Signals
Charleston
James Island
Opportunity
89 · Top 1%
vs89 · Top 1%
Climate
81 · Top 15%
vs81 · Top 15%
Physical resilience
31 · Bottom 25%
vs33 · Bottom 25%
Housing affordability
65 · Bottom 27%
vs75 · Bottom 42%
Access
47 · Bottom 3%
vs47 · Bottom 3%
Economic stability
55 · Bottom 39%
vs71 · Top 27%
Measured values
| Metric | Charleston | James Island | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 154,338 | 12,198 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $92,414 | $104,217 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $59,875 | $52,756 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,339/sq mi | 2,520/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $509,700 | $508,600 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,722 | $1,695 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 55.6% | 87.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.4% | 3.5% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 2.1% | 2.1% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 58.3% | 49.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 12.3% | 5.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Average July high | 88°F | 88°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 44°F | 44°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 44.3" | 44.3" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 84 mi | 85 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 25.9 min | 24.4 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 36.6 | 41.7 | 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
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane, earthquake, coastal flooding.
James Island
Elevated or high exposure: coastal flooding, hurricane, earthquake.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Charleston
65
Your Score
68
Area Score
James Island
66
Your Score
—
Area Score
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Full profiles: Charleston, SC · James Island, SC · How this is calculated: methodology