Living in Radcliffeborough, Downtown Charleston: Homes, Rules

What's selling in Radcliffeborough

From Jan 1, 2026 to Oct 21, 2026, 21 homes sold in Radcliffeborough at a median of $995,000, 58% above the median for the MLS city of Charleston. Most sold between $495K and $2.27M. The homes that sold were 62% single-family detached and 38% townhomes or condos, with a median year built of 1920. With this few sales, one or two big or small homes can move the median, so read it as a range.

Boundaries: Calhoun St to Morris St (King St on the east, Rutledge Ave (and a few blocks to Ashley Ave) on the west)
Size: About 110 acres (About 1,320 residential units in city address records)
Government: City of Charleston (Mostly Old and Historic District; northern blocks in the Old City District)
Association: Neighborhood association (Radcliffeborough Neighborhood Association, a civic group, not an HOA)

Where it is and getting around

On the city's neighborhood association map, Radcliffeborough runs from Calhoun Street north to Morris Street and from King Street west to Rutledge Avenue, with a few blocks reaching Ashley Avenue near Bee and Doughty streets. The main residential streets are Smith, Vanderhorst, Warren, Radcliffe, Coming and St. Philip. The College of Charleston and MUSC border it, and Marion Square and King Street are a short walk.

Calhoun and King are busy, and the blocks closest to the college and medical district see a lot of foot and car traffic. Many houses rely on street parking, so I'd check the residential parking permit rules for the block and whether a property has its own driveway.

The homes and lots

Planter and merchant Thomas Radcliffe bought the tract in 1786 and by 1796 had divided it into lots, according to the Post and Courier. The original tract was roughly King, Morris and Radcliffe streets, and the neighborhood later grew south to Calhoun and west toward Ashley Avenue. The Cathedral Church of St. Luke and St. Paul on Coming Street, completed in 1811, sits on land Radcliffe's widow donated.

The common house here is the Charleston single house with stacked side piazzas. City address records show a real mix: about 260 single-family addresses alongside roughly 70 duplexes, 60-plus multifamily buildings and some condos. A lot of single houses have been split into units over the years, so I'd confirm the legal unit count with the city before you buy one as a rental or a conversion back to one home.

BAR rules and what's changing

About two-thirds of Radcliffeborough is in the Old and Historic District, where visible new construction, exterior alterations, signage and demolition need Board of Architectural Review or staff approval. The northern blocks (along Morris, Corinne and Marion streets and much of St. Philip and Jasper) are in the Old City District, where review of exterior alterations applies only to buildings at least 100 years old, rated or previously reviewed, and demolition review to buildings at least 50 years old.

The project to watch is on the block of Radcliffe, St. Philip and King streets. City Council rezoned the parking lot there in March 2025 over neighborhood objections, and on April 8, 2026 the BAR gave conceptual approval to a five-story garage with 178 additional public spaces plus 10 apartments facing Radcliffe and St. Philip, according to the Post and Courier. It still needs two more rounds of review.

Flood and rentals

Parts of the western side were marshland when the neighborhood was laid out, and FEMA's current maps put roughly two-thirds of Radcliffeborough in Zone AE (base flood elevations of 10 to 11 feet), with most of the rest in shaded Zone X. Run the exact address through my flood zone lookup and ask for an elevation certificate.

Short-term rentals follow City of Charleston rules, and the category depends on the street. Most of the neighborhood is Category 1 (Old and Historic District): the owner's full-time primary residence (4% tax rate), in a building individually listed on the National Register, one rental unit per property and an extra off-street parking space. The northern blocks are Category 2, where the building must be at least 50 years old instead. Check the address on my short-term rental rules page.

Schools

Radcliffeborough is in the Charleston County School District. Attendance zones can change, so check the exact address with the district's official lookup: Charleston County school zone map.

What people like

Walk to King Street, Marion Square, the college and MUSC
Historic single houses and a mix of unit sizes
Inside city limits with city services

What to weigh first

Busy streets near Calhoun, King and the medical district
Much of it is in a FEMA AE flood zone
Street parking is tight and a new garage is planned on Radcliffe St

Common questions about Radcliffeborough

How much do homes cost in Radcliffeborough?

The median sale was $995,000 across 21 closed sales from Jan 1, 2026 to Oct 21, 2026 (CHS Regional MLS), with most selling between $495K and $2.27M. That's 58% above the median for the MLS city of Charleston ($629,000). The median price per square foot was $687.

Does Radcliffeborough have an HOA?

No neighborhood-wide HOA. The Radcliffeborough Neighborhood Association is a civic group. Condo buildings have their own associations, so check the deed and any condo documents.

Is Radcliffeborough in a flood zone?

Roughly two-thirds is mapped Zone AE (base flood elevations of 10 to 11 feet) on FEMA's maps, with most of the rest shaded Zone X. Check the exact address with my flood zone lookup.

Can I rent my Radcliffeborough home short term?

Only as the owner's full-time primary residence, one unit per property, with an extra parking space. Most blocks are Category 1 (building must be individually on the National Register); the northern blocks are Category 2 (building 50+ years old). See my short-term rental rules page.

What's being built in Radcliffeborough?

A five-story public parking garage with 10 apartments on the Radcliffe and St. Philip block got conceptual BAR approval on April 8, 2026 and still needs two more rounds of review.

More about the area: Downtown Charleston guide · all neighborhoods

Sources

Sales figures: closed residential sales recorded under the Radcliffeborough subdivision name in the CHS Regional MLS, Jan 1, 2026 to Oct 21, 2026. Medians, not appraisals. Deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Other details checked against the sources above on October 22, 2026; HOA rules and fees change, so get current documents before you buy.

Radcliffeborough, Downtown Charleston