Population & Demographics

When talking about Charleston demographics, it’s impossible to begin without mentioning the Lowcountry’s stellar historic and forecasted growth.

While the U.S. population grew by approximately  three percent between 2020 and 2024, the Charleston region saw nearly nine percent growth over the same period — underscoring its appeal to both talent and employers. The regional population now stands at approximately 870,000 today, with projections indicating it could reach 1 million by 2032.

To explore detailed population and demographic trends, several authoritative resources are available:

• Charleston Regional Data Center offers insights into in- and out-migration patterns, population by county, race, and age, and long-term regional trends.
• South Carolina Census State Data Center provides statewide and regional population analysis, including interactive dashboards with population projections, housing data, and socioeconomic indicators. South Carolina currently ranks as the fastest-growing state in the U.S. by percentage change.
• The Berkeley-Charleston-Dorchester Council of Governments (BCDCOG), the Charleston Metro Area’s regional planning organization, gathers, maintains, analyzes, updates and distributes statistics and information in a variety of formats. The staff maintains an extensive demographic and economic database for the BCD region. This information is collected from the Census Bureau, local governments and the private sector and incorporated into many of the COG’s planning projects.

Whether you’re tracking shifts in age and gender distribution or comparing growth patterns across county lines, these state and regional resources provide the depth and clarity needed for data-driven decisions.

Diversity is a defining strength of the Charleston region, shaped by growing international connectivity and a globally minded workforce that values collaboration. As companies and talent from around the world continue to put down roots, the region’s ethnic and cultural mix has expanded in ways that support innovation and inclusive growth.

South Carolina ranks among the top 25 states on the diversity index, and the Charleston region reflects that momentum. People and businesses from all around the world call Charleston home. More details on the Charleston MSA’s population characteristics can be found here: https://charlestonregionaldata.com/index.

The region’s diversity is reinforced by a strong concentration of young professionals who fuel workforce vitality and long-term growth:

• #3 mid-size metro in the U.S. for prime-age workforce (ages 25–54)
• 86.6% labor force participation rate among prime-age workers
• 71% of incoming labor pool falls between ages 18–54
• In North Charleston, the largest age group is 25–29, with a median age of 32.2