Exploring Charleston

Where to live ?

It's difficult coming to a new area and trying to figure out where to live. 

The good news is that Charleston is not that big & each of its areas are quite distinct so it’s easy to narrow your search down.

I’ve written a guide to each area. I personally wrote them, no ghost writing here. And they are brutally honest. You’ll learn about the positives AND the negatives of each area.

I includes links to Google Street Views for everywhere, so you can do a virtual walk around the area. Be sure to click on the hyperlinked location names to access this.

Note : March 2021 update, I’m updating them all now and they’ll be finished by the end of March, so bear with me if they’re not all complete when you’re reading this.

Budget

Budget is key, so to help you narrow down (and save you reading all my guides), read the guides that fit your budget.

If your budget is

$300k+ West Ashley, James Island, Johns Island, Park Circle

$500k+ All above plus Uptown, Mt Pleasant

$600k+ All above plus Downtown, Daniel Island & Folly Beach

$900k+ All above plus Isle of Palms

$1.5M+ All above plus Sullivan’s Island

Examples

Here are some examples of what areas would work in different scenarios.

Professional Family Relocating For Work At A Job Downtown With 2 Children

In this case proximity to downtown is important to shorten the commute, but schools are important for the kids. If your budget is over $500k, Mt Pleasant is where a lot of people end up. Close to beach, still close to downtown, schools are very highly regarded and it's a beautiful community. 

If the budget is under $500k,  West Ashley or James Island are good options for this family.  In West Ashley, you may end up a bit further out, 25 minutes from downtown, where there are some newer neighborhoods with all the amenities. You can find very nice homes in the $300-400k range.  

James Island has the advantage of being very close to downtown, I own a house that's five minutes to the peninsula. There are less new construction on James Island, but it has lots of Lowcountry character. You're close to Folly Beach, although traffic can be an issue though on Folly Road, so you have to choose your James Island location carefully. 

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A Single or Couple Who Enjoy Nightlife

Downtown Charleston is the obvious answer here.  Condos begin in the 300s, single family homes are $500k+.  Uptown is a great spot, with lots of activity happening in the area, new restaurants, brewery, offices etc. More and more locals hang out in the NOMO area since King Street has been become so popular with tourists & bachelorette parties.

Avondale in West Ashley is another option, it's just two miles from downtown, has its own small downtown area with dining options. Whole Foods just opened up there, so that tells you a lot about the area and what direction it is heading. 

Park Circle in North Charleston is the value option. As Charleston because more expensive, Park Circle became a real option for people who wanted to be close to town but not pay a fortune for downtown prices. I think Park Circle has plenty of upswing left to go and is a very good option to buy now and build equity.  It's very central to all of Charleston, has its own scene in Downtown Park Circle. Getting to the beaches takes a bit longer though.  You can buy from the 400s here. 

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Moving Here To Work For Boeing/Bosch/Volvo/Mercedes

These facilities are all located in the north area, which has some nice areas, but folks generally end up taking a longer commute to Daniel Island, Mt Pleasant, West Ashley. A shorter commute option is Park Circle.  

James Island and Johns Island are a bit far in my opinion for anyone working in the north area, unless maybe at Boeing, since that is closer. 

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Empty Nesters Who Want To Downsize And Be Near Water

Mt Pleasant has very nice waterfront communities and condos/townhomes if you're looking for low maintenance.

James Island has some of the best views in Charleston looking back at the peninsula. If you're looking for more of a laidback feel, Johns Island is a place to look around. The traffic at rush hour can be heavy, but if you're not working 9-5, you can get a lot for your money here. 

You can live true waterfront on any of the barrier islands like Folly Beach, Isle of Palms and Sullivan’s Island.  Prices can go as high as your budget allows.  

Visiting Charleston ? Stay at my own Airbnb, right downtown.