The market right now
Over Oct 2025 – Sep 2026, the median residential sale (MLS area 78, Wando/Cainhoy) was about $780,000. Homes averaged 45 days on market and sold for about 98.0% of their original asking price, and there was roughly 2.2 months of supply at the latest count. Compare it with the rest of the region on the communities map.
City of Charleston or Berkeley County?
This is the first thing I check on a Cainhoy or Clements Ferry address. Charleston annexed Cainhoy in 1996, and most of the newer development along Clements Ferry Road, including Point Hope, is inside city limits. Rural areas farther out, such as Huger, are unincorporated Berkeley County, and the city still gets annexation requests from Cainhoy-area owners every year, so city and county parcels sit side by side.
It matters for taxes, short-term rentals, zoning, police and fire. Inside the city you get city police and fire and city zoning. The P&C reported in April 2026 that rural areas beyond city limits, such as Huger, lack a professional fire department. Either way you're in Berkeley County for schools and the tax bill. Pull the Berkeley County tax record for the parcel before you write an offer.
Homes and what your money buys
Most of what's for sale is newer construction. Point Hope is a 9,000-acre master plan on both sides of Clements Ferry Road, developed for the Guggenheim family by the team behind Daniel Island. About 4,500 acres will stay undeveloped and about 1,000 acres are planned as parks and trails. Builders have included Pulte, David Weekley and Toll Brothers, with plans from about 1,900 to nearly 4,000 square feet. Del Webb Point Hope, a 55-plus community, is planned for 767 homes on 502 acres off Beech Hill Drive, and there are new apartment communities too.
More is on the way. In September 2026 the city's Technical Review Committee reviewed a 450-home second phase of Restore at Point Hope and a Thomas Island subdivision of more than 130 homes. Total buildout estimates vary: Live 5 cited up to 12,000 units, while the city told the P&C the agreement allows 18,000, with a realistic maximum of about two-thirds of that. Out in rural Huger, many new homes are on wells and septic. See the new construction directory for communities selling now, and Daniel Island next door for comparison.
Getting around
Clements Ferry Road is the spine, and it's the honest downside. Berkeley County finished widening it to four lanes for its full length in 2024, with Phase 2 running about 4.5 miles from Jack Primus Road to SC-41. Traffic keeps climbing: the stretch between Jack Primus Road and I-526 averages nearly 40,000 vehicles a day, up 54% since 2015, and officials say even an eight-lane road would still bottleneck at I-526.
I-526 is how you reach North Charleston, the airport and Mount Pleasant. SCDOT's I-526 East project covers the Don Holt Bridge to Mount Pleasant, with Long Point Road interchange work under way, but widening the interstate to eight lanes is expected to run into the 2030s. The city plans better access to the school campus off Clements Ferry, which is served by two-lane roads. Drive the commute at the hour you'd actually go before you buy.
Flooding and insurance
Cainhoy is low-lying, with marsh and creeks along the Wando and Cooper rivers. The Southern Environmental Law Center argues that nearly half of the Point Hope site is flood-prone land, mostly on the southern end, and that about 200 acres of wetlands would be filled. Flood risk is parcel by parcel, so run every address through the flood zone lookup and ask the builder or seller for the elevation certificate.
The wetlands permit has been in court since 2022. A federal judge refused to halt construction in 2024 and an appeals court upheld that in 2025; SELC says the underlying case is before the Fourth Circuit. In 2024 the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service briefly paused clearing on parts of the site over protected bats and woodpeckers, and work resumed under updated permits.
Property taxes: 4% vs 6%
South Carolina assesses a home you live in as your legal residence at 4% of value, and state law exempts that home from school operating millage. Second homes and rentals are assessed at 6% and pay the full rate. Apply for the 4% ratio with the Berkeley County Assessor after you close.
City or county changes the rate. For 2026/2027, Berkeley County lists 328.5 total mills for the City of Charleston district and 246.5 for unincorporated districts, before the owner-occupied school exemption. Many Point Hope homes also pay HOA dues, so ask for the full annual cost.
Schools
Cainhoy and the Clements Ferry corridor are served by Berkeley County School District, inside or outside Charleston city limits. Attendance zones change, so check the exact address on the district's attendance-zone map (link below).
Things to do
Point Hope Commons has a Publix-anchored shopping center, and the community's Doolittle Park amenity center was under construction in late 2024 with pools, tennis, pickleball and basketball. The city plans more fire stations, a police hub and a recreation facility on the peninsula.
The old village of Cainhoy, off SC-41 on the Wando River, is a National Register historic district listed in 1982, with nine historic buildings from a ferry landing that grew into a small river port. The peninsula borders the Francis Marion National Forest, and Daniel Island's shops, parks and Credit One Stadium are a short drive back toward I-526. For local events, see community happenings.
Short-term rentals
Inside city limits, Cainhoy falls under the City of Charleston's Category 3 rules for areas off the peninsula: no age or historic requirement, but the home must be the owner's full-time primary residence at the 4% rate, with one short-term rental unit per property and one extra off-street parking space. Investor whole-home rentals aren't allowed here. Details are on my short-term rental rules page.
For an unincorporated Berkeley County parcel, check with Berkeley County Planning and Zoning, and read the HOA covenants either way.
What people like
- Lots of new construction in a large master plan with planned parks and preserved land.
- Next door to Daniel Island and close to I-526.
- Berkeley County tax rates, with a lower unincorporated rate outside the city.
- River, marsh and national forest close by.
What to weigh first
- One main road: Clements Ferry carries nearly 40,000 vehicles a day near I-526.
- Years of construction ahead, with thousands more homes planned.
- Low-lying land, with flood-prone areas and an ongoing wetlands lawsuit.
- City vs county lines make taxes, services and rental rules confusing.
How far is Cainhoy & Wando from…
| Destination | Drive, no traffic | Miles |
|---|---|---|
| Charleston International Airport | 20 min | 11.4 |
| Downtown (Marion Square) | 30 min | 19.5 |
| MUSC | 35 min | 19.2 |
| Boeing South Carolina | 20 min | 12 |
| Folly Beach Pier | 50 min | 29.1 |
| Isle of Palms County Park | 30 min | 16.8 |
Measured from Clements Ferry Rd at Point Hope on OpenStreetMap roads with no traffic, rounded to 5 minutes. Rush hour on the bridges and main roads can double these, so drive your commute at the time you'd actually make it.
Common questions about Cainhoy & Wando
What is the median home price in Cainhoy & Wando?
About $780,000, the median of monthly median sold prices for residential sales in MLS area 78, Wando/Cainhoy, CHS Regional MLS, Oct 2025 – Sep 2026. Homes sold at about 98.0% of their original asking price after an average of 45 days on market.
Is Cainhoy part of the City of Charleston?
Much of it is. Charleston annexed Cainhoy in 1996, and Point Hope and most new development along Clements Ferry Road are in city limits. Rural areas such as Huger are unincorporated Berkeley County. Check the parcel's tax record.
Is Clements Ferry Road still being widened?
No. Berkeley County finished widening it to four lanes for its full length in 2024. Traffic near I-526 still averages nearly 40,000 vehicles a day, and I-526 widening is expected to run into the 2030s.
How big will Point Hope get?
Point Hope covers 9,000 acres, with about 4,500 to stay undeveloped. Live 5 cited up to 12,000 homes over decades; the city told the Post and Courier the agreement allows 18,000, with about two-thirds of that a realistic maximum.
Does Cainhoy flood?
Parts of it can. The peninsula is low-lying with marsh along the Wando and Cooper rivers. Check the FEMA zone and elevation certificate for each home rather than assuming.
Can I run a short-term rental in Cainhoy?
Inside city limits, only in your own primary residence under the City of Charleston's Category 3 permit, with one rental unit and an extra parking space. Whole-home investor rentals aren't allowed.
Sources
- Post and Courier: Point Hope, a bridge between Cainhoy's past and future (Dec. 14, 2024)
- Post and Courier: Point Hope projects under review (Aug. 16, 2025)
- Post and Courier: Cainhoy traffic and growth (Apr. 6, 2026)
- Live 5: Point Hope's next phase faces approval (Sept. 10, 2025)
- ABC News 4: Charleston reviews Clements Ferry Road subdivisions (Sept. 18, 2026)
- Live 5: City Council approves Cainhoy Plantation plan (2014)
- City of Charleston: Daniel Island & Cainhoy annexation
- Berkeley County: Clements Ferry Road Widening Phase 2
- Berkeley County Auditor: millage 2026/2027
- Southern Environmental Law Center: What to know about the Cainhoy Peninsula (Mar. 2, 2026)
- Wikipedia: Cainhoy Historic District
- City of Charleston: Short-term rental category criteria
- SC Code Title 12 Chapter 37 (school operating exemption, 12-37-220(B)(47))
- SC DOR: Homeowner's Guide to Legal Residence
Market figures: residential sales, MLS area 78, Wando/Cainhoy, CHS Regional MLS, Oct 2025 – Sep 2026. Deemed reliable but not guaranteed. MLS city and ZIP figures follow mailing addresses, which don't match town limits. Population, taxes, roads and flood history were checked against the sources above on October 21, 2026; they change, so verify before you rely on them. School information is limited to which district serves an area and its official lookup.