Signals
Goose Creek
James Island
Opportunity
76 · Top 12%
vs89 · Top 1%
Climate
77 · Top 22%
vs81 · Top 15%
Physical resilience
22 · Bottom 16%
vs33 · Bottom 25%
Housing affordability
83 · Top 45%
vs75 · Bottom 42%
Access
53 · Bottom 5%
vs47 · Bottom 3%
Economic stability
79 · Top 10%
vs71 · Top 27%
Measured values
| Metric | Goose Creek | James Island | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 48,078 | 12,198 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $88,178 | $104,217 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $39,296 | $52,756 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,108/sq mi | 2,520/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $306,000 | $508,600 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,690 | $1,695 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 68.2% | 87.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.1% | 3.5% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 2.1% | 2.1% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 29.7% | 49.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 6.5% | 5.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Average July high | 91°F | 88°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 39°F | 44°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 52.5" | 44.3" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 78 mi | 85 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 28.7 min | 24.4 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 34.0 | 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
Goose Creek
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
James Island
Elevated or high exposure: coastal flooding, hurricane, earthquake.
Your best match
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Goose Creek
63
Your Score
62
Area Score
James Island
66
Your Score
—
Area Score
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Full profiles: Goose Creek, SC · James Island, SC · How this is calculated: methodology