Health in Charleston, South Carolina: official figures
6.0% of residents of Charleston (9,087 people) had no health insurance in 2020-2024, 272nd lowest of 823 US cities of 50,000 or more (US: 8.4%; South Carolina: 9.6%).
How many children in Charleston are uninsured?
In Charleston, 2.3% of children under 19 and 8.4% of adults aged 19 to 64 were uninsured in 2020-2024, against 0.5% of those 65 and over (US: 5.5%, 11.7% and 0.8%).
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copyHow many people in Charleston are on Medicaid?
8.4% of residents of Charleston under 65 had Medicaid or other means-tested public coverage as their only health insurance in 2020-2024, 124th lowest of 823 US cities of 50,000 or more (US: 18.1%; South Carolina: 16.9%).
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copyHow many people in Charleston have a disability?
9.8% of residents of Charleston (14,975 people) reported a disability in 2020-2024, 172nd lowest of 823 US cities of 50,000 or more (US: 13.3%; South Carolina: 14.6%); 3.8% had two or more types of disability.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copyHow many older people in Charleston have a disability?
By age, 28.0% of residents of Charleston aged 65 and over, 7.1% of those aged 18 to 64 and 3.1% of children under 18 reported a disability in 2020-2024 (US: 32.9%, 10.9% and 4.9%).
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copyWhat is the obesity rate in Charleston, South Carolina?
An estimated 29.4% of adults in Charleston had obesity in 2023, joint 247th lowest of 810 US cities of 50,000 or more with an estimate (CDC PLACES model-based estimate for 2023, age-adjusted).
Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention · saved copyHow common is diabetes in Charleston?
An estimated 9.5% of adults in Charleston had been told by a doctor that they have diabetes, joint 278th lowest of 810 US cities of 50,000 or more with an estimate (CDC PLACES model-based estimate for 2023, age-adjusted).
Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention · saved copyHow is mental health in Charleston?
An estimated 15.0% of adults in Charleston reported poor mental health on 14 or more of the past 30 days, joint 112th lowest of 810 US cities of 50,000 or more with an estimate, and 22.4% had ever been told they have depression (CDC PLACES model-based estimate for 2023, age-adjusted).
Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention · saved copyHow many adults in Charleston have high blood pressure?
In Charleston, an estimated 28.6% of adults had high blood pressure and 18.4% did no physical activity outside work, joint 137th lowest of 810 US cities of 50,000 or more with an estimate for physical inactivity (CDC PLACES model-based estimate for 2023, age-adjusted).
Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention · saved copyHow many adults in Charleston see a doctor for a check-up?
An estimated 78.0% of adults in Charleston had a routine check-up with a doctor in the past year, joint 177th highest of 810 US cities of 50,000 or more with an estimate (CDC PLACES model-based estimate for 2023, age-adjusted).
Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention · saved copyHow Charleston compares with other cities in the United States
Residents without health insurance (2020-2024)
Charleston ranks 552 of 823, highest first.
| Rank | City | Residents without health insurance |
|---|---|---|
| 549 | Lynchburg | 6.0% |
| 550 | Collierville | 6.0% |
| 551 | Orange | 6.0% |
| 552 | Charleston | 6.0% |
| 553 | Baltimore | 5.9% |
| 554 | Yuba City | 5.9% |
| 555 | Wyoming | 5.9% |
Residents with a disability (2020-2024)
Charleston ranks 652 of 823, highest first.
| Rank | City | Residents with a disability |
|---|---|---|
| 649 | Santa Clarita | 9.8% |
| 650 | Hawthorne | 9.8% |
| 651 | Miami Beach | 9.8% |
| 652 | Charleston | 9.8% |
| 653 | South Gate | 9.8% |
| 654 | San Jose | 9.7% |
| 655 | Austin | 9.7% |
Adults with obesity (age-adjusted model estimate) (2023)
Charleston ranks 561 of 810, highest first.
| Rank | City | Adults with obesity (age-adjusted model estimate) |
|---|---|---|
| 558 | Boise City | 29.4% |
| 559 | Yonkers | 29.4% |
| 560 | Peoria | 29.4% |
| 561 | Charleston | 29.4% |
| 562 | Redding | 29.4% |
| 563 | Napa | 29.4% |
| 564 | Murray | 29.4% |
Adults with diagnosed diabetes (age-adjusted model estimate) (2023)
Charleston ranks 524 of 810, highest first.
| Rank | City | Adults with diagnosed diabetes (age-adjusted model estimate) |
|---|---|---|
| 521 | Mesa | 9.5% |
| 522 | Lincoln | 9.5% |
| 523 | Glendale | 9.5% |
| 524 | Charleston | 9.5% |
| 525 | Palm Coast | 9.5% |
| 526 | Costa Mesa | 9.5% |
| 527 | Vacaville | 9.5% |
Adults who smoke cigarettes (age-adjusted model estimate) (2023)
Charleston ranks 625 of 810, highest first.
| Rank | City | Adults who smoke cigarettes (age-adjusted model estimate) |
|---|---|---|
| 622 | Franklin | 10.0% |
| 623 | Petaluma | 10.0% |
| 624 | Orland Park | 10.0% |
| 625 | Charleston | 9.9% |
| 626 | Boulder | 9.9% |
| 627 | Buena Park | 9.9% |
| 628 | Alhambra | 9.9% |
Adults with 14+ poor mental health days a month (age-adjusted model estimate) (2023)
Charleston ranks 696 of 810, highest first.
| Rank | City | Adults with 14+ poor mental health days a month (age-adjusted model estimate) |
|---|---|---|
| 693 | San Jose | 15.0% |
| 694 | Urban Honolulu | 15.0% |
| 695 | Tempe | 15.0% |
| 696 | Charleston | 15.0% |
| 697 | Pearland | 15.0% |
| 698 | Broomfield | 15.0% |
| 699 | Walnut Creek | 15.0% |
More on Charleston: overview · economy and jobs · education and schools · poverty and living standards · government budget · all cities in the United States
Sources
- U.S. Census Bureau: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, table C18108: Age by Number of Disabilities (Summary File rows for the US, the states and the listed cities, copied unchanged from the full file, sha256 8116247db31952c99ba053e6b0c767675a9674703b6b32e7705f1e4952f3b426), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 b8f09efa878c…)
- U.S. Census Bureau: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, table B27010: Types of Health Insurance Coverage by Age (Summary File rows for the US, the states and the listed cities, copied unchanged from the full file, sha256 2ceba99dada3ec1042310e1dc1f00bcc819de765c3143028aa000df025012a69), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 3db662ef4cb3…)
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: PLACES: Place Data (GIS Friendly Format), 2025 release: model-based age-adjusted prevalence among adults, for every place (data.cdc.gov API, columns used), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 b2174bcc660f…)
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