South Carolina · FIPS 45019 · ACS 2020–2024
Charleston County, South Carolina property tax rate
Homeowners in Charleston County paid a median of $1,901 a year in real estate taxes on a median home value of $489,100 (2020–2024 survey). Taxes came to 0.40% of home value, 17% below the South Carolina rate of 0.49% and 57% below the U.S. rate of 0.94%.
- 0.40%Effective tax rate±0.02% margin · South Carolina: 0.49%
- $1,901Median tax per yearSouth Carolina: $1,251 · U.S.: $3,119
- $489,100Median home valueSouth Carolina: $259,000
- 114,350Owner-occupied homes64% of households own
| Measure | Charleston County | South Carolina | U.S. | Charleston County 2019–2023 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Effective tax rate | 0.40% | 0.49% | 0.94% | 0.44% | −0.03 pts |
| Median tax, all owners | $1,901 | $1,251 | $3,119 | $1,864 | +$37 (+2.0%) |
| Median tax, with a mortgage | $1,989 | $1,444 | $3,489 | $1,968 | +$21 (+1.1%) |
| Median tax, no mortgage | $1,661 | $913 | $2,576 | $1,569 | +$92 (+5.9%) |
| Median home value | $489,100 | $259,000 | $332,700 | $450,800 | +$38,300 (+8.5%) |
| Total taxes paid | $323,970,100 | $2,570,502,400 | $360,573,527,500 | $306,593,400 |
How Charleston County compares
- Per $1,000 of home value, owners here paid about $4.04 a year, against $4.88 statewide and $9.40 nationally.
- Rank in South Carolina: 4 of 41 counties from lowest to highest effective rate (among those with reliable estimates). Nationally, 8% of 2,682 counties had a lower rate.
- Homes with a mortgage: 0.41% of value; homes without one: 0.40%. Median bills: $1,989 and $1,661.
- Compared with the 2019–2023 survey, the effective rate fell (−0.03 pts) and the median tax changed +$37 (+2.0%). The two 5-year surveys share four years of responses, so year-to-year moves are small and partly noise.
- Margin of error: the effective rate is 0.40% ± 0.02% at 90% confidence, from a sample of the 114,350 owner-occupied homes.
South Carolina counties with similar rates
| County | Effective rate | Median tax | Median value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oconee County | 0.38% | $899 | $237,100 |
| Horry County | 0.38% | $944 | $287,700 |
| Georgetown County | 0.41% | $1,190 | $289,500 |
| Abbeville County | 0.42% | $782 | $178,800 |
| Pickens County | 0.43% | $866 | $231,900 |
| Laurens County | 0.43% | $698 | $170,600 |
| Saluda County | 0.43% | $747 | $146,500 |
| Dillon County | 0.44% | $452 | $85,400 |
Sources
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates, table-based summary file: B25090 (aggregate real estate taxes), B25082 (aggregate home value), B25103 (median real estate taxes), B25077 (median home value) and B25003 (tenure); files dated January 29, 2026.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2019–2023 5-year estimates, same tables (files dated October 31, 2024), for the comparison column.
- Geography names: Census Bureau Geos20245YR.txt (file dated January 22, 2026).
Effective rate = total real estate taxes paid by owner-occupied homes ÷ their total value, as reported by owners to the Census Bureau. It is not a millage rate. Your bill depends on your assessed value, exemptions (such as homestead) and local levies.