BestCityFor

Best city for retirement? Charleston, SC

C
Score
58/100
Rank #99 (top 200 cities)
Data: ACS 2023 (5-year)

Charleston offers a mixed profile for retirement, with relative strengths in typical rent (2br) and typical home value. Overall, it’s around the middle of the pack (#99 of 200). The main watch-out is broadband subscription.

Methodology · Sources · SC rankings

Scope note (city proper)

This page scores the incorporated city limits (Census “Place”), not the metro area. Popular retirement destinations can look very different at the metro level.

Why Charleston ranks here

  • Typical rent (2BR): $1,684/mo (17% higher than the national median; worse for this metric).
  • Typical home value: $469,100 (35% higher than the national median; worse for this metric).
  • Age 65+ share: 16% (18% higher than the national median; better for this metric).

Watch-outs

  • Broadband subscription: 91% (0% higher than the national median; better for this metric).
  • Commute 45+ min share: 12% (2% higher than the national median; worse for this metric).

City snapshot

Basic demographics from ACS 2023 (city proper).

Population
152,014
Estimated total population (ACS).
Male vs female
Male 48%Female 52%

Key metrics

Values shown are from ACS 2023. National medians are computed across the ranked city set.

Typical rent (2BR)
$1,684/mo
National median: $1,441/mo
Typical home value
$469,100
National median: $347,900
Age 65+ share
16%
National median: 14%
Median age
36
National median: —
Median household income
$90,038
National median: $75,598
Broadband subscription
91%
National median: 91%

Score breakdown (by category)

Category scores are 0–100 and summarize groups of metrics used in the final score.

City
National median (dataset)
Affordability
Typical 2BR rent and typical home value.
53/100
Retiree Signals
Age mix and income as broad service proxies.
36/100
Connectivity
Broadband access for everyday logistics.
91/100
Comfort
Climate comfort and commute friction.
88/100

Education (age 25+)

Share of adults by attainment (ACS).

4%
Less than HS
38%
HS / Some college
35%
Bachelor’s
22%
Advanced

Age mix

Share of residents age 65+ (ACS).

16%
Age 65+
84%
Under 65

Internet access

Household broadband subscription (ACS).

91%
Broadband
9%
No broadband

Map

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Scorecard breakdown

Bars are rescaled to 0–100 for readability (percentage metrics use their actual percent).

City
National median (dataset)
Typical rent (2BR)
National median $1,441/mo
$1,684/mo
Typical home value
National median $347,900
$469,100
Age 65+ share
National median 14%
16%
Median household income
National median $75,598
$90,038
Broadband subscription
National median 91%
91%
Commute 45+ min share
National median 11%
12%

Similar cities (by score)

#97 North Las Vegas, NV
58/100
#98 Reno, NV
58/100
#100 Fresno, CA
57/100
#101 Arlington, TX
57/100

FAQ

›What is Charleston’s retirement score and rank?
Charleston, SC scores C (58/100) and ranks #99 out of the top 200 US cities in this dataset.
›Is this based on Charleston city proper or the metro area?
City proper (incorporated place). This uses Census ‘Place’ boundaries, not the metro area. Metro-level retirement patterns can differ a lot from the city itself.
›What is the population of Charleston, SC?
Population is about 152,014 (ACS 2023, city proper).
›What is the male vs female split in Charleston, SC?
About 48% male and 52% female (ACS 2023).
›How affordable is housing in Charleston, SC?
Typical rent (2BR) is $1,684/mo (national median: $1,441/mo). Typical home value is $469,100 (national median: $347,900).
›What share of residents are 65+ in Charleston, SC?
Age 65+ share is 16% (national median: 14%).
›How common is broadband internet in Charleston, SC?
Broadband subscription is 91% of households (national median: 91%).
›What does the education mix look like in Charleston, SC?
Among adults 25+, the shares are roughly: less than HS 4%, HS/some college 38%, bachelor’s 35%, advanced 22%.
›Where does this data come from for Charleston, SC?
Metrics are from Census ACS 2023 5-year estimates (city proper / incorporated place), with optional NOAA climate normals when available.

Note: Scores are informational and depend on data coverage and methodology. Always validate against your personal constraints (healthcare access, neighborhoods, taxes, climate preferences, support network).