population of about 25,209 people. The median income per household of is significantly higher per household than the national average. The median home sale price is over $1.4 million.

Top areas to visit on Daniel Island
  • Credit One Stadium
  • Area restaurants and shopping are popular here.

 

Awendaw

Located north of Mount Pleasant in Charleston County, Awendaw is a mostly rural area that is fast becoming an area of housing expansion due to high sales prices in Mount Pleasant.

Top areas to visit in Awendaw
  • Francis Marion National Forest
  • Avian Conservation Center | Birds of Prey

 

 

 

West Ashley

Located south of downtown Charleston in Charleston County, West Ashley is a bedroom community which has experienced population growth.

Top areas to visit in West Ashley
  • Citadel Mall
  • Avondale Restaurant and Bar district

James Island

Located in Charleston County to the east of West Ashley and downtown Charleston, this area is a bedroom community of Charleston. 

Top areas to visit on James Island
  • Charleston County Parks

 

angel oak tree charleston

North Charleston, located….you guessed it…North of downtown Charleston is a city in it’s own right. This area is where the majority of hotels are located that visitors stay when visiting the area. In addition, North Charleston is where the Charleston International Airport is located and many industrial factories.

Top areas to visit in North Charleston
  • Northwoods Mall
  • American LaFrance Fire Museum
  • Tanger Outlets
  • Hunley Submarine Museum
  • Riverfront Park
  • Park Circle
  • Breweries

The Charleston area has some of the most beautiful beaches on the east coast! There are 3 main public beaches that are popular with locals and visitors alike

Folly Beach

Located east of James Island and south of downtown Charleston, Folly is a laid back and very popular beach locale. Folly has a thriving nightlife and restaurant scene is the busiest beach in the area. Also known as a “Surfer’s beach” since waves are reported to be the best here when compared to other local beaches.

Sullivans Island Beach

Located east of Mount Pleasant, this barrier island beach area is very popular and is more known as a locals beach. There is limited parking and public restrooms. There are some popular bars and restaurants here however.

Isle of Palms Beach

Isle of Palms is located east of Mount Pleasant and connects via a bridge to Sullivans Island (to the south of Isle of Palms). This is a popular beach with plenty restrictions on alcohol and is known as more of a family beach area. 

morris island lighthouse - folly beach
the Morris Island Lighthouse – located on the north end of Folly Beach

Charleston's Largest Homebuilders by Volume

charleston sc house buying

LARGEST HOME BUILDERS (by Volume)

  1. Lennar
  2. D.R. Horton
  3. PulteGroup
  4. Cresent Homes
  5. Beazer Homes
  6. Dan Ryan Builders
  7. Ashton Woods Homes
  8. Mungo Cos
  9. Eastwood Homes
  10. Sabal Homes

Charleston's Top Employers

LARGEST PUBLIC SECTOR EMPLOYERS: 

  1. Joint Base Charleston (Military) 22,000
  2. Medical University of South Carolina (Medical): 16,000
  3. Charleston County Schools (Education): 5,900
  4. College of Charleston (Education): 2,000
  5. U.S. Postal Service (Postal): 1,700

LARGEST PRIVATE SECTOR EMPLOYERS:

  1. Roper St. Francis Healthcare (Medical): 6,000
  2. The Boeing Company (Aircraft): 5,700
  3. Trident Health (Medical): 2,600
  4. Walmart (Retail): 2,300
  5. Robert Bosch (Manufacturing): 1,600
  6. Mercedes-Benz Vans (Automotive): 1,600
  7. Publix Supermarkets (Grocery): 1,200

Charleston's Hospital Systems

Roper St. Francis hospital
musc hospitals
trident health hospital

Charleston's Higher Education Facilites

college of charleston
citadel military college
charleston southern university
trident tech college

Charleston Events

Events Calendar for Charleston

Lists all the top happenings and events
Click Here

Charleston Tourism & Things to Do

Top Visitor Attractions

Lists all the top things to do
Click Here

Charleston Visitor Magazine

Free to view online and features Charleston's top tours, attractions, events, has coupons and maps
Click Here

Charleston Tour Pass

Save up to 40% off Charleston's top tours & attractions.
Click Here

Free Charleston Printable Map

Beautifully illustrated map of Charleston
Click Here

Request More Info

Would you like more info about moving to the Charleston, SC area? If so, fill out the form below.

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Charleston Tour Pass

Visiting Charleston Just Got Way Easier!

TourPass includes all the top tours and attractions & historic sites. Save up to 40% or more on admissions + skip the lines

Visit TourPass

Charleston FAQ's

Choosing a hotel and where to stay in Charleston all depends on your budget and goals. Do you want to stay Downtown, at the beach or in the outer areas such as North Charleston where you have to drive to get everywhere? For more help on deciding: https://travelerofcharleston.com/articles/hotels/

Charleston has 3 main public beaches which are: Folly, Isle of Palms and Sullivans. Each beach has it’s own atmosphere. The most common beach that people visit is Folly Beach and then Isle of Palms followed by Sullivans Island. For more info on Charleston’s beaches visit: https://travelerofcharleston.com/guide-charlestons-beaches/

Charleston, SC is full of historical things to do. Everything from museums, to public sites and free landmark sites such as Rainbow Row and the Battery can be seen. For more info on Charleston’s top historical sites visit: https://travelerofcharleston.com/places-to-learn-about-charleston-sc-history/

There are many things that will keep the kids and family entertained and educated in Charleston. There are historic sites such as Fort Sumter, a Children’s Museum, Aquarium and the USS Yorktown…a WWII era aircraft carrier you can tour. For more info visit: https://travelerofcharleston.com/charleston-family-fun-activities/

There’s so many  things you could do in Charleston it can be overwhelming. We recommend that first time visitors, checkout the ultimate first-time visitor guide here: https://travelerofcharleston.com/charleston-first-time-visitors-guide/

Spring in Charleston, SC is an amazing time of year to visit. The flowers are blooming and the weather is mild and sunny. For more info, check-out our spring guide to Charleston here: https://travelerofcharleston.com/the-ultimate-guide-to-springtime-in-charleston/

Summer in Charleston is a great time to visit. There’s plenty of things to keep you busy and visiting the beach will probably….or should be on your short-list. Also water-based activities and tours are popular. Checkout this summer guide to Charleston for more info: 

Our 10 Favorite Summer Activities in Charleston

Fall is one of the best times to visit. The weather cools down a bit and the skies are typically blue and clear. In addition there are many great events, festivals and the large crowds of summer have gone back to school or work. For more info on visiting in the fall, checkout this article: https://travelerofcharleston.com/charleston-12-things-to-do-fall/

There are so many great things to do that it’s difficult to narrow the list down. This article does a great job with figuring out the must do things to do in Charleston

7 Can’t Miss Reasons to Visit Charleston, SC Now

The consensus is a minimum of 3-days is needed to settle in and experience Charleston. For instance, many people take 2 days exploring downtown and another day visiting sites outside of downtown such as the plantations, Angel Oak Tree or beaches. Checkout this page for a list of tours and attractions: 

Charleston’s Top Tours & Attractions | Things to do

Downtown Charleston was made for walking and for sure one of the best way to soak up and experience the history first-hand. This article goes over getting around Charleston with and without a car as well: 

Getting Around Charleston, SC

We’re of course partial to Charleston, but here’s the truth. There are many similarities however there are some differences in our opinion: 

  • Both cities are historic and beautiful. 
  • Both cities are extremely walkable. Savannah, with it’s park-like squares maybe more walkable than Charleston. 
  • Charleston has a more established and food scene with many more options. 
  • Charleston has better hotels and shopping.
  • Both cities have equally good tours.
  • Charleston has better beach options. Savannah has Tybee which is great, however it’s 1 beach vibe versus Charleston which has 3 beaches with different vibes. Checkout this Charleston beach guide article: https://travelerofcharleston.com/guide-charlestons-beaches/
  • In Savannah you can walk with alcoholic beverages on the street. This is not allowed in Charleston. This can be good or bad depending on your stance. 
  • Savannah is more affordable.
  • TourPass offers all-inclusive passes in both cities: https://tourpass.com

There are always great and world-class events happening in Charleston. For a calendar of events and things to do in Charleston, checkout our online calendar of events: https://travelerofcharleston.com/events/

Of course there are free money-saving coupons that you can use. Visit the coupons page for a bunch of ways to save: https://travelerofcharleston.com/coupon/

Charleston has some fantastic can’t miss tours such as Fort Sumter, carriage, ghost, harbor, historic and culinary tours. For a full list with more info visit: https://travelerofcharleston.com/attractions/

Checkout the Charleston Relocation Guide page which will guide you during your move: https://travelerofcharleston.com/charleston-sc-relocation-guide/

Additional Places to Explore

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