Charleston County, South Carolina facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Charleston County
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Location within the U.S. state of South Carolina
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 South Carolina's location within the U.S. |
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| Country |  United States |
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| State |  South Carolina |
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| Founded | January 1, 1800 | ||
| Named for | King Charles II | ||
| Seat | Charleston | ||
| Largest community | Charleston | ||
| Area | |||
| • Total | 1,357.99 sq mi (3,517.2 km2) | ||
| • Land | 917.98 sq mi (2,377.6 km2) | ||
| • Water | 440.01 sq mi (1,139.6 km2) 32.40% | ||
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 408,235 | ||
| • Estimate
(2023)
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424,367 | ||
| • Density | 444.71/sq mi (171.70/km2) | ||
| Time zone | UTC−5 (Eastern) | ||
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) | ||
| Congressional districts | 1st, 6th | ||
Charleston County is located in the U.S. state of South Carolina along the Atlantic coast. As of the 2020 census, the population was 408,235, making it the third-most populous county in South Carolina (behind Greenville and Richland counties). Its county seat is Charleston. It is also the largest county in the state by total area, although Horry County has a larger land area. The county was created in 1800 by an act of the South Carolina State Legislature.
Charleston County is included in the Charleston-North Charleston, SC Metropolitan Statistical Area. It is in the Lowcountry region of South Carolina.
Contents
History
Charleston County was chartered in 1785 but was quickly dissolved after disputes by the residents about governance. The county was later redrawn in 1798 with the boundary lines taking effect on January 1, 1800. The county seat and largest city in both the county and state is Charleston. Both the county and town was named after King Charles II.
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,357.99 square miles (3,517.2 km2), of which 917.98 square miles (2,377.6 km2) is land and 440.01 square miles (1,139.6 km2) (32.40%) is water. It is the largest county in South Carolina by total land and water area.
National protected areas
- Cape Romain National Wildlife Refuge
- Charles Pinckney National Historic Site
- Ernest F. Hollings ACE Basin National Wildlife Refuge (part)
- Fort Sumter and Fort Moultrie National Historical Park
- Francis Marion National Forest (part)
- Little Wambaw Swamp Wilderness
- Wambaw Creek Wilderness (part)
- Wambaw Swamp Wilderness
State and local protected areas/sites
- Angel Oak Tree
- Bird Key - Stono Seabird Sanctuary
- Boone Hall Plantation & Gardens
- Botany Bay Plantation Heritage Preserve/Wildlife Management Area
- Buzzard Island Heritage Preserve
- Capers Island Heritage Preserve
- Crab Bank Seabird Sanctuary
- Charles Towne Landing State Historic Site
- Deveaux Bank Seabird Sanctuary
- Dungannon Plantation Heritage Preserve/Wildlife Management Area
- Edisto Beach State Park
- Folly Beach County Park
- Fort Lamar Heritage Preserve
- Hampton Plantation State Historic Site
- James Island County Park
- Lighthouse Inlet Heritage Preserve
- Magnolia Plantation and Gardens
- Morris Island Lighthouse
- North Charleston Wannamaker County Park
- Santee Coastal Reserve Wildlife Management Area
- Stono River County Park
- Waterfront Park
Major water bodies
- Ashley River
- Atlantic Ocean (North Atlantic Ocean)
- Cooper River
- Intracoastal Waterway
- Kiawah River
- South Edisto River
- South Santee River
- Stono River
- Wando River
Adjacent counties
- Berkeley County – north
- Georgetown County – northeast
- Colleton County – west
- Dorchester County – northwest
Major highways
I-26
I-526
I-526 Bus.
US 17
US 52
US 52 Conn.
US 52 Spur
US 78
SC 30
SC 41
SC 45
SC 61
SC 61 Conn.
SC 162
SC 165
SC 171
SC 174
SC 517
SC 642
SC 700
SC 703
Major infrastructure
- Charleston International Airport (joint civil-military airport; also home to Boeing South Carolina)
- North Charleston Station
- Port of Charleston
Demographics
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1790 | 66,985 | — | |
| 1800 | 57,480 | −14.2% | |
| 1810 | 63,179 | 9.9% | |
| 1820 | 80,212 | 27.0% | |
| 1830 | 86,338 | 7.6% | |
| 1840 | 82,661 | −4.3% | |
| 1850 | 72,805 | −11.9% | |
| 1860 | 70,100 | −3.7% | |
| 1870 | 88,863 | 26.8% | |
| 1880 | 102,800 | 15.7% | |
| 1890 | 59,903 | −41.7% | |
| 1900 | 88,006 | 46.9% | |
| 1910 | 88,594 | 0.7% | |
| 1920 | 108,450 | 22.4% | |
| 1930 | 101,050 | −6.8% | |
| 1940 | 121,105 | 19.8% | |
| 1950 | 164,856 | 36.1% | |
| 1960 | 216,382 | 31.3% | |
| 1970 | 247,650 | 14.5% | |
| 1980 | 276,974 | 11.8% | |
| 1990 | 295,039 | 6.5% | |
| 2000 | 309,969 | 5.1% | |
| 2010 | 350,209 | 13.0% | |
| 2020 | 408,235 | 16.6% | |
| 2023 (est.) | 424,367 | 21.2% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census 1790–1960 1900–1990 1990–2000 2010 2020 |
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2020 census
| Race | Num. | Perc. |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 263,560 | 65.2% |
| Black or African American (non-Hispanic) | 91,746 | 26.3% |
| Native American | 857 | 0.4% |
| Asian | 7,461 | 1.83% |
| Pacific Islander | 319 | 0.08% |
| Other/Mixed | 15,012 | 3.68% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 29,280 | 5.3% |
As of the 2020 census, there were 408,235 people, 165,568 households, and 95,785 families residing in the county.
2010 census
At the 2010 census, there were 350,209 people, 144,309 households, and 85,692 families residing in the county. The population density was 382.3 inhabitants per square mile (147.6/km2). There were 169,984 housing units at an average density of 185.6 units per square mile (71.7 units/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 64.2% white, 29.8% black or African American, 1.3% Asian, 0.3% American Indian, 0.1% Pacific islander, 2.7% from other races, and 1.6% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 5.4% of the population. In terms of claimed ancestry, 11.3% were German, 11.0% were English, 10.2% were Irish, and 9.8% were American.
Of the 144,309 households, 27.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 40.5% were married couples living together, 14.7% had a female householder with no husband present, 40.6% were non-families, and 30.1% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.36 and the average family size was 2.96. The median age was 35.9 years.
The median income for a household in the county was $48,433 and the median income for a family was $61,525. Males had a median income of $42,569 versus $34,195 for females. The per capita income for the county was $29,401. About 11.5% of families and 16.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 24.5% of those under age 18 and 10.8% of those age 65 or over.
Emergency services
Volunteer Rescue Squad
The Volunteer Rescue Squad consists of over 50 members and a physician. Members are certified in a variety of emergency skills, and many members are first responders.
EMS and local hospitals
Emergency medical services (EMS) for the city are provided by Charleston County Emergency Medical Services (CCEMS) & Berkeley County Emergency Medical Services (BCEMS). The city is served by the EMS and 911 services of both Charleston and Berkeley counties since the city is part of both counties.
Charleston is the primary medical center for the eastern portion of the state. The city has several major hospitals located in the downtown area: Medical University of South Carolina Medical Center (MUSC), Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center, and Roper Hospital. MUSC is the state's first school of medicine, the largest medical university in the state, and the sixth-oldest continually operating school of medicine in the United States. The downtown medical district is experiencing rapid growth of biotechnology and medical research industries coupled with substantial expansions of all the major hospitals. Additionally, more expansions are planned or underway at another major hospital located in the West Ashley portion of the city: Bon Secours-St Francis Xavier Hospital. The Trident Medical Center, located in North Charleston, and East Cooper Medical Center, located in Mount Pleasant, also serve the needs of residents of the city of Charleston.
Economy
In 2022, the GDP of Charleston County was $41 billion (approx. $100,607 per capital). In chained 2017 dollars, its real GDP was $35.1 billion (about $85,956 per capita). From 2022 through 2024, its unemployment rate has fluctuated between 2-3.3%.
As of April 2024[update], some of the largest employers within the county include Boeing, Booz Allen Hamilton, Charleston County School District, College of Charleston, CVS Pharmacy, Harris Teeter, Medical University of South Carolina, Mercedes-Benz Group, Publix, United States Department of Defense, United States Department of Veterans Affairs, and Walmart.
| Industry | Employment Counts | Employment Percentage (%) | Average Annual Wage ($) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accommodation and Food Services | 36,926 | 13.4 | 32,240 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 19,902 | 7.2 | 44,512 |
| Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 240 | 0.1 | 42,796 |
| Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation | 6,103 | 2.2 | 30,992 |
| Construction | 15,078 | 5.5 | 75,452 |
| Educational Services | 19,571 | 7.1 | 56,680 |
| Finance and Insurance | 8,134 | 3.0 | 106,288 |
| Health Care and Social Assistance | 43,511 | 15.8 | 65,884 |
| Information | 4,417 | 1.6 | 91,468 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | 2,305 | 0.8 | 89,700 |
| Manufacturing | 17,164 | 6.2 | 88,452 |
| Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction | 47 | 0.0 | 90,948 |
| Other Services (except Public Administration) | 7,563 | 2.7 | 50,752 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 21,576 | 7.8 | 93,756 |
| Public Administration | 16,347 | 5.9 | 74,880 |
| Real Estate and Rental and Leasing | 6,670 | 2.4 | 66,508 |
| Retail Trade | 29,556 | 10.7 | 42,484 |
| Transportation and Warehousing | 11,760 | 4.3 | 59,280 |
| Utilities | 1,315 | 0.5 | 79,612 |
| Wholesale Trade | 7,395 | 2.7 | 81,588 |
| Total | 275,580 | 100.0% | 62,132 |
Education
Charleston County School District is the school district for the entire county.
Recreation
The Charleston County Park and Recreation Commission (CCPRC) operates numerous facilities within Charleston County.
- Beach parks
- Kiawah Beachwalker County Park, Kiawah Island, South Carolina
- Isle of Palms County Park, Isle of Palms, South Carolina
- Folly Beach County Park, Folly Beach, South Carolina
- Fishing piers
- Folly Beach Fishing Pier, Folly Beach, South Carolina
- Mt. Pleasant Pier, Mount Pleasant, South Carolina
- Marinas and boat landings
- Cooper River Marina
- Multiple county-wide boat landings
- Day parks
- Palmetto Islands County Park, Mount Pleasant, South Carolina
- Caw Caw Nature and History Interpretive Center, Ravenel, South Carolina
- North Charleston Wannamaker County Park, North Charleston, South Carolina
- Mullet Hall Equestrian Center, Johns Island, South Carolina
- James Island County Park, Charleston, South Carolina
- Old Towne Creek County Park, West Ashley, Charleston, South Carolina
- Water parks
- Splash Island at Palmetto Islands County Park
- Splash Zone at James Island County Park
- Whirlin' Waters at North Charleston Wannamaker County Park
Off-leash dog parks are offered at James Island, Palmetto Islands, and North Charleston Wannamaker County Park.
James Island County Park, approximately 11 minutes by car from downtown Charleston, features a 50-foot climbing wall and bouldering cave; cabin, RV, and tent camping facilities; rental facilities, fishing dock, challenge course, kayaking programs, summer camps, paved trails, and many special events such as the Lowcountry Cajun Festival (usually the first weekend in April), East Coast Canoe and Kayak Festival (3rd weekend in April), Holiday Festival of Lights (mid-November through the first of the year), and the summer outdoor reggae concerts.
Communities
Cities
- Charleston (county seat and largest community in the county and state; partly in Berkeley County)
- Folly Beach
- Isle of Palms
- North Charleston (partly in Dorchester and Berkeley counties)
Towns
- Awendaw
- Hollywood
- James Island
- Kiawah Island
- Lincolnville (partly in Dorchester County)
- McClellanville
- Meggett
- Mount Pleasant
- Ravenel
- Rockville
- Seabrook Island
- Sullivan's Island
- Summerville (mostly in Dorchester County; partly in Berkeley County)
Census-designated places
Unincorporated communities
- Barrelville
- Edisto Island
- Johns Island
Former communities
- Atlanticville
- Clementia
Districts
- Awendaw-McClellanville Consolidated Fire District, made up of unincorporated parts of Northern Charleston County, the Town of Awendaw, and the Town of McClellanville.
- James Island Public Service District, made up of unincorporated parts of the island.
- North Charleston Public Service District, responsible for sewer lines and treatment in the City of North Charleston.
- St. John's Fire District, serving Kiawah Island, Seabrook Island, unincorporated John's Island, and Wadmalaw Island.
- Saint Andrews Public Service District, made up of unincorporated parts of West Ashley.
- St. Pauls Fire District, made up of all of the Towns of Hollywood, Ravenel, Meggett and unincorporated parts of the southern end of Charleston County.
- West Ashley
Population ranking
The population ranking of the following table is based on the 2020 census of Charleston County.
† = county seat
| Rank | Name | Type | Population (2020 census) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | † Charleston | City | 150,227 |
| 2 | North Charleston | City | 114,852 |
| 3 | Mount Pleasant | Town | 90,801 |
| 4 | Summerville | Town | 50,915 |
| 5 | Ladson | CDP | 15,550 |
| 6 | James Island | Town | 11,621 |
| 7 | Hollywood | Town | 5,339 |
| 8 | Isle of Palms | City | 4,347 |
| 9 | Ravenel | Town | 2,542 |
| 10 | Folly Beach | City | 2,078 |
| 11 | Seabrook Island | Town | 2,050 |
| 12 | Kiawah Island | Town | 2,013 |
| 13 | Sullivan's Island | Town | 1,891 |
| 14 | Awendaw | Town | 1,399 |
| 15 | Meggett | Town | 1,390 |
| 16 | Lincolnville | Town | 1,147 |
| 17 | McClellanville | Town | 605 |
| 18 | Adams Run | CDP | 421 |
| 19 | Rockville | Town | 141 |
Notable people
- Pernessa C. Seele (born 1954), immunologist, founder and CEO of the Balm in Gilead, Inc., an international organization based in Harlem, New York
See also
In Spanish: Condado de Charleston para niños
