Charleston County · South Carolina
Charleston, SC demographics
Population, income and the local tax burden that sits on top of them — sourced from the Census Bureau and the South Carolina Department of Revenue.
Quick answer
Charleston, SC has a population of 155,369 and a median household income of $87,246 — about $7,271 a month before tax. That ranks 18 of 94 covered metros by income and 82 of 94 by population.
Population
155,369
City limits, ACS 5-year
Median household income
$87,246
ACS 5-year estimate
Combined sales tax
9%
South Carolina + local
Income rank
#18
of 94 covered metros
Estimated annual sales tax on a median household
A Charleston household at the median income of $87,246 spending roughly a quarter of pre-tax income on taxable retail goods would pay about $1,963 a year in sales tax at 9%. This is an illustration, not a filing figure: the taxable share of spending varies with household composition, and South Carolina exempts or discounts several categories. South Carolina exempts groceries from the state 6% but local option taxes can still apply, and residents 85 and older may claim a 1% exemption.
Method: median household income × 25% taxable share × combined rate. The 25% share is a rough national benchmark from the BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey, not a Charleston-specific measurement.
Sources
What each figure on this page comes from.
- Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates
- Source: South Carolina Department of Revenue rate tables · rates as published for 2026