Where to live around Charleston
Charleston's communities split three ways: the islands west of the harbor (Johns, James, Folly) for space and a slower pace, the beach towns east of the harbor (Isle of Palms, Sullivan's) for oceanfront living at a premium, and the established suburbs (Mount Pleasant, West Ashley) plus downtown for shorter drives and in-town amenities.
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Where Charleston prices sit right now
Median sold price for residential sales over the last twelve months, from the CHS Regional MLS. Tap an area for the full guide.
| Area | Median sold | Avg. days on market | What it's like |
|---|---|---|---|
| Johns Island | $640K | 50 days | Room to breathe: big lots, live oaks and farm stands, 20 to 40 minutes from downtown depending on Maybank traffic. |
| James Island | $640K | 42 days | Established neighborhoods between downtown and Folly, with marsh views and plenty of local shops and restaurants. |
| Folly Beach | $1.02M | 112 days | Laid-back surf town with condos, beach cottages and short-term rental rules worth reading closely. |
| Isle of Palms | $1.79M | 66 days | Beach island with Wild Dunes, a marina and the IOP Connector to Mount Pleasant. |
| Sullivan's Island | $4.7M | 108 days | Small, quiet and almost entirely single-family. Inventory is thin and prices reflect it. |
| Mount Pleasant | $860K – $950K | 43 days | Planned communities, Shem Creek and the Old Village, and the shortest drive to the IOP and Sullivan’s beaches. |
| West Ashley | $485K – $585K | 40–43 days | The value play close to downtown, from 1950s ranches to newer townhome neighborhoods. |
| Downtown Charleston | $915K | 52 days | Walkable historic streets, restaurants on every corner and parking you will think about daily. |
| Summerville | $400K | 51 days | Historic Flowertown downtown, big master-planned communities and more house for the money, with an I-26 commute. |
| Goose Creek | $325K | 47 days | Established Berkeley County suburbs close to North Charleston jobs, the airport, Boeing and Joint Base Lindsey Graham. |
| North Charleston | $340K | 48 days | Close to Boeing, the airport and the Navy Base redevelopment, with Park Circle and some of the region’s most affordable prices. |
| Moncks Corner | $365K | 54 days | Berkeley County seat by Lake Moultrie: more land, lake and river access, and the longest commute of the northern towns. |
| Cainhoy & Wando | $790K | 40 days | The peninsula past Daniel Island off Clements Ferry Road, where Point Hope and other new neighborhoods are going up fast. |
| Kiawah Island | $1.34M | 51 days | Gated barrier island with about 10 miles of beach, a mandatory community association and a separate private club. |
| Seabrook Island | $885K | 81 days | Gated barrier island next to Kiawah where new owners must join the Seabrook Island Club. |
| Hanahan | $440K | 37 days | Small Berkeley County city between North Charleston and Goose Creek, minutes from the airport and I-26. |
| Ladson | $325K | 44 days | Unincorporated area along I-26 and US-78 where the county line decides taxes and zoning, and the future end of rapid transit. |
| Ravenel | $400K | 54 days | Small town on US-17 west of the Ashley River with rural lots and several large subdivisions approved. |
| Hollywood | $595K | 65 days | Rural town on SC-162 with big lots, limited sewer and recent limits on large new developments. |
| Awendaw | $1.12M | 74 days | Rural town on US-17 north of Mount Pleasant between the national forest and the Cape Romain marshes. |
Median of monthly median sold prices and average days on market, residential, CHS Regional MLS, Nov 2025 – Oct 2026. Ranges show two ZIP codes. Sullivan's Island has few sales, so its figures move a lot month to month. Updated monthly. Deemed reliable, not guaranteed.
Every area, by the numbers
| Area | Median sold | Avg. days on market | Sold vs. original ask | Months of supply | Sales, 12 mo. | Median year built |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Charleston & the harbor | ||||||
| Downtown Charleston ZIP 29403 | $915K | 52 | 92.7% | 3.8 | 313 | 1964 |
| West Ashley (29407) ZIP 29407 | $585K | 40 | 94.3% | 3.1 | 492 | 1971 |
| West Ashley (29414) ZIP 29414 | $485K | 43 | 96.9% | 3.0 | 819 | 2001 |
| James Island ZIP 29412 | $640K | 42 | 95.5% | 2.9 | 705 | 1990 |
| Mount Pleasant (29464) ZIP 29464 | $950K | 43 | 94.9% | 2.6 | 940 | 1992 |
| Mount Pleasant (29466) ZIP 29466 | $860K | 43 | 96.2% | 3.0 | 963 | 2007 |
| Daniel Island MLS area 77 | $1.73M | 37 | 96.0% | 3.3 | 369 | — |
| Cainhoy & Wando MLS area 78 | $790K | 40 | 98.2% | 2.3 | 393 | — |
| Islands & beaches | ||||||
| Johns Island MLS city | $640K | 50 | 96.5% | 3.1 | 852 | 2001 |
| Folly Beach MLS city | $1.02M | 112 | 90.8% | 4.3 | 103 | 1990 |
| Kiawah Island MLS city | $1.34M | 51 | 95.4% | 1.9 | 147 | — |
| Seabrook Island MLS city | $885K | 81 | 92.9% | 4.2 | 174 | — |
| Isle of Palms MLS city | $1.79M | 66 | 93.2% | 4.6 | 241 | 1986 |
| Sullivan's Island MLS city | $4.7M | 108 | 92.1% | 10.4 | 38 | 1981 |
| North of Charleston | ||||||
| North Charleston MLS city | $340K | 48 | 95.6% | 4.0 | 1,257 | — |
| Hanahan MLS city | $440K | 37 | 96.3% | 3.7 | 244 | — |
| Goose Creek MLS city | $325K | 47 | 96.7% | 2.8 | 777 | 1991 |
| Ladson MLS city | $325K | 44 | 96.9% | 3.6 | 402 | — |
| Summerville MLS city | $400K | 51 | 96.7% | 3.3 | 5,246 | — |
| Moncks Corner MLS city | $365K | 54 | 97.4% | 4.1 | 883 | 2001 |
| Further out | ||||||
| Ravenel MLS city | $400K | 54 | 96.8% | 3.4 | 279 | — |
| Hollywood MLS city | $595K | 65 | 94.7% | 6.5 | 112 | — |
| Awendaw MLS city | $1.12M | 74 | 95.7% | 3.7 | 84 | — |
Sales figures: residential, CHS Regional MLS, Nov 2025 – Oct 2026. "MLS city" rows use sales the MLS files under that city name (a mailing-address grouping); ZIP rows use the whole ZIP code; "MLS area" rows use the MLS's own area boundaries. Median year built is for the whole ZIP (shown where the area matches one ZIP); 29455 includes Kiawah and Seabrook. Days on market and sale-to-ask are averages of the monthly figures. Months of supply is active listings in the latest month divided by average monthly sales; under about 4 months generally favors sellers. Median year built covers all housing units, including apartments (U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2024 5-year). Deemed reliable, not guaranteed.
How prices have changed since 2000, area by area →
Master-planned communities
- Nexton: unincorporated Berkeley County off I-26, still selling new homes
- Carolina Park: north Mount Pleasant, near build-out
- Daniel Island: City of Charleston in Berkeley County, largely built out