Charleston vs Mount Pleasant
The short version
- Overall prices are about the same in both metro areas (BEA 2024).
- The median home costs $509,700 in Charleston and $748,500 in Mount Pleasant.
- Households earn more in Mount Pleasant ($124,755 vs $92,414 median).
Side by side
| Charleston, SC | Mount Pleasant, SC | |
|---|---|---|
| People | ||
| Population (2025) | 159,423 | 95,469 |
| Growth since 2020 | +5.8% | +4.9% |
| People per square mile | 1,383 | 1,923 |
| Median age | 36.6 | 42.6 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 58% | 68% |
| Money and housing | ||
| Median household income | $92,414 | $124,755 |
| Median home value | $509,700 | $748,500 |
| Home value to income | 5.5× | 6.0× |
| Median rent (with utilities) | $1,722 | $2,159 |
| Metro price level (US = 100) | 101.0 | 101.0 |
| Housing price level (US = 100) | 119.8 | 119.8 |
| $75,000 elsewhere equals | $75,700 | $75,700 |
| Homeowners | 56% | 74% |
| Top state income tax | 6% | 6% |
| Combined sales tax | 7.49% | 7.49% |
| Work and commute | ||
| Average commute (minutes) | 24.2 | 24.9 |
| Work from home | 19% | 27% |
| Take public transit | 1% | 0% |
| Unemployment (2020-24 avg) | 3.4% | 3.3% |
| Poverty rate | 12.3% | 6.1% |
| Weather | ||
| January high / low | 60° / 39° | 60° / 39° |
| July high / low | 91° / 74° | 91° / 74° |
| Precipitation per year | 53 in | 53 in |
| Snowfall per year | 0 in | 0 in |
| Days 90°F or hotter | 64 | 64 |
| Nights below freezing | 22 | 22 |
| Comfortable months | 5 | 5 |
| Risks, air and home prices | ||
| Natural hazard risk (FEMA, county) | Relatively High | Relatively High |
| FEMA risk score (lower is safer) | 98.6 | 98.6 |
| Good air days, 2025 | 60% | 60% |
| Home prices, past year | +4.7% | +4.7% |
| Home prices, past 5 years | +61.6% | +61.6% |
Highlighted cells are the better value where "better" is clear (lower prices, higher income, shorter commutes). Sources: Census Bureau 2025 estimates and ACS 2020-2024, BEA 2024, NOAA 1991-2020, Tax Foundation 2026.
Weather, month by month
Most comfortable months: Charleston: March to May and October to November. Mount Pleasant: March to May and October to November.
Full monthly tables: Charleston weather by month and Mount Pleasant weather by month.
What $75,000 is worth
A $75,000 salary in an average-priced US city buys about the same as $75,700 in Charleston and $75,700 in Mount Pleasant. Moving from Charleston to Mount Pleasant, you would need about $75,000 to match a $75,000 salary.
Which would you pick?
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