Thinking about moving to Charleston? As one of the fastest growing cities, the average number of people who move to Charleston is 35 per day!
As a Charleston local, I’m here to guide you as you plan your move to the holy city. There’s a lot you’ll need to learn like which part of town to live, where to get a job, and how to make friends.
In this guide, I’m sharing everything you need to know before relocating to Charleston. From the best places to live, how to get around, and where to workout – I’m sharing it all. Read on for the low down on moving to Charleston and what it’s like to live in Charleston.
I’m happy to answer any questions – just ask in the comments below or send me a note.
Where to Live in Charleston
You may not realize, but Charleston is a HUGE area. The county of Charleston spans from the Isle of Palms to Kiawah Island with several smaller cities and towns within its scope. I am going to cover the top areas to live within Charleston county for you to consider.
Downtown Charleston
MEDIAN HOME PRICE: $1.15M
You may be moving to downtown Charleston, but for most people, you probably are not going to live downtown. It’s quite expensive to buy a Charleston home or rent a house.
I lived in downtown Charlestonfor 8 years and only recently moved across the bridge to Mount Pleasant. We still own our downtown home and are renting it for $3000/month – it’s 2 bed/ 1 bath located in Wagner Terrace.
If you are planning to rent, there’s plenty of rental homes in the downtown area. Wagner Terrace near Hampton Park is a great residential area to live in with many rental homes, but not walking distance to the main areas of town. Though, there are tons of great neighborhood restaurants that are walkable! We LOVED living here and highly recommend if it’s fits the budget to either rent or own.
Another desirable area to live in Charleston is called South of Broad – located South of Broad Street. This historic district is known for its antebellum mansions and southern charm. It’s the most expensive area to live in downtown Charleston. It also experiences severe flooding when it rains or during hurricanes.
Alternatively, you can find a rental house or condo near King Street and the College of Charleston to be in walking distance to all the main parts.
Downtown Apartment Complexes
There are several new apartment complexes downtown as well that might suit you. Checkout these to get started:
- 511 Meeting
- The Jasper – luxury
- 930 NoMo
- The Rumney
- Foundry Pount
- The Cormac
- Morrison Yard
- The Guild
- Meeting Street Lofts
- West Edge
Downtown Neighborhoods to Buy (or Rent) a Home:
I recommend these areas to buy or rent in the downtown area.
- South of Broad
- Cannonborough – Elliotborough
- Wagner Terrace
Downtown Schools
- Mason Prep
- Charleston Day
- Buist Academy
- First Baptist School
- Charleston Math and Science
- College of Charleston
- The Citadel
- Trident technical College
West Ashley
MEDIAN HOME PRICE: $520,000
Charleston is a peninsula surrounded by the Ashley River and the Cooper River which come to a point into the Charleston Harbor.
On one side you have an area called West Ashley (West of the Ashley). This is a pretty big area of town where many people live and is apart of the City of Charleston.
There’s a cute downtown area called Avondale with some really great restaurants and bars (Bearcats, Platia, Home Team BBQ, Gene’s, etc). This is a highly desirable area to look for a home to rent or buy for it’s affordability and livability.
The main high schools here are West Ashley High School and Porter Gaud (private school).
James Island
MEDIAN HOME PRICE: $675,000
James Island sits right across from the peninsula and West Ashley. It’s a popular area to live as well and neighbors Folly Beach.
I grew up on Folly/James Island and it’s really come a long way since then. There are lots of good restaurants on the island now and more things to do.
It is a great area to buy and is more affordable than downtown and Mount Pleasant.
There are many great neighborhoods on James Island especially off of Fort Johnson and Harborview Roads. One of the nicest neighborhoods is called Riverland Terrace which is situated along the Stono River with convenient access to downtown and West Ashley.
If you’re looking to rent, checkout these apartment complexes on James Island:
- The Standard
- Avalon
- Spyglass Seaside
Schools on James Island:
One of the larger area high schools is located here – James Island Charter High School. Plus there are a couple elementary, middle and also a private high school (First Baptist or James Island Christian).
Mount Pleasant
MEDIAN HOME PRICE: $1.1M (South Mt. P) and $970K (North Mt. P)
Mount Pleasant is probably the most desirable area to live in Charleston (besides downtown). It’s conveniently located right over the Ravenel Bridge with easy access to both Sullivans Island and Isle of Palms.
It has a charming waterfront area called Shem Creek that has some good restaurants/bars and amazing views!
Since my parents are divorced, I also grew up in this area and now live here with my family!
Neighborhoods in Mount Pleasant
Mount Pleasant has the best school district in the state, but also some of the highest home prices. There are tons of great neighborhoods to live in Mount Pleasant including:
- I’on
- Snee Farm
- Creekside
- Old Village
- Brickyard
- Hobcaw
- Charleston National
- The Groves
Apartments in Mount Pleasant
If you are looking to rent, these are my recommend apartment complexes below.
However, if you can find a house to rent in the Old Village, that’s your very best option! I rented a house in the old village for two years and loved it.
- Rivers walk (I lived here for a year)
- The Boulevard
- Oyster park
- Atlantic beach house apartments
- Central square
- Midtown
North Charleston
MEDIAN HOME PRICE: $334,000
Last but not least, we have North Charleston as the most cost effective option. The best area to live in North Charleston is Park Circle which is the downtown of NC. It has dining, wine bars, breweries, and shops that make it a great community.
There’s also Riverfront Park which is an absolute gem along the Cooper River. It’s often used for big events like concerts and the Charleston Wine and Food Festival.
This is the only area I would recommend to you for safety and livability.
North Charleston Apartments near Park Circle:
- The Factory at Park Circle
- Mixson
Getting a Job in Charleston
Next, if you don’t have a job lined up, you should get one ASAP because Charleston is expensive to live.
Spruce up the LinkedIn page and start the search. Many employers post jobs on this platform so it’s a great place to begin
The largest industries in the area include hospitality/tourism, healthcare, and manufacturing.
But there’s plenty of opportunity in Charleston whether you are a creative, entrepreneur, data scientist, sales person, you name it!
Here are some of the top employers in the region to help with your job search:
Largest employers in Charleston, SC:
- Medical university of South Carolina
- Boeing
- Benefitfocus
- Blackbaud
- College of Charleston
- Mercedes Benz Vans
- Roper Saint Francis Healthacre
- Trident Health System
- Joint Base Charleston
- Bosch
Weather in Charleston
The weather in Charleston is pretty glorious year round which makes it so desirable to live. The yearly average temperatures in Charleston are 73ºF for the high and 59ºF for the low.
In the summer months of July and August, temperatures will typically be in the 90ºs with substantial humidity. Summers are quite balmy! It also rains a good bit in the summer months.
In the winters, temperatures are quite mild, rarely going below 40ºF. For example, the average temperatures in December in Charleston are 61ºF for the high and only 40ºF for the low.
We don’t like to talk about it, but Charleston can experience hurricanes especially in September and October. However, I would take a hurricane over most other natural disasters – you always have enough notice to evacuate!
Getting Around in Charleston
As I’ve explained, Charleston is a pretty big area and you will likely want to have your own car.
The public transportation options here are not the best. We do have CARTA which is a bus system you can use to get around the region.
In the downtown area, we do have bikes that you can rent on Uber. We do not have scooters – they made a brief appearance a few years back and the city was quick to ban them.
Downtown Charleston is historic and not very conducive to biking unfortunately. So, I don’t really recommend it as a viable solution for traveling throughout the city.
Additionally, there are plenty of Uber and Lyft drivers in the area for getting around when you do need a ride.
Continuing Education
If you are planning a move to Charleston for college or higher education, there are plenty of really great colleges and universities in the region.
- College of Charleston – Oldest Municipal College in America, gorgeous campus
- The Citadel – Military Institute
- Medical University of South Carolina – Med School located downtown
- Trident Technical College – locations downtown and North Charleston
- Charleston Southern University – Private, Christian College in North Charleston
Making Friends in Charleston
Of course, what’s the fun in living in a destination town without friends? I know it can be daunting to find new friends, especially if you are an introvert like me.
There is always something going on in Charleston making it easy to find new friends here! Charleston is a pretty close knit and welcoming community in general so I don’t think you’ll have any trouble. But, you do have to put yourself out there!
Sign up for a local cooking class, a sports group, volunteer or take a up a new hobby. There’s plenty of great ways to make friends outside of the workplace.
For young professionals, there’s an endless supply of networking events. Check out the Charleston Metro Chamber of Commerce, Mount Pleasant Chamber and Charleston Young Professionals to start looking.
There are also plenty of gyms with a great community making it a nice spot to make friends as well!
Exercise Studios
Looking for a new fitness studio to call home? There are many gyms in the Charleston area from small boutique studios to popular chains. Here are a few that I recommend as a Charleston local:
- HYLO Fitness – I personally have gone to HYLO for 6 years and really like it. They offer two different experiences – the HY room and the Lo Room. HY is for HIIT classes that combine cardio and strength. LO is usually heated yoga, barre, and a variety of low intensity classes. Locations in Mount Pleasant, West Ashley and Nexton.
- The Works – I went to The Works for a while when they were new and absolutely loved it! They offer hot yoga classes from slower to more intense options. There is also a Cycle Studio under the same roof now. It’s located downtown.
- Freedom Studio – Freedom is a yoga and dance studio led by one of my beloved former HYLO instructors – Julia Powell. She is incredible and I highly recommend her studio. Julia is a very upbeat and motivational person in a truly spiritual way that motivates you in LIFE, not just a workout.
- KOR4 – KOR4 is also led by a former HYLO instructor, Keith Hardwick. They have a studio in West Ashley and a new one in Mount Pleasant. I promise he will kick your butt if that’s what you are looking for!
Additionally, you can find franchises like Gold’s Gym, Planet Fitness, and Orangetheory all over the Charleston area.
Grocery Stores and Pharmacy
Now, onto some important logistics that you’ll need to know like where to grocery shop and pick up your prescriptions.
There are plenty of grocery stores around the region. In Charleston, we have two Whole Foods locations, tons of Publix and Harris Teeter, Walmarts, Targets, Lowes Foods, and Food Lion.
For pharmacy, there’s CVS and Walgreens as the most prevalent and you can find one around every corner.
Doctors and Hospitals
It’s always a bit tough to find new doctors in a new town. Thankfully, we have plenty of really wonderful doctors around the area from dentists to pediatricians.
Charleston is lucky to have the best hospital system in the state – the Medical University of South Carolina. It’s a teaching hospital that is centrally located right downtown.
Personally, I go here for the OBGYN and delivered my baby at the Shawn Jenkins Children’s Hospital and Women’s Pavilion – it’s brand new and incredibly nice with the best NICU in the state should you need it. The staff at MUSC is always amazing.
Other hospitals include Roper Saint Francis Health System and East Cooper Hospital.
There’s tons of other doctors and specialty practices around town as well. We’d be here all day if I listed them all!
Living in Charleston, SC – The Fun Stuff!
Finally, we’re moving on the fun stuff! Charleston is a wonderful place to live for many reasons.
It’s a tourist town with plenty of fun things to do, great beaches, vibrant nightlife, and amazing restaurants. Throughout the year, there are several annual events so you always have a reason to get together with friends!
Eating Out
Charleston has one of the top culinary scenes in the country. With multiple James Beard Award winning chefs, the food in Charleston is reason enough to move here.
You’ll find anything from BBQ to Coastal Italian to Malaysian food to vegan food in Charleston. Check out my top favorite places to eat in Charleston as a local foodie to learn a little more!
Nightlife
Charleston is definitely a drinking town if you are looking for a lively nightlife scene. Upper King Street is the most popular area for bar hopping for 20-somethings. You’ll always see tons of bachelorette parties in Charleston.
There’s also more upscale nightlife with fun cocktail bars, jazz clubs, and performing arts! The Gaillard Center always has live performances and the Dock Street is an iconic place to catch a play.
Charleston boasts many concert venues that bring in large name acts. One of my favorites is the Credit One Stadium on Daniel Island – an open air, intimate stadium with the best atmosphere for a summer show. There’s also the Coliseum, our largest arena, and Firefly Distillery which hosts artists on their outdoor lawn quite often.
Things to Do
Charleston is bursting with fun things to do from tourist attractions to local events and farmer’s markets to big festivals. Be sure to read my Charleston bucket list for some must do experiences before you can call yourself a local!
Best Beaches
Charleston has 5 area beaches each with their own vibe and personality! Here’s a quick overview:
- Folly Beach – laid back, hippie vibe with the best surfing
- Sullivan’s Island – residential beach with great restaurants
- Isle of Palms – known for great beaches and Wild Dunes Resort
- Kiawah Island – famous for its 5 star resort and PGA Championship golf courses
- Seabrook Island – private, quiet beach town past Kiawah
Annual Events
There are many great annual events throughout the year that you should attend as a new resident. It’s also a great reason for your family and friends to visit! There are a few of my favorite annual events in the Charleston area.
- Southeastern Wildlife Expo (SEWE) – February
- Charleston Wine and Food Festival – March
- Cooper River Bridge Run (10K) – March or April
- Spoleto Festival USA – May-June for 2 weeks
- Charleston Restaurant Week – January
- Lowcountry Oyster Festival – January
Charleston Facts
Lastly, you should know a little about Charleston’s rich history before you decide to live to Charleston. Below are 5 facts you must know about this great city!
- Charleston is one of the oldest cities in America founded in 1670.
- The first shots of the Civil War were fired to Fort Sumter located in Charleston Harbor.
- She crab soup originated in Charleston.
- The “Best Friend” of Charleston was the very first scheduled train in the US to offer passenger service.
- Charleston was originally known as “Charles Town” named for King Charles II.
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