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County tax profile · 2026 · Census ACS + IRS data

Property Tax & Income in Charleston County, South Carolina

Charleston County has an effective property tax rate of 0.39%. On the median home value of $489,100, that's roughly $1,901 per year. Median household income is $88,494.

Effective Property Tax Rate1
0.39%
median tax $1,901 ÷ median home $489,100
Median Home Value1
$489,100
owner-occupied
Median Household Income1
$88,494
per-capita $56,921
Est. Annual Tax on Median Home1
$1,901
at 0.39% effective rate

What you'll pay, at a glance

Property taxes are the largest local tax most homeowners pay. The effective rate measures the real tax bill as a share of home value — a more useful number than the nominal “mill rate,” because assessment practices vary county to county.

MetricCharleston CountySouth Carolina (state context)
Effective property tax rate10.39%0.51%
Median home value1$489,100—
State income tax3top rate 6.20%top rate 6.20%
State sales tax37.49% combined7.49% combined

How this is calculated

The effective property tax rate is the median real-estate tax bill divided by the median home value — both for owner-occupied homes, from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS 5-year estimates)1. Median income is also from the ACS1. Federal and state income-tax figures use IRS2 and Tax Foundation3 data.

About Charleston County, SC

Charleston County’s effective property tax rate of 0.389% falls well below both the South Carolina median of 0.508% and the national median of 0.794%. Among South Carolina’s 46 counties, it ranks 43rd, placing it near the bottom of the state for property tax burden. That gap shows up plainly in the tax bill: the median home value of $489,100 carries an annual real-estate tax of about $1,901. With median household income at $88,494 and per-capita income of $56,921, homeowners here keep a comparatively large share of their earnings after taxes. The county’s low rate alongside its high home values suggests taxable property is plentiful enough to fund services without steep levies. Charleston, the county’s largest city, anchors a market that includes North Charleston and Mount Pleasant.

Frequently asked questions

What is the property tax rate in Charleston County, SC?
The effective rate is 0.39% — meaning the median tax bill equals about 0.39% of the median home value.
How much are property taxes on a median home?
On the median home ($489,100), the estimated annual bill is about $1,901.
Is Charleston County's rate high or low?
Compare it to the state median of 0.51% and the national average near 1.1%.
How does the effective rate differ from my mill rate?
A mill rate is the nominal levy per $1,000 of assessed value. The effective rate reflects what you actually pay after exemptions and assessments — it's the median tax bill as a share of median home value, so it better predicts your real cost.
Will a reassessment raise my tax bill?
Not necessarily. If your home's assessed value rises, your bill can go up, but only if the mill rate and exemptions stay flat. Contact the Charleston County assessor's office to review your current assessment.
Can I appeal my property tax assessment?
Yes. Most counties allow an appeal when you believe the assessed value exceeds the market value. File with the Charleston County assessor within the local deadline, typically with comparable sales as evidence.
Sources
[1] U.S. Census Bureau — ACS 5-Year (2023) — Median home value (B25077), median real-estate taxes (B25103), median household income (B19013), per-capita income (B19301).
[2] IRS — Statistics of Income — County income, AGI, and real-estate taxes paid.
[3] Tax Foundation — State income, sales, corporate, and estate/inheritance tax rates.