Poverty and living standards in North Charleston, South Carolina: official figures
14.4% of residents of North Charleston (16,734 people) had incomes below the federal poverty line in the 2020-2024 American Community Survey, 307th highest of 823 US cities of 50,000 or more (US: 12.5%; South Carolina: 14.1%).
How many children live in poverty in North Charleston?
21.3% of children under 18 in North Charleston lived below the poverty line in 2020-2024 (5,428 children), 232nd highest of 823 US cities of 50,000 or more (US: 16.1%; South Carolina: 19.4%).
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copyWhat is the poverty rate for older people in North Charleston?
By age, the poverty rate in North Charleston was 21.0% for children under 6 and 14.1% for residents aged 60 and over in 2020-2024 (US: 17.2% and 11.0%).
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copyHow many people in North Charleston live in deep poverty?
8,714 people in North Charleston, 7.5% of residents, had incomes below half the poverty line in 2020-2024, 254th highest of 823 US cities of 50,000 or more (US: 6.0%).
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copyHow many renters in North Charleston are cost-burdened?
55.4% of renting households in North Charleston spent 30% or more of their income on rent and utilities in 2020-2024 (13,115 households), 302nd highest of 823 US cities of 50,000 or more (US: 51.1%; South Carolina: 52.1%).
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copyHow many households in North Charleston spend half their income on rent?
25.7% of renting households in North Charleston spent half or more of their income on rent and utilities, 380th lowest of 823 US cities of 50,000 or more (US: 25.9%).
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copyHow many people in North Charleston are food insecure?
An estimated 23.3% of adults in North Charleston experienced food insecurity in the past year, joint 144th highest of 592 US cities of 50,000 or more with an estimate, and 18.4% housing insecurity (CDC PLACES model-based estimate for 2023, age-adjusted).
Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention · saved copyHow North Charleston compares with other cities in the United States
Residents below the poverty line (2020-2024)
North Charleston ranks 307 of 823, highest first.
| Rank | City | Residents below the poverty line |
|---|---|---|
| 304 | Great Falls | 14.5% |
| 305 | Hanford | 14.5% |
| 306 | Newport News | 14.5% |
| 307 | North Charleston | 14.4% |
| 308 | Hempstead | 14.4% |
| 309 | Bayonne | 14.4% |
| 310 | Salem | 14.4% |
Children under 18 below the poverty line (2020-2024)
North Charleston ranks 232 of 823, highest first.
| Rank | City | Children under 18 below the poverty line |
|---|---|---|
| 229 | Yakima | 21.5% |
| 230 | Nashville | 21.4% |
| 231 | Gastonia | 21.3% |
| 232 | North Charleston | 21.3% |
| 233 | Hawthorne | 21.2% |
| 234 | Bradenton | 21.2% |
| 235 | Johnson City | 21.1% |
Residents with incomes below half the poverty line (2020-2024)
North Charleston ranks 254 of 823, highest first.
| Rank | City | Residents with incomes below half the poverty line |
|---|---|---|
| 251 | Lake Havasu City | 7.5% |
| 252 | Winter Haven | 7.5% |
| 253 | Council Bluffs | 7.5% |
| 254 | North Charleston | 7.5% |
| 255 | Fort Wayne | 7.5% |
| 256 | Nashville | 7.5% |
| 257 | Glendale | 7.5% |
Renting households spending 30% or more of income on rent (2020-2024)
North Charleston ranks 302 of 823, highest first.
| Rank | City | Renting households spending 30% or more of income on rent |
|---|---|---|
| 299 | Manteca | 55.4% |
| 300 | Erie | 55.4% |
| 301 | Livermore | 55.4% |
| 302 | North Charleston | 55.4% |
| 303 | Tucson | 55.4% |
| 304 | Gardena | 55.4% |
| 305 | Syracuse | 55.4% |
Adults experiencing food insecurity (age-adjusted model estimate) (2023)
North Charleston ranks 145 of 592, highest first.
| Rank | City | Adults experiencing food insecurity (age-adjusted model estimate) |
|---|---|---|
| 142 | West Valley City | 23.4% |
| 143 | El Cajon | 23.4% |
| 144 | Savannah | 23.3% |
| 145 | North Charleston | 23.3% |
| 146 | Kenner | 23.3% |
| 147 | Vineland | 23.3% |
| 148 | Anaheim | 23.2% |
More on North Charleston: overview · economy and jobs · health · education and schools · government budget · all cities in the United States
Sources
- 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…)
- U.S. Census Bureau: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, table B17020: Poverty Status in the Past 12 Months by Age (Summary File rows for the US, the states and the listed cities, copied unchanged from the full file, sha256 e79a292f34605560506b7f4b5c8ea242c9d6e203c8e95ba675565ddb7758571e), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 41bab025d213…)
- U.S. Census Bureau: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, table C17002: Ratio of Income to Poverty Level in the Past 12 Months (Summary File rows for the US, the states and the listed cities, copied unchanged from the full file, sha256 dc3dc675113683ec3ff2a0e29a840f43e03268151d7f14b922658d7306da5187), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 31aa364bfddf…)
- U.S. Census Bureau: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, table B25070: Gross Rent as a Percentage of Household Income in the Past 12 Months (Summary File rows for the US, the states and the listed cities, copied unchanged from the full file, sha256 862ccc17d913305d11e6f802ce4518d76b30585ea0b05b251cd8cf21f8661386), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 4f8d499d9e95…)
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