Smart Movers Club

    Moving to Charleston, SC

    Is Charleston a good place to live?

    Watch Charleston

    Charleston ranks #8 of 22 South Carolina cities with 25,000+ people on the Smart Movers livability score (56/100), which weighs home affordability, unemployment, education and population growth. Population grew 1.4% in the latest Census year.

    Median home value
    $469,100
    +6.9% vs prior year
    Median rent
    $1,632
    per month
    Household income
    $90,038
    median
    Unemployment
    3.4%
    lower is better

    Cost of living in Charleston

    The median home value in Charleston is $469,100 and median rent is $1,632 a month, against a median household income of $90,038. Homes cost about 5.2× a year of income (under 3× is considered affordable).

    Charleston crime rate

    City-level FBI figures vary by agency; across South Carolina the 2025 rate was 389 violent and 1,715 property crimes per 100,000 people — #17 highest of 50 states. The full report breaks down local trends.

    Moving to Charleston, SC

    Charleston has about 152,014 residents, 3.4% unemployment and 35% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher.

    Compare Charleston with

    Charleston vs ColumbiaCharleston vs North CharlestonCharleston vs Mount PleasantCharleston vs Rock HillCharleston vs GreenvilleCharleston vs SummervilleCharleston vs Goose CreekCharleston vs Sumter

    More: Where to move in South Carolina · Best counties in South Carolina

    Sources: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year estimates (2023, compared with 2022); FBI Crime Data Explorer.

    Home listings, local news, migration, schools, resources and the Smart Movers Grade & Verdict.

    See the full Smart Movers Club report