Charleston County is located in the U.S. state of

South Carolina South Carolina ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders North Carolina to the north and northeast, the Atlantic Ocean to the southeast, and Georgia (U.S. state), Georg ...

along the Atlantic coast. As of the 2020 census, the population was 408,235, making it the third-most populous county in South Carolina (behind Greenville and Richland counties). Its

county seat A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or parish (administrative division), civil parish. The term is in use in five countries: Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, and the United States. An equiva ...

is Charleston. It is also the largest county in the state by total area, although

Horry County Horry County ( ) is the easternmost County (United States), county in the U.S. state of South Carolina. As of the 2010 United States census, 2020 census, its population was 351,029. It is the List of counties in South Carolina, fourth-most popu ...

has a larger land area. The county was created in 1800 by an act of the South Carolina State Legislature. Charleston County is included in the Charleston-

North Charleston North Charleston is a city in Berkeley, Charleston, and Dorchester counties in the U.S. state of South Carolina.City Planning Department (2008-07)City of North Charleston boundary map. City of North Charleston. Retrieved January 21, 2011. As ...

, SC Metropolitan Statistical Area. It is in the

Lowcountry The Lowcountry (sometimes Low Country or just low country) is a geographic and cultural region along South Carolina's coast, including the Sea Islands. The region includes significant salt marshes and other coastal waterways, making it an impor ...

region of South Carolina.

History

Charleston County was chartered in 1785 but was quickly dissolved after disputes by the residents about governance. The county was later redrawn in 1798 with the boundary lines taking effect on January 1, 1800. The county seat and largest city in both the county and state is Charleston. Both the county and town was named after King Charles II.

Geography

According to the

U.S. Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The U.S. Census Bureau is part of the U ...

, the county has a total area of , of which is land and (32.40%) is water. It is the largest county in South Carolina by total land and water area.

National protected areas

Cape Romain National Wildlife Refuge The Cape Romain National Wildlife Refuge is a 66,287 acre (267 km²) National Wildlife Refuge in southeastern South Carolina near Awendaw, South Carolina. The refuge lands and waters encompass water impoundments, creeks and bays, emer ...

Charles Pinckney National Historic Site The Charles Pinckney National Historic Site is a unit of the United States National Park Service, preserving a portion of Charles Pinckney's Snee Farm plantation and country retreat. The site is located at 1254 Long Point Road, Mount Pleasant ...

* Ernest F. Hollings ACE Basin National Wildlife Refuge (part) * Fort Sumter and Fort Moultrie National Historical Park *

Francis Marion National Forest The Francis Marion National Forest is located north of Charleston, South Carolina. It is named for revolutionary war hero Francis Marion, who was known to the British as the Swamp Fox. It lies entirely within the Middle Atlantic coastal forests ...

(part) * Little Wambaw Swamp Wilderness * Wambaw Creek Wilderness (part) * Wambaw Swamp Wilderness

State and local protected areas/sites

* Angel Oak Tree * Bird Key - Stono Seabird Sanctuary * Boone Hall Plantation & Gardens * Botany Bay Plantation Heritage Preserve/Wildlife Management Area * Buzzard Island Heritage Preserve * Capers Island Heritage Preserve * Crab Bank Seabird Sanctuary * Charles Towne Landing State Historic Site * Deveaux Bank Seabird Sanctuary * Dungannon Plantation Heritage Preserve/Wildlife Management Area *

Edisto Beach State Park Edisto Beach State Park is located on the coast of South Carolina, south of Charleston, near the town of Edisto Beach in Colleton County. The park offers South Carolina's longest system of handicapped-accessible hiking and biking trails. The ...

* Folly Beach County Park * Fort Lamar Heritage Preserve * Hampton Plantation State Historic Site * James Island County Park * Lighthouse Inlet Heritage Preserve * Magnolia Plantation and Gardens * Morris Island Lighthouse *

North Charleston Wannamaker County Park North is one of the four compass points or cardinal directions. It is the opposite of south and is perpendicular to east and west. ''North'' is a noun, adjective, or adverb indicating direction or geography. Etymology The word ''north'' is ...

* Santee Coastal Reserve Wildlife Management Area * Stono River County Park * Waterfront Park

Major water bodies

Ashley River The Ashley River is a blackwater and tidal river in South Carolina, rising from the Wassamassaw and Great Cypress Swamps in western Berkeley County. It consolidates its main channel about five miles west of Summerville, widening into a ti ...

Atlantic Ocean The Atlantic Ocean is the second largest of the world's five borders of the oceans, oceanic divisions, with an area of about . It covers approximately 17% of Earth#Surface, Earth's surface and about 24% of its water surface area. During the ...

(North Atlantic Ocean) * Cooper River *

Intracoastal Waterway The Intracoastal Waterway (ICW) is a Navigability, inland waterway along the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico coasts of the United States, running from Massachusetts southward along the Atlantic Seaboard and around the southern tip of Florida, the ...

* Kiawah River * South Edisto River * South Santee River *

Stono River The Stono River or Creek is a tidal channel in southeast South Carolina, located southwest of Charleston. The channel runs southwest to northeast between the mainland and Wadmalaw Island and Johns Island, from north Edisto River between Joh ...

Wando River The Wando River is a tidewater river in the coastal area of South Carolina South Carolina ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders North Carolina to the north and ...

Adjacent counties

* Berkeley County – north * Georgetown County – northeast * Colleton County – west *

Dorchester County Dorchester County is the name of two counties in the United States: * Dorchester County, Maryland * Dorchester County, South Carolina Dorchester County is located in the U.S. state of South Carolina. As of the 2020 census, the population was ...

– northwest

Major highways

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Major infrastructure

Charleston International Airport Charleston International Airport is a joint civil-military airport located in North Charleston, South Carolina, United States. The airport is operated by the Charleston County Aviation Authority under a joint-use agreement with Joint Base ...

( joint civil-military airport; also home to

Boeing South Carolina Boeing South Carolina is an airplane assembly facility operated by Boeing in North Charleston, South Carolina, United States. Located on the grounds of the joint-use Charleston Air Force Base and Charleston International Airport, the site i ...

) * North Charleston Station *

Port of Charleston The Port of Charleston is a seaport located in South Carolina in the Southeastern United States. The port's facilities span three municipalities— Charleston, North Charleston, and Mount Pleasant—with six public terminals owned and operated b ...

Demographics

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, there were 408,235 people, 165,568 households, and 95,785 families residing in the county.

2010 census

At the 2010 census, there were 350,209 people, 144,309 households, and 85,692 families residing in the county. The population density was . There were 169,984 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the county was 64.2% white, 29.8% black or African American, 1.3% Asian, 0.3% American Indian, 0.1% Pacific islander, 2.7% from other races, and 1.6% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 5.4% of the population. In terms of claimed ancestry, 11.3% were

German German(s) may refer to: * Germany, the country of the Germans and German things **Germania (Roman era) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizenship in Germany, see also Ge ...

, 11.0% were

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Culture, language and peoples * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England * ''English'', an Amish ter ...

, 10.2% were Irish, and 9.8% were

American American(s) may refer to: * American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America" ** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America ** American ancestry, p ...

. Of the 144,309 households, 27.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 40.5% were married couples living together, 14.7% had a female householder with no husband present, 40.6% were non-families, and 30.1% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.36 and the average family size was 2.96. The median age was 35.9 years. The median income for a household in the county was $48,433 and the median income for a family was $61,525. Males had a median income of $42,569 versus $34,195 for females. The per capita income for the county was $29,401. About 11.5% of families and 16.5% of the population were below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line, or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...

, including 24.5% of those under age 18 and 10.8% of those age 65 or over.

2000 census

At the 2000 census, there were 309,969 people, 143,326 households, and 97,448 families residing in the county. The population density was . There were 141,031 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the county was 61.9%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...

, 34.5%

Black Black is a color that results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without chroma, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness.Eva Heller, ''P ...

African American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...

, 0.26% Native American, 1.12% Asian, 0.06%

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, Pacificans, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe th ...

, 0.99% from other races, and 1.16% from two or more races. 2.40% of the population were

Hispanic The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...

or Latino of any race. 9.6% were of

, 9.5%

, 9.1%

and 7.6% Irish ancestry. There were 123,326 households, out of which 28.70% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.20% were married couples living together, 15.90% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.20% were non-families. 28.30% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.10% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.42 and the average family size was 3.01. In the county, the age distribution of the population shows 23.70% under the age of 18, 12.00% from 18 to 24, 30.30% from 25 to 44, 22.00% from 45 to 64, and 11.90% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.50 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.50 males. The

median The median of a set of numbers is the value separating the higher half from the lower half of a Sample (statistics), data sample, a statistical population, population, or a probability distribution. For a data set, it may be thought of as the “ ...

income for a household in the county is $37,810, and the median income for a family was $47,139. Males had a median income of $32,681 versus $25,530 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or average income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. In many countries, per capita income is determined using regular population surveys, such ...

for the county was $21,393. About 12.40% of families and 16.40% of the population were below the

, including 22.90% of those under age 18 and 12.70% of those age 65 or over. In the 2000 census, the county population was classified as about 86% urban. The Charleston-North Charleston Metropolitan Statistical Area includes the populations of Charleston, Berkeley, and Dorchester counties.

Law and government

From 1895 to 1973, when the state constitution was amended to provide for

home rule Home rule is the government of a colony, dependent country, or region by its own citizens. It is thus the power of a part (administrative division) of a state or an external dependent country to exercise such of the state's powers of governan ...

in the counties, the counties had limited powers, under what was called "county purpose doctrine."Charlie B. Tyler, "The South Carolina Governance Project"
University of South Carolina, 1998, p. 221 Essentially the General Assembly governed the counties through their state legislative delegations and, with one state senator per county, the state senator was particularly powerful. In the 1940s, Charleston County adopted a council-manager form of county government to better handle its needs. In 1975 the state's Home Rule Act established a larger role for the county governments. Charleston County has a large geographic area represented by a nine-member county council. From the turn of the 20th century into the 1960s, most African Americans were excluded from voting by the state's disenfranchising constitution and discriminatory practices. This gradually changed after passage of the federal

Voting Rights Act of 1965 The Voting Rights Act of 1965 is a landmark piece of federal legislation in the United States that prohibits racial discrimination in voting. It was signed into law by President Lyndon B. Johnson during the height of the civil rights move ...

. Since 1969, members of the county commission have been elected in a modified

at-large At large (''before a noun'': at-large) is a description for members of a governing body who are elected or appointed to represent a whole membership or population (notably a city, county, state, province, nation, club or association), rather tha ...

system for nine seats from four residency districts. Elections are held every two years for staggered four-year terms. Three Council seats are reserved for residents of the City of Charleston, three for residents of North Charleston, two for residents of

West Ashley West Ashley, or more formally, west of the Ashley, is one of the six distinct areas of the city proper of Charleston, South Carolina. As of July 2022, its estimated population was 83,996. Its name is derived from the fact that the land is west ...

, and one for residents of East Cooper.''UNITED STATES v. CHARLESTON COUNTY SOUTH CAROLINA'' (Decided: 29 April 2004)
, US Court of Appeals, 4th Circuit, accessed January 22, 2015 The council elects a chairman from its members for a limited term of two years, but chairs can be re-elected. Charleston County was "one of only three counties in South Carolina to elect its entire county council

. It was "the only county with a majority white population to do so." At-large positions favor candidates who can attract a majority of the votes, reducing representation from smaller portions of the population, or geographic areas. In 1989 county residents proposed a referendum to change representation on the county council to election from

single-member districts A single-member district or constituency is an electoral district represented by a single officeholder. It contrasts with a multi-member district, which is represented by multiple officeholders. In some countries, such as Australia and India ...

, which would have provided more opportunity for the sizable minority to elect candidates of their choice. This proposal was narrowly defeated in what both the county and the US government later defined as a racially polarized election. It was supported by 98% of the African-American minority voters; 75% of the white-majority voters rejected the referendum. In practice, the at-large system results in the dilution of votes of the significant minority of African-American voters, who comprise more than one-third of the electorate. In practice, the minority voters have been unable to elect a candidate of their choice in all but a few elections in the three decades since the system was established. In January 2001, the US Department of Justice filed suit against the county government for racial discrimination based on the

system, which the suit contended violates Sec.2 of the

by diluting voting power. The department had tried to negotiate with the county over changes in November 2000. Four voters independently filed suit as plaintiffs against the county on the same basis, and the District Court combined the cases. Justice officials noted that the at-large seats dilute the voting strength of the African-American minority in the county, who in 2000 comprised 34.5% of the population. In all but a few cases over three decades, they have been unable to elect candidates of their choice to the county commission. Whites (European Americans) comprise 61.9 percent of the population in the county. Since the late 20th century, the white majority has elected Republican Party candidates. The DOJ officials noted that the voting preference issue is not just a question of ethnicity; voters in black precincts in the county had rejected a Republican African American as a candidate for the council; they supported the Democratic at-large candidate. The suit noted that historically, black and white precincts in Charleston County have consistently supported different candidates for the council. It noted that, because of the white majority and the large geographic area, which increases costs for campaigning, "white bloc voting usually results in the defeat of candidates who are preferred by black voters." DOJ noted that blacks lived in compact areas of the county, were cohesive in voting, and could comprise the majority in three districts if the county seats were apportioned as nine single-member districts. They could vote and gain representation proportional to their part of the citizenry. In ''United States v. Charleston County, SC'' (March 2003), the District Court ruled that Charleston County improperly diluted the voting strength of African-American voters "by maintaining an at-large voting system in a manner which violated Section 2." It enjoined the county from using that system, noting that the "Order is radically not a condemnation of the citizenry of Charleston County but rather a recognition that the specific bulwark of an at-large system, in twisted concert with the particular geographic and historical realities of this County, unlawfully and institutionally inhibit a community of voters in Charleston County from equal access to the electoral process." The county appealed. In July 2003, the 4th Circuit Appeals Court found that historic voting in the county was racially polarized and that minority candidates had mostly not been successful in seeking office, two conditions that are recognized under the law as showing discriminatory effects of the voting system in the county.''United States v. Charleston County, SC'', Nos. 03-2111; 03-2112
Dept. of Justice, Appeals for the 4th Circuit Court As of July of that year, the 4th Circuit Court affirmed the District Court's ruling,
, Press Release, Department of Justice, July 23, 2003, accessed January 22, 2015 and on April 29, 2004, issued its written decision affirming the District Court. Based on historical and economic analysis, the courts found that race was a more important issue than partisanship in influencing the outcome of the elections. The county appealed to the US Supreme Court, and a ''

certiorari In law, ''certiorari'' is a court process to seek judicial review of a decision of a lower court or government agency. ''Certiorari'' comes from the name of a prerogative writ in England, issued by a superior court to direct that the recor ...

'' was denied in November 2004. The County Council system was changed in 2004 to elect individuals from nine single-member districts, with members serving four-year staggered terms. As of January 2015, elected members of the council include 4 White Republicans, 2 White Democrats and 3 African-American Democrats. Republican Elliott Summey was elected by council members as chairman, replacing Democrat Teddie Pryor, who had served for six years. Summey had served as his vice-chair for five years. Pryor was first elected to the council in 2004. Summey was first elected in 2008. Charleston County is split between

South Carolina's 1st congressional district South Carolina's 1st congressional district is a coastal congressional district in South Carolina, represented by Republican Party (United States), Republican Nancy Mace since January 3, 2021. She succeeded Democratic Party (United States), Demo ...

, represented by Republican

Nancy Mace Nancy Ruth Mace (born December 4, 1977) is an American politician who has been the United States House of Representatives, U.S. representative for South Carolina's 1st congressional district since 2021. She is a member of the Republican Party (U ...

, and

South Carolina's 6th congressional district South Carolina's 6th congressional district is in central and eastern South Carolina. It includes all of Allendale, Bamberg, Calhoun, Clarendon, Hampton, and Williamsburg counties and parts of Charleston, Colleton, Dorchester, Florence, ...

, represented by Democrat

Jim Clyburn James Enos Clyburn (born July 21, 1940) is an American politician serving as the U.S. representative for . First elected in 1992, Clyburn is in his 17th term, representing a congressional district that includes most of the majority-black precinc ...

Politics

A largely urban area containing the cities of Charleston and

, Charleston County has trended towards the Democratic Party in the 21st century. In

2020 The year 2020 was heavily defined by the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to global Social impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, social and Economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, economic disruption, mass cancellations and postponements of even ...

, it voted for

Joe Biden Joseph Robinette Biden Jr. (born November 20, 1942) is an American politician who was the 46th president of the United States from 2021 to 2025. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party, he served as the 47th vice p ...

by nearly 13 points, the best Democratic performance in the county since

1944 Events Below, the events of World War II have the "WWII" prefix. January * January 2 – WWII: ** Free France, Free French General Jean de Lattre de Tassigny is appointed to command First Army (France), French Army B, part of the Sixt ...

and over 20 points more Democratic than the state as a whole. It moved back towards Republicans in 2024, however, with Harris edging

Donald Trump Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who is the 47th president of the United States. A member of the Republican Party (United States), Republican Party, he served as the 45 ...

by only 5.7 points.

Law enforcement

Sheriff Kristin Graziano was elected in 2020, becoming the first woman and first openly gay person to serve as sheriff in South Carolina. She was later defeated in 2024 by Carl Ritchie.

Emergency services

Volunteer Rescue Squad

The Volunteer Rescue Squad consists of over 50 members and a physician. Members are certified in a variety of emergency skills, and many members are first responders.

EMS and local hospitals

Emergency medical services Emergency medical services (EMS), also known as ambulance services, pre-hospital care or paramedic services, are emergency services that provide urgent pre-hospital treatment and stabilisation for serious illness and injuries and transport to d ...

(EMS) for the city are provided by Charleston County Emergency Medical Services (CCEMS) & Berkeley County Emergency Medical Services (BCEMS). The city is served by the EMS and 911 services of both Charleston and

Berkeley Berkeley most often refers to: *Berkeley, California, a city in the United States **University of California, Berkeley, a public university in Berkeley, California *George Berkeley (1685–1753), Anglo-Irish philosopher Berkeley may also refer to ...

counties since the city is part of both counties. Charleston is the primary medical center for the eastern portion of the state. The city has several major hospitals located in the downtown area: Medical University of South Carolina Medical Center (MUSC), Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center, and Roper Hospital. MUSC is the state's first school of medicine, the largest medical university in the state, and the sixth-oldest continually operating school of medicine in the United States. The downtown medical district is experiencing rapid growth of

biotechnology Biotechnology is a multidisciplinary field that involves the integration of natural sciences and Engineering Science, engineering sciences in order to achieve the application of organisms and parts thereof for products and services. Specialists ...

and

medical research Medical research (or biomedical research), also known as health research, refers to the process of using scientific methods with the aim to produce knowledge about human diseases, the prevention and treatment of illness, and the promotion of ...

industries coupled with substantial expansions of all the major hospitals. Additionally, more expansions are planned or underway at another major hospital located in the

portion of the city: Bon Secours-St Francis Xavier Hospital. The Trident Medical Center, located in

, and East Cooper Medical Center, located in Mount Pleasant, also serve the needs of residents of the city of Charleston.

Economy

In 2022, the GDP of Charleston County was $41 billion (approx. $100,607 per capital). In chained 2017 dollars, its real GDP was $35.1 billion (about $85,956 per capita). From 2022 through 2024, its unemployment rate has fluctuated between 2-3.3%. , some of the largest employers within the county include

Boeing The Boeing Company, or simply Boeing (), is an American multinational corporation that designs, manufactures, and sells airplanes, rotorcraft, rockets, satellites, and missiles worldwide. The company also provides leasing and product support s ...

Booz Allen Hamilton Booz Allen Hamilton Holding Corporation (informally Booz Allen) is the parent of Booz Allen Hamilton Inc., an American company specializing in intelligence, AI, and digital transformation. It is headquartered in McLean, Virginia, in the Washing ...

Charleston County School District Charleston County School District is a school district within Charleston County, South Carolina, United States. It educates roughly 50,000 kindergarten to 12th grade students in 80 schools. AdvancEd Accreditation The Charleston County School ...

College of Charleston The College of Charleston (CofC or Charleston) is a public university in Charleston, South Carolina, United States. Founded in 1770 and chartered in 1785, it is the oldest university in South Carolina, the 13th-oldest institution of higher lea ...

CVS Pharmacy #REDIRECT CVS Pharmacy {{R from other capitalisation Company now has a new name to go along with it's anti-tobacco changes. New name is CVS Health ...

Harris Teeter Harris Teeter Supermarkets, LLC., also known as Harris Teeter Neighborhood Food & Pharmacy, is an American supermarket chain based in Matthews, North Carolina, a suburb of Charlotte, North Carolina, Charlotte. , the chain operates 262 stores in ...

Medical University of South Carolina The Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) is a public medical school in Charleston, South Carolina. It opened in 1824 as a small private college aimed at training physicians and has since established hospitals and medical facilities acros ...

Mercedes-Benz Group Mercedes-Benz Group AG (formerly Daimler-Benz, DaimlerChrysler, and Daimler) is a German multinational automotive company headquartered in Stuttgart, Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It is one of the world's leading car manufacturers. Daimler-B ...

Publix Publix Super Markets, Inc., Trade name, doing business as Publix, is an employee ownership, employee-owned American supermarket Chain store, chain headquartered in Lakeland, Florida. Founded in 1930 by George W. Jenkins, Publix is a Privately h ...

United States Department of Defense The United States Department of Defense (DoD, USDOD, or DOD) is an United States federal executive departments, executive department of the federal government of the United States, U.S. federal government charged with coordinating and superv ...

United States Department of Veterans Affairs The United States Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is a Cabinet-level executive branch department of the federal government charged with providing lifelong healthcare services to eligible military veterans at the 170 VA medical centers an ...

, and

Walmart Walmart Inc. (; formerly Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.) is an American multinational retail corporation that operates a chain of hypermarkets (also called supercenters), discount department stores, and grocery stores in the United States and 23 other ...

Education

is the school district for the entire county.

Recreation

The Charleston County Park and Recreation Commission (CCPRC) operates numerous facilities within Charleston County. ;Beach parks: * Kiawah Beachwalker County Park,

Kiawah Island, South Carolina Kiawah ( ) is a sea island, or barrier island, on the Atlantic coast of the United States. Located southwest of Charleston in Charleston County, South Carolina, it is a seasonal beach and golf community. It is home to the Kiawah Island Golf ...

* Isle of Palms County Park,

Isle of Palms, South Carolina Isle of Palms is a city in Charleston County, South Carolina, Charleston County, South Carolina, United States. At the 2010 census, the population was 4,133. Isle of Palms is a barrier island on the South Carolina coast. The city is included with ...

* Folly Beach County Park,

Folly Beach, South Carolina Folly Beach is a public city on Folly Island in Charleston County, South Carolina, United States. The population was 2,617 at the 2010 census, up from 2,116 in 2000. Folly Beach is within the Charleston-North Charleston-Summerville metropolitan ...

;Fishing piers: * Folly Beach Fishing Pier,

* Mt. Pleasant Pier,

Mount Pleasant, South Carolina Mount Pleasant is a large suburban town in Charleston County, South Carolina, United States. In the Lowcountry, it is the fourth-most populous municipality in South Carolina, and for several years was one of the state's fastest-growing areas, d ...

;Marinas and boat landings: * Cooper River Marina * Multiple county-wide boat landings ;Day parks: * Palmetto Islands County Park,

* Caw Caw Nature and History Interpretive Center,

Ravenel, South Carolina Ravenel is a town in Charleston County, South Carolina, United States. The population was 2,465 at the 2010 census. Ravenel is part of the Charleston-North Charleston-Summerville metropolitan area. Geography Ravenel is located in western Charl ...

* North Charleston Wannamaker County Park,

North Charleston, South Carolina North Charleston is a city in Berkeley, Charleston, and Dorchester counties in the U.S. state of South Carolina.City Planning Department (2008-07)City of North Charleston boundary map. City of North Charleston. Retrieved January 21, 2011. As ...

* Mullet Hall Equestrian Center,

Johns Island, South Carolina Johns Island is an island in Charleston County, South Carolina, United States, and is the largest island in the state of South Carolina. Johns Island is bordered by the Wadmalaw, Seabrook, Kiawah, Edisto, Folly, and James islands; the St ...

* James Island County Park,

Charleston, South Carolina Charleston is the List of municipalities in South Carolina, most populous city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. The city lies just south of the geographical midpoint of South Carolina's coastline on Charleston Harbor, an inlet of the Atla ...

* Old Towne Creek County Park,

;Water parks: * Splash Island at Palmetto Islands County Park * Splash Zone at James Island County Park * Whirlin' Waters at North Charleston Wannamaker County Park Off-leash dog parks are offered at James Island, Palmetto Islands, and North Charleston Wannamaker County Park. James Island County Park, approximately 11 minutes by car from downtown Charleston, features a 50-foot climbing wall and bouldering cave; cabin, RV, and tent camping facilities; rental facilities, fishing dock, challenge course, kayaking programs, summer camps, paved trails, and many special events such as the Lowcountry Cajun Festival (usually the first weekend in April), East Coast Canoe and Kayak Festival (3rd weekend in April), Holiday Festival of Lights (mid-November through the first of the year), and the summer outdoor reggae concerts.

Communities

Cities

* Charleston (county seat and largest community in the county and state; partly in Berkeley County) * Folly Beach * Isle of Palms *

(partly in Dorchester and Berkeley counties)

Towns

* Awendaw *

Hollywood Hollywood usually refers to: * Hollywood, Los Angeles, a neighborhood in California * Hollywood, a metonym for the cinema of the United States Hollywood may also refer to: Places United States * Hollywood District (disambiguation) * Hollywood ...

* James Island *

Kiawah Island Kiawah may refer to * Kiawah Island, South Carolina * the Kiawah people The Kiawah were a tribe of Cusabo people, an alliance of Indigenous groups in lowland regions of the coastal region of what became Charleston, South Carolina. When Engli ...

* Lincolnville (partly in Dorchester County) * McClellanville * Meggett * Mount Pleasant * Ravenel * Rockville *

Seabrook Island Seabrook may refer to: Places Australia * Seabrook, Victoria * Seabrook, Tasmania United Kingdom * Seabrook, Kent United States * Seabrook, Georgia * Seabrook, Maryland ** Seabrook station (MARC) * Seabrook, Massachusetts * Seabrook, New Ha ...

* Sullivan's Island * Summerville (mostly in Dorchester County; partly in Berkeley County)

Census-designated places

* Adams Run * Ladson

Unincorporated communities

* Barrelville *

Edisto Island Edisto Island is one of South Carolina's Sea Islands, the larger part of which lies in Charleston County, with its southern tip in Colleton County. Edisto Beach is in Colleton County, and the Charleston County part of the island is unincorpor ...

* Johns Island

Former communities

* Atlanticville *

Clementia In Roman mythology and ancient religion, Clementia is the goddess of clemency, leniency, mercy, forgiveness, penance, redemption, absolution, acquittal, and salvation. Description She was defined as a celebrated virtue of Julius Caesar, who w ...

Districts

* Awendaw-McClellanville Consolidated Fire District, made up of unincorporated parts of Northern Charleston County, the Town of Awendaw, and the Town of McClellanville. * James Island Public Service District, made up of unincorporated parts of the island. * North Charleston Public Service District, responsible for sewer lines and treatment in the City of North Charleston. * St. John's Fire District, serving Kiawah Island, Seabrook Island, unincorporated John's Island, and Wadmalaw Island. * Saint Andrews Public Service District, made up of unincorporated parts of

. * St. Pauls Fire District, made up of all of the Towns of Hollywood, Ravenel, Meggett and unincorporated parts of the southern end of Charleston County. *

Population ranking

The population ranking of the following table is based on the 2020 census of Charleston County. † = ''county seat''

Notable people

* Pernessa C. Seele (born 1954), immunologist, founder and CEO of the Balm in Gilead, Inc., an international organization based in

Harlem, New York Harlem is a neighborhood in Upper Manhattan, New York City. It is bounded roughly by the Hudson River on the west; the Harlem River and 155th Street (Manhattan), 155th Street on the north; Fifth Avenue on the east; and 110th Street (Manhattan ...

Dorie J. Gilbert and Ednita M. Wright, ''African American Women and HIV/AIDS''
Westport, Connecticut: Greenwood Publishing Company, 2003, p. 154, accessed January 23, 2009

References

External links

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Charleston County history and images
{{Authority control Charleston–North Charleston–Summerville metropolitan area 1769 establishments in South Carolina Populated places established in 1769 History of voting rights in the United States