North Charleston to some of the Lowcountry’s most beautiful communities. Major developers have entered the market over the past several years, greatly increasing new housing selections. With exceptional choices for the first time buyer, to top executive homes and homesites, North Charleston neighborhoods offer a wide range of amenities including golf, fishing, tennis, playgrounds, nearby schools, day care, shopping, dining and recreational opportunities.
North Charleston’s strong workforce, burgeoning art scene, and wealth of entertainment options continues to attract families of all ages and sizes. North Charleston was recently awarded the Home Depot Foundation’s Award of Excellence for Sustainable Community Development, was recognized by Cottage Living Magazine as being home to one of the nation’s Top 10 Neighborhoods, and by Men’s Journal for one of the nation’s Top 30 “Coolest Neighborhoods.”
The Park Circle neighborhood and business district was also recently in the New York Times travel section.
Climate
The climate of greater Charleston is considered “temperate to subtropical.” On average, the region enjoys 230 days of sunshine each year, and the average growing season lasts 294 days.
| Latitude | 32° 54′ N |
| Longitude | 80° 02′ W |
| Average Daily Temperature | 65.7° F; 18.7° C |
| Average Daily High | 75.2° F; 24.0° C |
| Average Daily Low | 56.1° F; 13.4° C |
| Average Days with Sunshine | 63% |
| Average Precipitation | 50.08″; 127.2 cm |
| Average Relative Humidity | 86% (AM); 56% (PM) |
Real Estate & Cost of Living
The growing demand for housing has spawned a number of new residential opportunities throughout the region, and most price ranges are well represented. For current residential real estate listings, visit the Charleston Trident Association of Realtors.
MSA Residential Home Sales by Zip Code Area
|
ZIP Code |
Units Sold |
Median Selling |
Average Selling |
|
29405 |
225 |
$69,000 | $98,811 |
|
29406 |
217 |
$99,999 | $92,532 |
|
29418 |
253 |
$89,800 | $107,561 |
|
29420 |
309 |
$170,00 | $181,651 |
|
29456 |
392 | $144,950 | $130,183 |
|
29485 |
800 | $162,335 | $177,080 |
Source: Charleston Trident Associatin of Realtors, 5/2013.
MSA Apartments, Average Monthly Rent by Sub-Market (Feb 2009)
|
1-Bedroom Unit |
2-Bedroom Unit |
3-Bedroom Unit |
|
$655 |
$728 |
$828 |
Source: Real Data Inc., www.aptindex.com. Average monthly rent prices exclude all utilities except water, 6/2013
North Charleston offers a reasonable cost of living according to the ACCRA Cost of Living Index. This quarterly survey compares relative living costs for middle-management households among U.S. metropolitan areas and cities. Charleston residents also get a break when it comes to taxes, with the area’s state and local tax burden significantly lower than the national average.
MSA Cost of Living Index
|
All Items (Composite) |
98.4 |
|
Grocery Items |
106.0 |
|
Housing |
85.4 |
|
Utilities |
113.2 |
|
Transportation |
95.8 |
|
Health Care |
105.2 |
|
Miscellaneous Goods and Services |
101.4 |
|
U.S. Cities Baseline Index = 100 |
|
Source: ACCRA Cost of Living Index, 2012 Annual Average.
Tax Burden, 2006
|
South Carolina |
United States |
|
|---|---|---|
|
State & Local Taxes, Total (Per Capita) |
$2,742 |
$4,160 |
|
Property |
$970 |
$1,388 |
|
Sales & Use |
$686 |
$953 |
|
Individual Income |
$617 |
$886 |
|
Corporate Income |
$55 |
$151 |
Source: TaxFoundation.org, 2012