Signals
Charleston
Ladson
Opportunity
89 · Top 1%
vs79 · Top 9%
Climate
81 · Top 15%
vs77 · Top 22%
Physical resilience
31 · Bottom 25%
vs26 · Bottom 21%
Housing affordability
65 · Bottom 27%
vs79 · Bottom 47%
Access
47 · Bottom 3%
vs51 · Bottom 4%
Economic stability
55 · Bottom 39%
vs63 · Top 45%
Measured values
| Metric | Charleston | Ladson | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 154,338 | 16,140 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $92,414 | $78,760 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $59,875 | $36,541 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,339/sq mi | 2,330/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $509,700 | $234,900 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,722 | $1,785 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 55.6% | 76.6% | 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% | 19.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 12.3% | 12.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Average July high | 88°F | 91°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 44°F | 39°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 44.3" | 52.5" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 84 mi | 82 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 25.9 min | 33.1 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 36.6 | 31.3 | 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.
Ladson
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane, coastal flooding.
Your best match
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Charleston
65
Your Score
68
Area Score
Ladson
62
Your Score
—
Area Score
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Full profiles: Charleston, SC · Ladson, SC · How this is calculated: methodology