Signals
James Island
Charleston
Opportunity
89 · Top 1%
vs89 · Top 1%
Climate
81 · Top 15%
vs81 · Top 15%
Physical resilience
33 · Bottom 25%
vs31 · Bottom 25%
Housing affordability
75 · Bottom 42%
vs65 · Bottom 27%
Access
47 · Bottom 3%
vs47 · Bottom 3%
Economic stability
71 · Top 27%
vs55 · Bottom 39%
Measured values
| Metric | James Island | Charleston | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 12,198 | 154,338 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $104,217 | $92,414 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $52,756 | $59,875 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,520/sq mi | 1,339/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $508,600 | $509,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,695 | $1,722 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 87.5% | 55.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.5% | 3.4% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 2.1% | 2.1% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 49.5% | 58.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 5.6% | 12.3% | 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 | 85 mi | 84 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 24.4 min | 25.9 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 41.7 | 36.6 | 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
James Island
Elevated or high exposure: coastal flooding, hurricane, earthquake.
Charleston
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane, earthquake, coastal flooding.
Your best match
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James Island
66
Your Score
—
Area Score
Charleston
65
Your Score
68
Area Score
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Full profiles: James Island, SC · Charleston, SC · How this is calculated: methodology