Charleston

Life quality score

City ranking

Housing

5
216/265
Details
Large apartment$1900.00
Medium apartment$1600.00
Rent index [score]0.46
Small apartment$1300.00

Cost of Living

4
233/248
Details
5km taxi ride$7.30
A Cappuccino$4.10
A beer$2.10
A kilogram of Apples$5.90
Bread$1.20
Inflation [score]0.36
Lunch$12.00
Monthly fitness club membership$54.00
Monthly public transport$55.00
Movie ticket$10.00
Price of a meal at a restaurant$72.59

Startups

5
99/264
Details
Average monthly increase in number of startups5
Average monthly increase in number of startups [score]0.41
Coworking spaces [score]0.39
Coworking spaces on WorkFrom.co29
Meetups [score]0.22
Meetups groups48
Meetups members14083
Number of investors30
Number of startup events in the last 12 months332
Number of upcoming meetup events8
Startup climate scene [score]0.51
Startup events109
Startup events [score]0.68
Startups [score]0.58
Total number of startups153

Venture Capital

2
154/192
Details
Venture capital [score]0.20

Travel Connectivity

1
222/266
Details
Airport hub20
Airport hub [score]0.17
Intercity train connectivity [score]0.11

Commute

5
180/255
Details
Human city pagehttp://cities.human.co/details/United_States/Charleston
Traffic handling [score]0.62

Business Freedom

9
69/264
Details
Business freedom84.70
Business freedom [score]0.86
Freedom from corruption74.00
Freedom from corruption [score]0.79
Lack of labor restrictions91.40
Lack of labor restrictions [score]1.00
Time to open a business5.60
Time to open a business [score]0.95

Safety

5
234/266
Details
Crime rate [score]0.61
Gun-related deaths per 100,000 residents per year16
Guns per 100 residents108
Lack of gun related deaths [score]0.58
Lack of guns [score]0.41
Lack of guns and gun-related deaths [score]0.49

Healthcare

9
40/265
Details
Healthcare expenditure [score]0.99
Healthcare quality [score]0.93
Life expectancy (years)79.28
Life expectancy [score]0.76

Education

4
165/240
Details
Country mean scores in PISA math test478.04
Country mean scores in PISA reading test497.58
Country mean scores in PISA science test497.41
PISA math ranking (high school)30
PISA ranking24
PISA ranking (high school) [score]0.72
PISA reading (high school)16
PISA science (high school)19
Percent of happy students0.77
Percent of low performers in PISA math test0.26
Percent of low performers in PISA reading test0.17
Percent of low performers in PISA science test0.18
Percent of top performers in PISA math test0.09
Percent of top performers in PISA reading test0.08
Percent of top performers in PISA science test0.07

Environmental Quality

7
95/266
Details
Air quality [score]0.94
Cleanliness [score]0.66
Drinking water quality [score]0.49
Urban greenery [score]0.82

Economy

7
16/263
Details
Currency exchange rate per US dollar for urban area1.00
Currency for urban areaUSD
GDP growth rate0.02
GDP growth rate [score]0.43
GDP per capita$54596.65
GDP per capita [score]0.87

Taxation

4
179/266
Details
Effective company profit tax rate on payouts as dividends [score]0.54
Income tax level [score]0.27
Profit tax (% of profit)0.44
Time overhead to file company taxes175
VAT (Sales Tax)0.09

Internet Access

6
85/266
Details
Download speed (Mbps)72.18
Internet access (download) [score]0.74
Internet access (upload) [score]0.47
Upload speed (Mbps)11.05

Leisure & Culture

7
95/264
Details
Art galleries100
Art galleries [score]0.60
Cinemas64
Cinemas [score]0.49
Comedy clubs20
Comedy clubs [score]0.51
Concert venues86
Concerts [score]0.56
Historical sites90
Historical sites [score]0.72
Museums54
Museums [score]0.60
Performing art venues99
Performing arts [score]0.60
Sport venues33
Sports [score]0.59
Zoos10
Zoos [score]0.62

Tolerance

6
203/266
Details
LGBT Equality Index70.00
LGBT Equality Index [score]0.71
LGBT adoption rightsAmbiguous
LGBT age of consent✔ Equal
LGBT blood donation regulations✖ Banned (indefinite deferral)
LGBT conversion therapy regulationsAmbiguous
LGBT discrimination legality✖ No protections
LGBT employment discrimination legality✖ No protections
LGBT gender changing rights✔ Legal, but requires surgery
LGBT homosexuality rights✔ Legal
LGBT housing discrimination legality✖ No protections
LGBT marriage rights✔ Legal
Tolerance towards minorities [score]0.45

Outdoors

5
114/266
Details
Elevation (hills or mountains) [score]0.10
Median peak in meters8.50
Seaside access1.00
Urban area elevation (meters)17.00
Water access [score]0.90
Sign up to get a free city match score based on your personal preferences
Sign up for a free Teleport account to personalize city data.
Budget your housing and living costs, salaries and jobs.
Get started

Cost of living

Costs of living in Charleston are in the most expensive 10 percent of all 248 Teleport cities and the 11th most expensive in the United States. Average living expenses are significantly higher compared to other cities, especially in the housing market. Moving to Charleston will very likely increase your daily costs of living. Sign up for free to get access to our cost of living index and use our international  cost of living calculator to do cost comparison by city.

Housing costs (USD)

$1,100$1,400
$1300
Median rent for
apartments in city center

Daily living costs (USD)

Monthly fitness club membership$54
Movie ticket$10
Broadband internet connection$47
Monthly public transport$55
Lunch$12
-10%
compared to
San Francisco
See more prices and detailed cost of living data in Charleston

Job salary calculator

Software Engineer salaries in Charleston are very high. For this job type, Charleston ranks 5th for salaries among 265 cities. Get access to our salary comparison calculator by signing up. Compare salaries city by city with our free salary wizard and convert your own salary to a local salary in Charleston.

Estimated annual salary (in USD)

$95,430
Median salary
See more details and salary rankings for all job types in Charleston

Locals review Charleston

Do locals recommend living in Charleston?

What could Charleston do better?#improveCharleston

How could Charleston improve to make it a more liveable city? We will make sure that the local government will know about the suggestions that reach enough votes*.
*Suggestions will be delivered to: Mayor of Charleston - John Tecklenburg
You can be the first! 😊  Tell us something that can be improved about your city.

What makes Charleston a special place?#praiseCharleston

Is Charleston a great place to live? What makes it special for you? What makes it liveable? What should others know about? Why should they move here? Why do you love it?
You can be the first! 😊  Tell us something nice about your city.

Taxation

Personal taxation

Effective income tax rate

14%
For annual salary of $40000
20%
For annual salary of $80000

Value added tax (VAT)

9%
Standard tax rate. Different rates might apply for certain product categories.

Compared to other cities

207/266

Corporate taxation

Compared to other cities

113/263
See more details on taxation in Charleston
Sign up for a free Teleport account to personalize city data.
Budget your housing and living costs, salaries and jobs.
Get started

Visa

For visits up to 90 days

Required with citizenship of
Get more information about visas in Charleston here

Explore Charleston’s neighborhoods

PreviousNext

Great for

  • Childcare
  • Clean & Green
  • Gym & Fitness
  • Internet Access
  • Lack of Traffic

Not Great for

  • Public Transport

Who lives here

  • Professionals
  • Families with kids
  • Retirees
  • Singles
Sign up for a free Teleport account to personalize city data.
Budget your housing and living costs, salaries and jobs.
Get started

Explore the streets of Charleston

People in Charleston

Population of Charleston

406,200
359 /km²
219/264
Density (people per unit of area)
6%
Growth in 2015-2020
Charleston

Demographics of United States

Median age
38
Elderly people
15%
Life expectancy at birth
80
GDP per capita (in USD)
$54,597
12/263
Unemployment
5%
110/264

Languages

English proficiency score
100
1/228
Common spoken languages
English

Friends living in Charleston

Find out which of your friends are living in Charleston. Nothing is better than knowing a local 😉

Teleport Users  X  Charleston

Teleport users who are      Charleston

Work in:

Marketing Manager
15.38%
Web Designer
7.69%
Content Marketing
3.85%
UX Designer
3.85%
Attorney
3.85%
Founder
3.85%
C Level Executive
3.85%
Other
57.69%

Come from:

Climate

Average number of days per year without rain

259

Climate type

Humid Subtropical

Average daily maximum temperature

Sign up for a free Teleport account to personalize city data.
Budget your housing and living costs, salaries and jobs.
Get started
Sign up for a free Teleport account to personalize city data.
Budget your housing and living costs, salaries and jobs.
Get started

On living in Charleston

Charleston is the oldest and largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina, the county seat of Charleston County, and the principal city in the Charleston–North Charleston–Summerville Metropolitan Statistical Area. The city lies just south of the geographical midpoint of South Carolina's coastline and is located on Charleston Harbor, an inlet of the Atlantic Ocean formed by the confluence of the Ashley, Cooper, and Wando rivers. Charleston had an estimated population of 134,385 in 2016. The estimated population of the Charleston metropolitan area, comprising Berkeley, Charleston, and Dorchester counties, was 761,155 residents in 2016, the third-largest in the state and the 78th-largest metropolitan statistical area in the United States.

Charleston was founded in 1670 as Charles Town, honoring King Charles II of England. Its initial location at Albemarle Point on the west bank of the Ashley River (now Charles Towne Landing) was abandoned in 1680 for its present site, which became the fifth-largest city in North America within ten years. Despite its size, it remained unincorporated throughout the colonial period; its government was handled directly by a colonial legislature and a governor sent by London. Election districts were organized according to Anglican parishes, and some social services were managed by Anglican wardens and vestries. Charleston adopted its present spelling with its incorporation as a city in 1783 at the close of the Revolutionary War. Population growth in the interior of South Carolina influenced the removal of the state government to Columbia in 1788, but the port city remained among the ten largest cities in the United States through the 1840 census. Historians estimate that "nearly half of all Africans brought to America arrived in Charleston", most at Gadsden's Wharf. The only major antebellum American city to have a majority-enslaved population, Charleston was controlled by an oligarchy of white planters and merchants who successfully forced the federal government to revise its 1828 and 1832 tariffs during the Nullification Crisis and launched the Civil War in 1861 by seizing the Arsenal, Castle Pinckney, and Fort Sumter from their federal garrisons.

Known for its rich history, well-preserved architecture, distinguished restaurants, and hospitable people, Charleston is a popular tourist destination. It has received numerous accolades, including "America's Most Friendly [City]" by Travel + Leisure in 2011 and in 2013 and 2014 by Condé Nast Traveler, and also "the most polite and hospitable city in America" by Southern Living magazine. In 2016, Charleston was ranked the "World's Best City" by Travel + Leisure.

Read more

Good Country Index

Every city comes with a country. How is this one doing in terms of giving back to the global community? Our friends at The Good Country Index measure what each country on earth contributes to the common good of humanity, and what it takes away, relative to its size.

Overall ranking

United States
23rd from a total of 163 countries

World Order

26th

Refugees hosted

Refugees generated

Charity giving

Birth rate

UN Treaties signed

International Peace & Security

66th

Dues in arrears to UN peace keeping budgets

International violent conflict

Peacekeeping troops

Arms exports

Internet security (2014)

Planet & Climate

34th

Ecological footprint

Reforestation since 1992

Hazardous pesticides exports

CO2 emissions

Ozone

Prosperity & Equality

46th

Development assistance

FDI outflows

Fairtrade market size

UN volunteers abroad

Open trading

Culture

53rd

Freedom of movement

Press freedom

Creative services exports

UNESCO dues in arrears as % of contribution

Creative goods exports

Science & Technology

20th

Nobel prizes

Patents

Journal exports

International publications

International Students

Health & Wellbeing

12th

Pharmaceutical exports

Voluntary excess donations to the WHO

Food aid

Humanitarian aid donations

International Health Regulations Compliance

See details ▽

Still have questions?