Signals
North Charleston
James Island
Opportunity
74 · Top 16%
vs89 · Top 1%
Climate
77 · Top 22%
vs81 · Top 15%
Physical resilience
30 · Bottom 23%
vs33 · Bottom 25%
Housing affordability
59 · Bottom 18%
vs75 · Bottom 42%
Access
50 · Bottom 4%
vs47 · Bottom 3%
Economic stability
55 · Bottom 40%
vs71 · Top 27%
Measured values
| Metric | North Charleston | James Island | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 119,913 | 12,198 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $62,956 | $104,217 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $36,019 | $52,756 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,538/sq mi | 2,520/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $302,200 | $508,600 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,430 | $1,695 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 49.8% | 87.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.8% | 3.5% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 2.1% | 2.1% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 28.6% | 49.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 14.4% | 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 | 84 mi | 85 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 26.7 min | 24.4 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 34.6 | 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
North Charleston
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane, earthquake, coastal flooding.
James Island
Elevated or high exposure: coastal flooding, hurricane, earthquake.
Your best match
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North Charleston
56
Your Score
57
Area Score
James Island
66
Your Score
—
Area Score
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Full profiles: North Charleston, SC · James Island, SC · How this is calculated: methodology