HousingPermits

Metro area in South Carolina

Charleston-North Charleston, SC

The Charleston-North Charleston metro area authorized 7,287 new housing units in 2025. Buildings with five or more units accounted for 24% of the units authorized in 2021–2025, the highest share among the 8 metro areas based in South Carolina. Permits fell 14% between 2024 and 2025, the steepest decline among the 8 metro areas based in South Carolina.

03,0006,0009,00012k2004: 8,306 units (7,371 single-family, 62 in 2–4 unit, 873 in 5+ unit buildings)2005: 10,818 units (8,084 single-family, 285 in 2–4 unit, 2,449 in 5+ unit buildings)2006: 9,073 units (7,304 single-family, 142 in 2–4 unit, 1,627 in 5+ unit buildings)2007: 6,780 units (5,602 single-family, 30 in 2–4 unit, 1,148 in 5+ unit buildings)2008: 5,172 units (3,694 single-family, 63 in 2–4 unit, 1,415 in 5+ unit buildings)2009: 2,949 units (2,732 single-family, 6 in 2–4 unit, 211 in 5+ unit buildings)2010: 3,060 units (2,787 single-family, 19 in 2–4 unit, 254 in 5+ unit buildings)2011: 3,822 units (2,597 single-family, 0 in 2–4 unit, 1,225 in 5+ unit buildings)2012: 4,593 units (3,132 single-family, 38 in 2–4 unit, 1,423 in 5+ unit buildings)2013: 5,417 units (3,779 single-family, 36 in 2–4 unit, 1,602 in 5+ unit buildings)2014: 6,155 units (4,144 single-family, 0 in 2–4 unit, 2,011 in 5+ unit buildings)2015: 6,590 units (4,608 single-family, 44 in 2–4 unit, 1,938 in 5+ unit buildings)2016: 6,974 units (4,787 single-family, 28 in 2–4 unit, 2,159 in 5+ unit buildings)2017: 7,267 units (4,726 single-family, 8 in 2–4 unit, 2,533 in 5+ unit buildings)2018: 7,002 units (4,787 single-family, 16 in 2–4 unit, 2,199 in 5+ unit buildings)2019: 6,695 units (4,758 single-family, 25 in 2–4 unit, 1,912 in 5+ unit buildings)2020: 8,604 units (5,791 single-family, 34 in 2–4 unit, 2,779 in 5+ unit buildings)2021: 8,282 units (5,913 single-family, 27 in 2–4 unit, 2,342 in 5+ unit buildings)2022: 9,491 units (6,329 single-family, 34 in 2–4 unit, 3,128 in 5+ unit buildings)2023: 8,573 units (6,184 single-family, 316 in 2–4 unit, 2,073 in 5+ unit buildings)2024: 8,514 units (6,817 single-family, 260 in 2–4 unit, 1,437 in 5+ unit buildings)2025: 7,287 units (5,799 single-family, 151 in 2–4 unit, 1,337 in 5+ unit buildings)200420072010201320162019202220252005 high · 10,81804,0008,00012k2004: 8,306 units (7,371 single-family, 62 in 2–4 unit, 873 in 5+ unit buildings)2005: 10,818 units (8,084 single-family, 285 in 2–4 unit, 2,449 in 5+ unit buildings)2006: 9,073 units (7,304 single-family, 142 in 2–4 unit, 1,627 in 5+ unit buildings)2007: 6,780 units (5,602 single-family, 30 in 2–4 unit, 1,148 in 5+ unit buildings)2008: 5,172 units (3,694 single-family, 63 in 2–4 unit, 1,415 in 5+ unit buildings)2009: 2,949 units (2,732 single-family, 6 in 2–4 unit, 211 in 5+ unit buildings)2010: 3,060 units (2,787 single-family, 19 in 2–4 unit, 254 in 5+ unit buildings)2011: 3,822 units (2,597 single-family, 0 in 2–4 unit, 1,225 in 5+ unit buildings)2012: 4,593 units (3,132 single-family, 38 in 2–4 unit, 1,423 in 5+ unit buildings)2013: 5,417 units (3,779 single-family, 36 in 2–4 unit, 1,602 in 5+ unit buildings)2014: 6,155 units (4,144 single-family, 0 in 2–4 unit, 2,011 in 5+ unit buildings)2015: 6,590 units (4,608 single-family, 44 in 2–4 unit, 1,938 in 5+ unit buildings)2016: 6,974 units (4,787 single-family, 28 in 2–4 unit, 2,159 in 5+ unit buildings)2017: 7,267 units (4,726 single-family, 8 in 2–4 unit, 2,533 in 5+ unit buildings)2018: 7,002 units (4,787 single-family, 16 in 2–4 unit, 2,199 in 5+ unit buildings)2019: 6,695 units (4,758 single-family, 25 in 2–4 unit, 1,912 in 5+ unit buildings)2020: 8,604 units (5,791 single-family, 34 in 2–4 unit, 2,779 in 5+ unit buildings)2021: 8,282 units (5,913 single-family, 27 in 2–4 unit, 2,342 in 5+ unit buildings)2022: 9,491 units (6,329 single-family, 34 in 2–4 unit, 3,128 in 5+ unit buildings)2023: 8,573 units (6,184 single-family, 316 in 2–4 unit, 2,073 in 5+ unit buildings)2024: 8,514 units (6,817 single-family, 260 in 2–4 unit, 1,437 in 5+ unit buildings)2025: 7,287 units (5,799 single-family, 151 in 2–4 unit, 1,337 in 5+ unit buildings)2004200820122016202020252005 high · 10,818

Single-family2–4 units5+ units

Relative to population

With 889,263 residents in July 2025, Charleston, SC authorized 9.9 units per 1,000 residents a year in 2021–2025, 2.1 times the national 4.7. The metro areas with the nearest rates are Clarksville (9.9) and Deltona (9.8).

Where in the metro

Charleston County accounted for 49% of the metro area's units in 2021–2025, Berkeley County for 35%.

  • Charleston County49% (3,392 in 2025)
  • Berkeley County35% (2,299 in 2025)
  • Dorchester County16% (1,596 in 2025)

Houses or apartments

The closest match in building mix among the 386 other metro areas is Vineland (24% in five-plus buildings). Units in five-plus buildings peaked in 2022 (3,128), single-family houses in 2005 (8,084).

2021–202573.7%74%1.9%24.5%24%2004–200680.7%81%1.7%17.6%18%US, 2021–202562.6%63%3.5%34.0%34%2021–202573.7%74%1.9%24.5%24%2004–200680.7%81%1.7%17.6%18%US, 2021–202562.6%63%3.5%34.0%34%

Busiest permit offices

Across the metro area, 15 permit offices authorized new housing in 2021–2025. The busiest was Berkeley County (unincorporated), with 9,503 units or 22% of the total, followed by North Charleston with 7,382.

  • Berkeley County (unincorporated)22% (9,503 units)
  • North Charleston18% (7,382 units)
  • Charleston16% (6,579 units)
  • Dorchester County (unincorporated)13% (5,476 units)
  • Charleston County (unincorporated)8.8% (3,713 units)
  • Moncks Corner town6.6% (2,771 units)
  • Mount Pleasant town5.6% (2,357 units)
  • Goose Creek5.1% (2,169 units)

Share of the units authorized in the metro area, 2021–2025.

Boom, bust and since

Charleston, SC authorized the most units in 2005 (10,818); 2025 reached 67% of that. Its peak year is shared by 105 other metro areas, among them Allentown, El Paso, Cape Coral. Annual permits fell from 10,818 during the mid-2000s boom to 2,949 in 2009, a drop of 73%. The nearest bust profile in the South Atlantic states was Raleigh's (72%). The 2021–2025 pace of 8,429 units a year is 10% below the 2004–2006 pace. Permits rose 8 years in a row up to 2017.

Similar in size

Metro area2004–20252025 unitsPer 1,000 a year5+ share
Charleston-North Charleston, SC7,2879.924%
Baton Rouge, LA4,3144.513%
Worcester, MA1,6902.245%
Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ1,9742.533%
El Paso, TX2,0502.87.4%

Rates and shares: 2021–2025.

Put Charleston, SC beside Baton Rouge

Every yearly figure behind the chart, split by building size: yearly-units.csv. State view: South Carolina. Counting rules.