Charleston-North Charleston receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Charleston-North Charleston
Salem
Opportunity
87 · Top 2%
vs62 · Top 37%
Growth
84 · Top 3%
vs72 · Top 16%
Climate
77 · Top 10%
vs74 · Top 24%
Physical resilience
27 · Bottom 16%
vs42 · Bottom 30%
Housing affordability
73 · Bottom 15%
vs68 · Bottom 10%
Access
54 · Bottom 16%
vs69 · Bottom 37%
Economic stability
73 · Top 21%
vs68 · Top 28%
Measured values
| Metric | Charleston-North Charleston | Salem | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 834,267 | 438,906 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $85,254 | $78,900 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $48,581 | $37,986 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 322/sq mi | 228/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $377,500 | $424,100 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,605 | $1,399 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 69.1% | 62.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.7% | 5.2% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 2.1% | 1.4% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 40.8% | 27.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 10.9% | 13.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 7,730 | 1,819 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 9.3 | 4.1 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 1.8% | 15.9% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 91°F | 84°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 39°F | 36°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 52.5" | 40.1" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 77 mi | 50 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 29.8 min | 26.3 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 38.2 | 37.5 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Charleston-North Charleston
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane, coastal flooding.
Salem
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, heat wave.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Charleston-North Charleston
68
Your Score
69
Area Score
Salem
65
Your Score
63
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Charleston-North Charleston, SC Metro Area · Salem, OR Metro Area · How this is calculated: methodology