The Charleston metropolitan area is an urban area centered around Charleston, South Carolina. The U.S. Office of Management and Budget designates the area as the Charleston–North Charleston, SC Metropolitan Statistical Area, a metropolitan statistical area used for statistical purposes only by the United States Census Bureau and other federal agencies. The OMB defines the area as comprising Berkeley County, South Carolina, Berkeley, Charleston County, South Carolina, Charleston and Dorchester County, South Carolina, Dorchester counties, an area with 799,636 residents in the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census. Principal cities include Charleston, North Charleston, South Carolina, North Charleston, and Summerville, South Carolina, Summerville. The area is commonly referred to as the Tri-County Area or the Lowcountry, though the Lowcountry, latter term has historically referred to South Carolina's southern coast in general.

Area

Counties

Largest cities and towns

Communities

Places with more than 100,000 inhabitants

*Charleston, South Carolina, Charleston (Principal city / County Seat) *North Charleston, South Carolina, North Charleston (Principal city)

Places with 25,000 to 100,000 inhabitants

*Goose Creek, South Carolina, Goose Creek *Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, Mount Pleasant *Summerville, South Carolina, Summerville

Places with 5,000 to 25,000 inhabitants

*Hanahan, South Carolina, Hanahan *James Island, South Carolina, James Island *Johns Island, South Carolina, Johns Island *Ladson, South Carolina, Ladson (census-designated place) *Moncks Corner, South Carolina, Moncks Corner (County Seat) *Hollywood, South Carolina, Hollywood *Sangaree, South Carolina, Sangaree (census-designated place)

Places with 1,000 to 5,000 inhabitants

*Awendaw, South Carolina, Awendaw *Folly Beach, South Carolina, Folly Beach *Isle of Palms, South Carolina, Isle of Palms *Kiawah Island, South Carolina, Kiawah Island *Lincolnville, South Carolina, Lincolnville *Meggett, South Carolina, Meggett *Ravenel, South Carolina, Ravenel *Ridgeville, South Carolina, Ridgeville *Seabrook Island, South Carolina, Seabrook Island *St. George, South Carolina, St. George (County Seat) *St. Stephen, South Carolina, St. Stephen *Sullivan's Island, South Carolina, Sullivan's Island

Places with fewer than 1,000 inhabitants

*Bonneau, South Carolina, Bonneau *Harleyville, South Carolina, Harleyville *Jamestown, South Carolina, Jamestown *McClellanville, South Carolina, McClellanville *Reevesville, South Carolina, Reevesville *Rockville, South Carolina, Rockville

Unincorporated places

*Cross, South Carolina, Cross *Gumville, South Carolina, Gumville *Huger, South Carolina, Huger *Pineville, South Carolina, Pineville *Wadmalaw Island, South Carolina, Wadmalaw Island

Demographics

As of the census of 2000, there were 549,033 people, 227,957 households, and 161,448 families residing within the MSA. The racial makeup of the MSA was 65.10% White (U.S. Census), White, 30.80% African American (U.S. Census), African American, 0.41% Native American (U.S. Census), Native American, 1.32% Asian (U.S. Census), Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander (U.S. Census), Pacific Islander, 0.98% from Race (United States Census), other races, and 1.34% from two or more races. Hispanic (U.S. Census), Hispanic or Latino (U.S. Census), Latino of any race were 2.38% of the population. The median income for a household in the MSA was $40,345, and the median income for a family was $47,186. Males had a median income of $33,229 versus $24,118 for females. The per capita income for the MSA was $19,037.

Armed Forces

Portions of the Charleston, South Carolina metropolitan area (The City of Charleston, The City of North Charleston, The City of Goose Creek, and The City of Hanahan) are home to all branches of the United States Military. During the Cold War, the Naval Base (1902-1996) became the third largest U.S. homeport serving over 80 ships and submarines. In addition, the Charleston Naval Shipyard repaired frigates, destroyers, cruisers, sub tenders, and submarines. Also, the Shipyard was responsible for refueling nuclear subs. During this period, the Weapons Station was the Atlantic Fleet's load out base for all nuclear ballistic missile submarines. Two SSBN "Boomer" squadrons and a sub tender were homeported at the Weapons Station, while one SSN attack squadron, Submarine Squadron 4, and a sub tender were homeported at the Naval Base. At the 1996 closure of the Station's Polaris Missile Facility Atlantic (POMFLANT), over 2,500 nuclear warheads and their UGM-27 Polaris, UGM-73 Poseidon, and UGM-96 Trident I delivery missiles (SLBM) were stored and maintained, guarded by a U.S. Marine Corps Security Force Company. In 2010, the Air Force Base (3,877 acres) and Naval Weapons Station (>17,000 acres) merged to form Joint Base Charleston. Today, Joint Base Charleston, encompassing over 20,877 acres and supporting 53 Military Commands and Federal Agencies, provides service to over 79,000 Airmen, Sailors, Soldiers, Marines, Coast Guardsmen, DOD civilians, dependents, and retirees.

Navy

*Charleston Naval Weapons Station, Joint Base Charleston (>17,000 acres, 27 square miles), Goose Creek and Hanahan *Naval Information Warfare Center Atlantic (NAVWAR) *Naval Nuclear Power Training Command *Nuclear Power School *Nuclear Power Training Unit *Moored Training Nuclear Submarine, *Moored Training Nuclear Submarine, *Moored Training Nuclear Submarine, , 2015 delivery *Moored Training Nuclear Submarine, , After 2015 delivery *Naval Consolidated Brig, Charleston, East Coast *Mobile Mine Assembly Unit Eleven (MOMAU-11) *Naval Operations Support Center Charleston *Navy Reserve Center *Navy Munitions Command CONUS, Detachment Charleston *Explosive Ordnance Detachment *Naval Health Clinic Charleston *Navy Dental Clinic *Naval Criminal Investigative Service Training, Federal Complex *Lay berth for Roll-On Roll-Off Naval Ships, Military Sealift Command, Federal Complex *MV Cape Ducato (T-AKR-5051), Military Sealift Command Ship, Ready Reserve Force, Federal Complex *MV Cape Douglas (T-AKR-5052), Military Sealift Command Ship, Ready Reserve Force, Federal Complex *MV Cape Domingo (T-AKR-5053), Military Sealift Command Ship, Ready Reserve Force, Federal Complex *MV Cape Decision (T-AKR-5054), Military Sealift Command Ship, Ready Reserve Force, Federal Complex *MV Cape Diamond (T-AKR-5055), Military Sealift Command Ship, Ready Reserve Force, Federal Complex *MV Cape Edmont (T-AKR-5069), Military Sealift Command Ship, Ready Reserve Force, Federal Complex

Air Force

*Charleston Air Force Base, Joint Base Charleston (3,877 acres, 6.06 square miles), North Charleston *Charleston Air Force Auxiliary Base, North, SC (2,393 acres, 3.74 square miles) *Charleston Defense Fuel Storage and Distribution Facility, Hanahan *628th Air Base Wing *628th Mission Support Group *628th Medical Group *315th Airlift Wing *437th Airlift Wing *373rd Training Squadron, Detachment 5 *1st Combat Camera Squadron *412th Logistics Support Squadron OL-AC *Air Force ROTC Det 772 *Civil Air Patrol – Charleston Composite Squadron

Marines

*Marine Corps Reserve Center, Naval Weapons Station

Coast Guard

*Coast Guard Sector Charleston (District 7) *Coast Guard Station Charleston *Coast Guard Base Charleston *Coast Guard Helicopter Air Facility, Johns Island *Coast Guard Eurocopter HH-65 Dolphin, Johns Island *Coast Guard Reserves, Charleston *Coast Guard Maritime Law Enforcement Academy, Federal Complex * National Security Cutter, Federal Complex * National Security Cutter, Federal Complex *USCGC Stone (WMSL-758 National security cutter, Federal Complex *USCGC ''Tarpon'', Marine Protector-class coastal patrol boat, Tybee Island *USCGC ''Yellowfin'', Marine Protector-class coastal patrol boat, Charleston *USCGC ''Anvil'', Charleston

Army

*United States Army Corps of Engineers, Charleston District *South Carolina Army National Guard *Army Reserve Training Center, Naval Weapons Station *841st Army Transportation Battalion, Naval Weapons Station *1182nd Army Deployment & Distribution Support Battalion, Naval Weapons Station *1189th Army Transportation Brigade, Reserve Support Command, Naval Weapons Station *Army Strategic Logistics Activity, Naval Weapons Station

Federal Complex (former Charleston Naval Base), North Charleston

*Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers (FLETC), Department of Homeland Security *Moored FLETC Training Ship, SS Cape Chalmers (T-AK-5036) *Sea Hawk Interagency Operations Center *Customs and Border Protection Satellite Academy *Immigration and Customs Enforcement Satellite Academy *U.S. Courts, Federal Probation and Pretrial Services Academy *Food and Drug Administration Training Academy *National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) *NOAAS Nancy Foster (R 352), NOAAS ''Nancy Foster'' (R 352) Ship *NOAAS Ronald H. Brown (R 104), NOAAS ''Ronald H. Brown'' (R 104) Ship *U.S. Department of State *Global Financial Services Center, U.S. Department of State *Passport Service Center, U.S. Department of State *United States Maritime Administration Image:Joint_Base_Charleston_-_Emblem.png, Joint Base Charleston Image:USMC logo.svg, United States Marine Corps Image:SPAWAR_logo.gif, SPAWAR Systems Center Atlantic Image:437th Airlift Wing.png, The 437 Airlift Wing Image:315th Airlift Wing.png, The 315 Airlift Wing Image:1st Combat Camera Squadron.png, The 1st Combat Camera Squadron Image:412th Flight Test Squadron.jpg, The 412 Flight Test Squadron Image:United States Army Corps of Engineers logo.svg, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

External links

*** [See section 5 for definition and proper use of Metropolitan Statistical Area]

References

See section 5 for definition and proper use of Metropolitan Statistical Area
{{USLargestMetros Charleston–North Charleston–Summerville metropolitan area Geography of Berkeley County, South Carolina Geography of Charleston County, South Carolina Geography of Dorchester County, South Carolina