County profile · South Carolina
Charleston County, SC market data
Population, household spending and competition for 56 business types in Charleston County, each scored against other counties.
- Population, 2025
- 436,200
- +6.4% since 2020
- Households
- 178,975
- Median household income
- $88,494
- +38.2% vs. 2015–2019, before inflation
- Median home value
- $489,100
- Jobs located here
- 279,531
- Highest market score
- 77
- Electricians, #75 of 1,160 scored counties
A site report maps the competitors on map listings around any address in Charleston County by name and distance, and the households and spending within reach. Or open the report at the center of Charleston County. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
Free10 actions over 3 days, no cardSurvey estimates 2020–2024 · population estimates 2025 · official business counts 2023 · map listings September 2026 · Data credits · How we measure
What this means
An estimated 436,200 people live in Charleston County, in 178,975 households. Between 2020 and 2025, the population of Charleston County grew 6.4%, faster than the U.S. (+3.1%). The median household income in Charleston County is $88,494 a year, 10% above the U.S. median of $80,734. That rose 38.2% from the 2015–2019 survey, before inflation.
Set against the U.S., households in Charleston County spend the most on vehicle insurance (an index of 118, where 100 is the U.S. average) and the least on vehicle maintenance and repairs (92).
The highest Groundwork market scores in Charleston County are for electricians (77), child care centers and preschools (74) and gas stations (72). Charleston County ranks #75 of 1,160 scored counties for electricians.
Charleston County is part of the Charleston-North Charleston metro area. For its number of households, Charleston County has the most map listings, relative to the U.S., for pest control companies (2.5 times the U.S. rate) and the fewest for tire shops (18% below the U.S. rate).
All 56 business types in Charleston County
Highest Groundwork market score first. Each score compares Charleston County with other counties for that business type, from 0 to 100. Spending per listing divides a whole spending line (all vehicle repairs, all eating out) by one type’s listings: the demand for each competitor, not a business’s revenue. Compare it across markets with its index, where 100 is the U.S. figure for the same type; the real estate types, whose line is all housing costs, show the index only. How the score works.
| Business type | Score | Rank among counties | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Spending per listing vs. U.S. (100) | Official establishments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electricians | 77 | #75 of 1,160 | 44 | 2.5 | $13.1M | 109 | 93 |
| Child care and preschools | 74 | #177 of 1,611 | 87 | 4.9 | $1.2M | 120 | 100 |
| Gas stations | 72 | #346 of 2,358 | 180 | 10.1 | $2.7M | 114 | 128 |
| Convenience stores | 68 | #503 of 2,261 | 186 | 10.4 | $6.2M | 79 | 46 |
| Laundromats | 66 | #199 of 785 | 27 | 1.5 | $14.1M | 113 | 14 |
| Roofing and gutters | 64 | #293 of 1,177 | 82 | 4.6 | $7M | 83 | 34 |
| Tire shops | 64 | #419 of 1,530 | 56 | 3.1 | $2.8M | 113 | 26 |
| Pizza | 64 | #509 of 2,090 | 141 | 7.9 | $5.4M | 107 | 414 |
| Pet stores | 63 | #266 of 974 | 35 | 2.0 | $5.2M | 116 | 25 |
| Funeral homes | 63 | #404 of 1,472 | 33 | 1.8 | $706K | 104 | 22 |
| HVAC and plumbing | 63 | #407 of 1,707 | 143 | 8.0 | $4M | 85 | 151 |
| Home repair trades | 63 | #468 of 2,057 | 269 | 15.0 | $2.1M | 88 | 278 |
| Grocery and convenience stores | 61 | #770 of 2,402 | 402 | 22.5 | $2.9M | 85 | 149 |
| Collision repair and body shops | 60 | #434 of 1,327 | 47 | 2.6 | $3.4M | 109 | 43 |
| Landscaping and lawn care | 60 | #475 of 1,493 | 135 | 7.5 | $2.2M | 75 | 184 |
| Oil change and quick lube | 58 | #178 of 479 | 13 | 0.7 | $12.1M | 88 | 11 |
| Pet grooming and boarding | 58 | #536 of 1,461 | 92 | 5.1 | $2M | 78 | 54 |
| Auto repair shops | 58 | #811 of 2,378 | 331 | 18.5 | $477K | 107 | 165 |
| Home inspectors | 57 | #143 of 415 | 17 | 0.9 | Index only | 66 | 9 |
| Pet businesses | 57 | #783 of 2,200 | 256 | 14.3 | $717K | 82 | 153 |
| Grocery stores | 57 | #785 of 2,070 | 141 | 7.9 | $8.2M | 88 | 103 |
| Fast food and sandwich shops | 57 | #867 of 2,222 | 266 | 14.9 | $2.9M | 94 | 414 |
| Auto repair and car care | 55 | #984 of 2,401 | 572 | 32.0 | $276K | 103 | 253 |
| Barbershops | 52 | #657 of 1,356 | 109 | 6.1 | $1.6M | 87 | 15 |
| Nail salons | 50 | #715 of 1,328 | 133 | 7.4 | $1.3M | 81 | 41 |
| Veterinarians | 50 | #761 of 1,485 | 105 | 5.9 | $1.7M | 64 | 74 |
| Coffee shops and cafes | 50 | #1,020 of 2,063 | 266 | 14.9 | $2.9M | 77 | 115 |
| Car washes and detailing | 49 | #744 of 1,451 | 62 | 3.5 | $2.5M | 101 | 43 |
| House cleaning | 48 | #467 of 847 | 62 | 3.5 | $4.8M | 74 | 151 |
| Bakeries and dessert shops | 48 | #1,015 of 1,889 | 240 | 13.4 | $3.2M | 77 | 126 |
| Martial arts and dance studios | 47 | #766 of 1,334 | 115 | 6.4 | $1.4M | 72 | 55 |
| Insurance agencies | 47 | #1,229 of 2,272 | 319 | 17.8 | $1.3M | 103 | 232 |
| Lawn, cleaning and pest control | 45 | #1,073 of 1,771 | 259 | 14.5 | $1.1M | 68 | 388 |
| Hair salons | 41 | #1,611 of 2,339 | 529 | 29.6 | $339K | 79 | 170 |
| Dry cleaners | 40 | #356 of 507 | 34 | 1.9 | $11.2M | 72 | 31 |
| Primary care and pediatrics | 39 | #1,188 of 1,656 | 170 | 9.5 | $1.3M | 73 | 459 |
| Gyms | 39 | #1,281 of 1,792 | 212 | 11.8 | $785K | 60 | 93 |
| Restaurants and cafes | 39 | #1,677 of 2,405 | 2,842 | 158.8 | $269K | 72 | 1,194 |
| Pest control | 38 | #517 of 699 | 62 | 3.5 | $4.8M | 47 | 53 |
| Optometrists and eye care | 38 | #956 of 1,302 | 130 | 7.3 | $1.7M | 54 | 39 |
| Gyms, studios and classes | 38 | #1,573 of 2,088 | 414 | 23.1 | $402K | 61 | 148 |
| Sit-down restaurants | 38 | #1,745 of 2,405 | 1,631 | 91.1 | $468K | 71 | 657 |
| Spas and skin care | 37 | #1,379 of 1,769 | 311 | 17.4 | $576K | 66 | 65 |
| Salons, barbers and spas | 37 | #1,880 of 2,385 | 1,116 | 62.4 | $160K | 75 | 293 |
| Chiropractors | 36 | #1,136 of 1,490 | 173 | 9.7 | $1.3M | 53 | 80 |
| Clothing and shoe stores | 36 | #1,557 of 2,087 | 626 | 35.0 | $609K | 48 | 357 |
| Clothing, shoes and laundry | 36 | #1,680 of 2,210 | 828 | 46.3 | $460K | 52 | 402 |
| Physical therapy | 35 | #1,115 of 1,422 | 156 | 8.7 | $1.4M | 59 | 104 |
| Yoga, Pilates and fitness studios | 33 | #659 of 777 | 87 | 4.9 | $1.9M | 47 | 93 |
| Dentists and orthodontists | 33 | #1,563 of 1,886 | 291 | 16.3 | $761K | 77 | 229 |
| Real estate agents and brokers | 33 | #1,953 of 2,176 | 1,181 | 66.0 | Index only | 46 | 605 |
| Real estate | 33 | #1,992 of 2,229 | 1,488 | 83.1 | Index only | 46 | 1,054 |
| Urgent care and walk-in clinics | 32 | #269 of 325 | 17 | 0.9 | $13M | 53 | 31 |
| Property management | 32 | #770 of 910 | 118 | 6.6 | Index only | 45 | 209 |
| Mortgage brokers and lenders | 31 | #774 of 887 | 172 | 9.6 | Index only | 44 | 71 |
| Doctors, dentists and clinics | 31 | #2,072 of 2,394 | 2,395 | 133.8 | $92K | 61 | 942 |
Household spending in Charleston County
What households here spend in a year on each line, in total and per household, with the index against the U.S. average (100).
| Spending line | A year, all households | Per household | Index vs. U.S. (100) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vehicle maintenance and repairs | $157.8M | $882 | 92 |
| Gasoline and other fuels | $487.7M | $2,725 | 105 |
| Food away from home | $763.5M | $4,266 | 105 |
| Groceries | $1.2B | $6,433 | 102 |
| Personal care products and services | $179.1M | $1,001 | 100 |
| Child care and other personal services | $104.4M | $583 | 100 |
| Memberships, classes and admissions | $166.3M | $929 | 95 |
| Medical and dental services | $221.4M | $1,237 | 96 |
| Pets | $183.6M | $1,026 | 113 |
| Clothing, shoes and related services | $381.2M | $2,130 | 104 |
| Vehicle insurance | $413.9M | $2,313 | 118 |
| Home repairs, maintenance and insurance | $577.6M | $3,227 | 107 |
| Lawn care, cleaning and other household services | $295.1M | $1,649 | 117 |
| Rent and homeowner costs | $3B | $16,548 | 99 |
Household spending is estimated from the incomes of the households in each neighborhood, using what households at each income spent nationally in 2024, adjusted for the region. It counts what residents spend, wherever they spend it.
Population and households in Charleston County
- Population, 2025 estimate
- 436,200+6.4% since 2020
- Households
- 178,975
- Median age
- 40.2
- Homes lived in by their owners
- 64%
- Vehicles per household
- 1.7
- Land area
- 918 sq. mi.
- People per square mile
- 458
- Median household income
- $88,494+38.2% vs. 2015–2019, before inflation
- Average household income
- $131,674
- Median home value
- $489,100
- Jobs located here
- 279,531
- Daytime population
- 508,326Residents who don’t work, plus everyone whose job is here
Looking at a specific site in Charleston County?
These figures cover the whole county. A site report draws rings around one address and counts what’s inside them: households, spending, jobs, and the competitors on map listings by name and distance, for any of the 56 business types.
Or open the report at the center of Charleston County. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
Free10 actions over 3 days, no cardRelated markets
Nearest counties in South Carolina 8
- Berkeley County, SC246,802 people
- Dorchester County, SC167,201 people
- Colleton County, SC38,783 people
- Williamsburg County, SC30,282 people
- Beaufort County, SC195,289 people
- Georgetown County, SC64,811 people
- Clarendon County, SC30,986 people
- Orangeburg County, SC83,253 people
Questions
How fast is Charleston County, SC growing?
Population estimates put Charleston County at 436,200 people in 2025, up 6.4% since 2020, faster than the U.S. (+3.1%). It has 178,975 households. Against the 2015–2019 survey, median household income rose 38.2%, before inflation.
How much do households in Charleston County, SC spend?
Households in Charleston County spend about $3B a year on rent and homeowner costs, $1.2B on groceries and $763.5M on food away from home. Relative to the U.S., household spending in Charleston County runs highest on vehicle insurance (an index of 118, where 100 is the U.S. average) and lowest on vehicle maintenance and repairs (92).
Which business types have the highest market scores in Charleston County, SC?
Of the business types scored in Charleston County, electricians (77), child care centers and preschools (74) and gas stations (72) have the highest Groundwork market scores. For electricians, that ranks #75 of 1,160 scored counties.
How does Charleston County, SC compare with the U.S.?
Median household income in Charleston County is $88,494, 10% above the U.S. median of $80,734. The population rose 6.4% from 2020 to 2025, against +3.1% for the U.S. The median home value is $489,100, against $332,700 for the U.S. Against the U.S., map listings per household run highest for pest control companies (2.5 times the U.S. rate) and lowest for tire shops (18% below the U.S. rate).
What is the Groundwork market score?
The Groundwork market score runs from 0 to 100 and compares a market with others of its kind for one business type: states with states, metro areas with metro areas, small-town markets and counties with their own. It weighs household spending per competitor (35%), households per business with payroll (25%), population growth (20%) and spending power (20%), each ranked against those peers. A higher score means that, taken together, the market has more household spending and more households for each business already there, faster population growth and more spending per household than similar markets. It describes a market, not any one site or deal. All 56 business types have a score in Charleston County, each ranked against other counties.
How can I see the market around a specific site?
Run a Groundwork site report on an address in Charleston County. It maps the competitors on map listings near the site and sizes the households and spending within the distance you choose. New accounts get 10 actions over 3 days, no card.
All markets in South Carolina · Every U.S. market · How we measure
Screening a site or an acquisition in Charleston County?
A site report maps the competitors on map listings near an address and sizes the households and spending around it.
The button opens the report at the center of Charleston County. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.
Figures are estimates for research only. Not investment or real estate advice.