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Charleston County · South Carolina

Charleston, SC commute times

How 82,755 workers get to work and how long it takes, on Census 2019-2023 ACS 5-year estimates.

Quick answer

The average one-way commute in Charleston is 25.5 minutes, against 28.5 minutes nationally. 68.1% of workers drive alone, 0.9% take public transit and 17.6% work from home.

Average commute
25.5 minUS 28.5 min
Drove alone
68.1%US 70.2%
Public transit
0.9%US 3.5%
Commutes 60 min or more
11.6%US 16.8%

How Charleston gets to work

Share of workers 16 and over by means of transportation to work, 2019-2023 ACS 5-year.

ModeCharlestonUnited StatesShare
Drove alone68.1%70.2%
Carpooled6.5%8.5%
Public transit0.9%3.5%
— bus0.9%1.7%
— subway or elevated0%1.3%
— commuter rail0%0.4%
Bicycle1.5%0.4%
Walked4.1%2.4%
Worked from home17.6%13.5%

How long the trip takes

Share of workers whose one-way trip falls in each band. Excludes people who work from home.

Travel timeShare of workersDistribution
Under 5 min1.7%
5-9 min10.2%
10-14 min14.5%
15-19 min18.3%
20-24 min16.1%
25-29 min8.7%
30-34 min13.2%
35-39 min2.8%
40-44 min2.9%
45-59 min7.2%
60-89 min2.5%
90+ min1.8%

Source: US Census Bureau, ACS 2019-2023 5-year (B08301, B08303) · rates as published for 2019-2023 ACS 5-year

How to read Charleston commute data

What the Census counts, and what it leaves out.

The Census asks workers 16 and over how they usually travelled to work last week and how long that trip took door to door, including waiting and transfers. Someone who drives four days and takes the train on the fifth is counted once, under the mode used most. Work-from-home counts as a commute mode, so shares add to 100 with it included and the travel-time bands cover only people who left the house. Figures describe residents of Charleston wherever they work, not everyone who works inside the city.

Other Charleston data on this site.