Charleston County, South Carolina

County Distress Index: Elevated · 55.5 | 424,367 people · 40th most distressed in South Carolina
American Default Research

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Charleston County, SC registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 55.5 — 1235th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Housing Cost Burden, where a large share of households spend more than 30% of income on housing. Within South Carolina, it ranks 40th of 46 counties. Among its 4 neighboring counties, 3 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Charleston County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 87.4 — worse than roughly 87% of U.S. counties.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 87.4
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 90
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 88
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 75
Homeownership Rate 88
Economic Vitality 65.7
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 84
Rent-to-Income Ratio 76
Business Formation Rate 1
House Price Change (YoY) 66
Consumer Credit Distress 55.2
Debt in Collections 53
Medical Debt 63
Auto Loan Delinquency 68
Credit Card Delinquency 37
Uninsured Rate 57
Subprime Credit Population 56
Structural Poverty 19.0
Unemployment Rate 55
Poverty Rate 29
Income vs. State Median 4
Child Poverty Rate 31
Disability Rate 9
Transfer Income Dependency 5
Legal Distress 16.5
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 16

Scores are percentile-based: 50 = national median, higher = more distressed.

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Charleston County
Charleston County, SC 55.5 Elevated —
Colleton County, SC 75.3 Serious +19.8
Dorchester County, SC 67.4 Serious +11.8
Berkeley County, SC 63.5 Elevated +7.9
Georgetown County, SC 53.8 Elevated -1.7

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Charleston County
Knox County, TN 55.5 Elevated 0.0
Virginia Beach city, VA 55.5 Elevated +0.0
Henrico County, VA 55.5 Elevated -0.0
Mercer County, NJ 55.4 Elevated -0.1
Fayette County, KY 55.8 Elevated +0.3

Download Data

Export all distress indicators for Charleston County as a CSV file.

Find Help in Charleston County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Charleston County.

CHARLESTON TRIDENT URBAN LEAGUE, INC.
Charleston
843-769-8173
Financial CounselingFinancial CounselingFair HousingPost-Purchase
CREDIT.ORG - NORTH CHARLESTON, SC BRANCH
North Charleston
843-574-8668 Website
Reverse Mortgage
INCREASING H.O.P.E. FINANCIAL TRAINING CENTER
North Charleston
843-225-4343 Website
Foreclosure PreventionFinancial CounselingFinancial CounselingFair Housing
NSC (NACA COUNSELING SUBSIDIARY) - CHARLESTON, SC
North Charleston
843-556-0497 Website
Foreclosure PreventionFinancial CounselingFair HousingPost-Purchase
ORIGIN SC
North Charleston
843-628-3000 Website
Foreclosure PreventionMortgage HelpFinancial CounselingFinancial Counseling

See all counselors in South Carolina →

Find an Attorney

South Carolina Bar — Lawyer Referral Service offers a lawyer referral service for bankruptcy, foreclosure defense, and consumer rights.

South Carolina Bar — Lawyer Referral Service 803-799-7100

Free Legal Aid

Legal aid organizations serving Charleston County residents at no cost.

SC Legal Services (Palmetto Legal Services / Greater Columbia Community Relations Council) 1-888-346-5592
Upstate Legal Services 864-679-3232
Pro Bono Legal Services — SC Bar 803-799-6653
Charleston Pro Bono Legal Services 843-853-3304
South Carolina Legal Services, Inc. (888) 346-5592

American Default Research does not endorse, rate, or rank any provider. Verify attorney credentials with your state bar.

Need legal help? Find a foreclosure defense attorney in South Carolina →

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Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for Charleston County, South Carolina?

    Charleston County has a County Distress Index score of 55.5 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,235th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 40th in South Carolina out of 46 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Charleston County?

    The primary driver of distress in Charleston County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 87.4 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Charleston County compare to neighboring counties?

    Charleston County (55.5) can be compared to its 4 neighboring counties: Colleton County, SC (75.3); Dorchester County, SC (67.4); Berkeley County, SC (63.5).

  • How is the County Distress Index calculated?

    The County Distress Index uses PCA-weighted percentile scoring across five statistically derived factors: Consumer Credit Distress (47.5%), Housing Cost Burden (22.3%), Structural Poverty (13.6%), Economic Vitality (9.2%), and Legal Distress (7.4%). Each county's indicators are ranked against all 3,144 U.S. counties. A score of 50 means the county is at the national median; higher scores indicate greater distress.

  • How often is the CDI updated?

    Annually, aligned to Census American Community Survey and Urban Institute Debt in America release windows — the slowest-moving source inputs. Between annual refreshes, faster-cadence indicators (BLS unemployment, QCEW wages) may drive light mid-year updates if a specific component moves meaningfully. Current data compiled April 14, 2026; next full refresh early 2027.

  • What does the Elevated zone mean?

    The CDI divides counties into five zones: Healthy (below 46), Normal (46–55), Elevated (55–71), Serious (71–86), and Crisis (86 and above). Charleston County's score of 55.5 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

  • What data sources power Charleston County's CDI score?

    Charleston County's CDI score draws on Urban Institute Debt in America (Equifax credit-bureau panel), U.S. Census Bureau (American Community Survey 5-year, Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates), Bureau of Labor Statistics (LAUS, QCEW), U.S. Courts Administrative Office (F-5A bankruptcy filings), and HUD Fair Market Rents. Every number on this page traces to one of these public sources.

  • What is the population of Charleston County?

    Charleston County, South Carolina has a population of approximately 424,367 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a large county.