With 27 incorporated communities, residential areas range from the rural towns of Jamestown and St. George to the vibrant, urban areas of Charleston and North Charleston. 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.

Charleston S.C. MSA Residential Home Sales by Zip Code Area

Area Name	Zip Code	Residential Units Sold, 2007	Median Selling Price, 2007	Average Selling Price, 2007
Total Charleston S.C. MSA		12,516	$209,020	$300,446
Adams Run	29426	3	$162,500	$199,166
Awendaw	29429	8	$390,000	$1,034,937
Bonneau	29431	38	$93,750	$169,064
Charleston Peninsula	29401	262	$732,500	$1,013,245
Charleston Peninsula	29403	274	$331,250	$408,690
Cross	29436	16	$99,000	$97,101
Daniel Island/Wando/Cainhoy	29492	507	$398,000	$480,422
Dorchester	29437	14	$160,000	$175,278
Edisto Island	29438	125	$365,000	$476,697
Folly Beach	29439	95	$570,000	$611,582
Goose Creek	29445	1,045	$171,983	$184,968
Hanahan	29410	292	$199,990	$201,894
Harleyville	29448	5	$141,000	$99,300
Hollywood	29449	53	$263,000	$334,300
Huger	29450	13	$125,000	$155,280
Isle Of Palms	29451	152	$912,500	$1,180,388
James Island	29412	682	$261,000	$311,671
Jamestown	29453	4	$68,550	$170,245
Johns Island	29455	410	$261,809	$443,987
Ladson	29456	646	$155,000	$157,293
McClellanville	29458	11	$265,000	$245,227
Moncks Corner	29461	586	$189,995	$194,489
Mount Pleasant	29464	883	$337,000	$462,013
Mount Pleasant	29466	855	$362,500	$398,459
North Charleston	29405	267	$123,000	$163,091
North Charleston	29406	346	$150,000	$155,579
North Charleston	29418	368	$162,110	$166,556
North Charleston	29420	315	$179,900	$234,437
Pineville	29468	6	$91,700	$114,566
Pinopolis	29469	6	$239,500	$255,500
Ravenel	29470	17	$182,500	$263,154
Reevesville	29471	4	$143,000	$324,000
Ridgeville	29472	29	$145,000	$175,125
St. George	29477	27	$105,000	$116,322
St. Stephen	29479	29	$107,800	$95,822
Sullivans Island	29482	27	$1,900,000	$2,210,342
Summerville	29483	1,359	$177,000	$198,626
Summerville	29485	1,343	$201,793	$214,165
Wadmalaw Island	29487	13	$710,000	$821,310
West Ashley	29407	571	$201,000	$242,046
West Ashley	29414	841	$218,500	$236,206
Source: Charleston Trident Association of Realtors, 9/2008

Apartment Rentals

The Charleston region has a large number of apartment rental options. The average monthly apartment rent for a two-bedroom, two-bath unfurnished apartment excluding all utilities except water is $896.

Apartments: Average Monthly Rental by Sub-Market (Feb 2007)

Submarket	1-bedroom unit	2-bedroom unit	3-bedroom unit
Downtown Charleston	$654	$731	$649
West of the Ashley River	656	745	876
Goose Creek	632	709	838
James Island	799	935	1,098
Mount Pleasant	834	961	1,055
North Charleston	587	686	781
Summerville	629	736	906
Source: Carolinas Real Data, www.aptindex.com

For information on current residential real estate offerings, visit the Charleston Trident Association of Realtors.

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	71%

Monthly Averages, Charleston International Airport

Month	Temp (°F)	Temp (°C)	Relative Humidity	Precipitation (inches)	Precipitation (centimeters)
January	49.2	9.6	69.0%	3.20	8.13
February	51.3	10.7	67.5%	3.17	8.05
March	57.6	14.2	66.5%	3.97	10.08
April	64.9	18.3	66.5%	2.70	6.86
May	72.6	22.6	69.0%	3.51	8.92
June	78.6	25.9	72.5%	5.77	14.66
July	81.4	27.5	75.0%	7.34	18.64
August	80.5	26.9	76.5%	6.82	17.32
September	76.3	24.6	76.0%	5.38	13.67
October	66.8	19.3	72.5%	2.93	7.44
November	58.0	14.4	70.0%	2.33	5.92
December	50.8	10.4	69.5%	2.95	7.49
Annual	65.7	18.7	71.0%	50.08	127.20
Source: Southeast Regional Climate Center

Compared to many other thriving coastal communities, 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.

Charleston, SC MSA Cost of Living Index

All Items (Composite)	97.8
Grocery Items	100.5
Housing	90.3
Utilities	102.0
Transportation	97.8
Health Care	110.3
Misc. Goods & Services	100.1
U.S. Cities Baseline Index = 100
Source: ACCRA Cost of Living Index, 2007 Annual Average

Tax Burden, 2005

	South Carolina	United States
State and Local Taxes Total	$2,779	$3,698
Property	$880	$1,132
Sales & Use	$714	$887
Individual Income	$634	$813
Corporate Income	$58	$145
State and Local Taxes per $1,000 of Personal Income	$103.85	$112.84
Source: TaxFoundation.org using US Census Bureau data, 2007

The South Carolina tax average is lower than the United States for property, sales & use, individual and corporate income. For more information on state and local tax structure, visit Taxes & Incentives or Personal Taxes.

With more than 2,000 physicians, 10 major medical facilities and a strong commitment to medical research, the Charleston region offers a vital health and wellness community. Three nationally recognized hospital systems serve the region, as well as numerous medical centers considered among the best in the United States. In all, more than 24,000 people are employed by the local healthcare industry.

Major Hospitals & Medical Facilities

Hospitals / Medical Facilities	Contact	Beds/Employees
Charleston Memorial Hospital	www.musc.edu/cmh	172 beds; 135 employees
East Cooper Medical Center	www.eastcoopermedctr.com	100 beds; 600 employees
Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC)	www.musc.edu	752 beds; 10,000 employees
Ralph H. Johnson V.A. Medical Center	www.charleston.va.gov	145 beds; 1,100 employees
Roper St. Francis Healthcare (Two area hospital facilities)	www.ropersaintfrancis.com	594 beds; 2,900 employees
Trident Health System (Two area hospital facilities)	www.tridenthealthsystem.com	390 beds; 2,000 employees
Naval Health Clinic Charleston	www.nhchasn.med.navy.mil	540 employees

Source: Center for Business Research, 9/07

Charleston area residents actively support the performing and visual arts – including a world-class symphony orchestra, a ballet company, several stage companies, a number of museums and a growing base of art galleries. In fact, AmericanStyle magazine lists the Charleston area as one of the top 10 art destinations in the United States.

For the outdoors enthusiast, acres of freshwater lakes, a large national forest, miles of beaches and 160 parks provide the perfect setting for numerous outdoor activities, including sailing, kayaking, fishing, hiking, hunting, windsurfing and water skiing.

To learn more about lifestyle options in the Charleston region, visit our Living & Working Here section.