Charleston
South Carolina · Ranked #329 of 373 metros
40Moderate
💡
Housing in Charleston costs 2.45× the median income, below the national average of 4.5×. The median home price is $136K and median rent is $863/month. Charleston ranks #329 of 373 metros for affordability.
Median Home Price
🏠$136K
Need $115K income
Median Rent
🔑$863
Need $62K income
Housing Shortage
📉18,000
units needed
Building Permits
🔨10,000
annual
Median Income
💰$55K
Pop: 822,549
Rent Burden
⚠️33.5%
of renters paying >30%
Price Change (YoY)
📈+4.5%
Homeownership
🏡71.0%
Rent Burden
vs. National Average
Key Facts vs. National Average
| Metric | Charleston | National |
|---|---|---|
| Price-to-Income Ratio | 2.45x | 6.1x |
| Rent Burden | 33.5% | 31.5% |
| Homeownership Rate | 71.0% | 65.5% |
| YoY Price Change | +4.5% | +3.5% |
| YoY Rent Change | +3% | +2.8% |
| Mortgage Denial Rate | 13.0% | 13.5% |
| Eviction Rate | 5.0% | 3.6% |
House Price Index (2000–2025)
FHFA All-Transactions HPI
Since 2019: +80%Since 2000: +291.5%
HUD Fair Market Rents (FY2026)
Section 8 voucher payment standards
Studio$1,557/mo
1 Bedroom$1,630/mo
2 Bedroom$1,787/mo
3 Bedroom$2,222/mo
4 Bedroom$2,562/mo
Zillow Market Data
Home Value (ZHVI)
$428K
1yr: -0.8%5yr: +41.7%
Rent (ZORI)
$1,969/mo
1yr: +2.7%5yr: +42.9%
Note: ZORI reflects current listing prices and may differ from the Census ACS median rent shown above, which captures what renters actually pay including below-market and subsidized units.
Redfin Market Activity
Median Sale Price
$137K
Active Inventory
91
Days on Market
77
Sold Above List
20.6%
Price Drops
26.4%