The market, side by side
| Median sale | Days on market | Sale / original list | Sales in 12 months | Months of supply | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mount Pleasant (29466) | $860K | 43 | 96.2% | 963 | 3 |
| Mount Pleasant (29464) | $950K | 43 | 94.9% | 940 | 2.6 |
| James Island (29412) | $640K | 42 | 95.5% | 705 | 2.9 |
Residential closed sales, CHS Regional MLS via Flexmls, Nov 2025 – Oct 2026. Median of monthly medians; "sale / original list" includes price cuts. Months of supply under about 4 favors sellers.
Drive times
| Without traffic, to… | From Mount Pleasant | From James Island |
|---|---|---|
| Downtown (Marion Square) | 10 min | 10 min |
| MUSC | 10 min | 10 min |
| Airport | 20 min | 25 min |
| Boeing | 20 min | 25 min |
| Closest beach | 15 min | 10 min |
OSRM on OpenStreetMap roads, no traffic, rounded to 5 minutes, from Mount Pleasant Town Hall and Folly Rd at Camp Rd. Try your own addresses in the commute calculator.
Quick facts
Mount Pleasant
- County
- Charleston · Town Council sets zoning and permits
- Population
- 95,469 · Town limits, Census estimate July 2025
- Land area
- 49.53 sq mi · 2020 Census
- New home permits
- 480 a year · Single-family cap, extended to 2029
James Island
- Governments
- Town, City and County · One island, three jurisdictions
- Town population
- 12,660 · Town limits only, Census estimate July 2025
- Town incorporated
- 2012 · Fourth try; first founded in 1992
- Town property tax
- $0 net · A sales-tax credit covers the town's millage
The honest trade-offs
Mount Pleasant
Pros
- Close to downtown over the Ravenel Bridge, with a bike and walking path.
- Harbor, creek and river access, from Shem Creek to the Wando.
- Real growth controls: permit caps, an STR cap and new parkland.
- Wide range of homes, from the historic Old Village to newer master plans.
Cons
- US-17 and Highway 41 back up at peak hours, and the fixes take years.
- Flood-prone low spots, including parts of the Old Village.
- Permit caps and covenants limit what you can build or rent.
- HOA or POA dues in most newer neighborhoods.
James Island
Pros
- About as close to downtown as you can get by car, via the James Island Connector.
- Established neighborhoods with mature trees and a mix of older and newer homes.
- Big county parks, historic sites and a direct road to Folly Beach.
- Town of James Island owners pay no net town property tax.
Cons
- Folly Road gets heavy, especially with Folly Beach traffic.
- Tidal flooding and drainage problems in low areas near the marsh.
- Three governments make taxes, permits and STR rules confusing.
- The Folly Road safety plan was scaled back, so some fixes are on hold.
Common questions
Is Mount Pleasant more expensive than James Island?
Yes. The median sale over Nov 2025 – Oct 2026 was $860K to $950K depending on ZIP in Mount Pleasant, against about $640K in James Island.
Which is closer to downtown Charleston, Mount Pleasant or James Island?
They're about the same, roughly 10 minutes without traffic.
Do homes sell faster in Mount Pleasant or James Island?
Over Nov 2025 – Oct 2026, homes averaged about 43 days on market in Mount Pleasant and about 42 in James Island. That's an average across all price points; it varies a lot by neighborhood and price.
Read the full guides
- Living in Mount Pleasant: taxes, flood zones, schools and what your money buys
- Living in James Island: taxes, flood zones, schools and what your money buys
- Mount Pleasant vs West Ashley
- Mount Pleasant vs Cainhoy & Wando
- Downtown Charleston vs Mount Pleasant
- Mount Pleasant vs Awendaw
- Which Charleston area fits you? (quiz)
Sources
The facts, pros and cons above come from my two guides, where every claim is sourced. A few of those sources:
- U.S. Census QuickFacts: Mount Pleasant town
- Post and Courier: the Old Village (history, historic district commission)
- Wikipedia: I'On, Mount Pleasant
- The Cassina Group: Around Park West
- U.S. Census QuickFacts: James Island town
- Town of James Island: History
- Town of James Island: Annexation
- Town of James Island: Town Property Tax