Charleston–North Charleston, SC multifamily market
Charleston–North Charleston, SC is a Grade A multifamily market in the MultiMarket model, ranking in the top 10 of the 53 U.S. metros the model tracks. That places it in the model's top tier. The model scores every metro on four dimensions: demand, supply constraint, fundamentals, and momentum, using public federal data recomputed quarterly. The full composite scores and the live ranked table are part of MultiScreen Pro; this scorecard covers the metro's profile and the public data behind it.
Demand is the metro's clear strength, while supply constraint is its weak point. That gap is where the underwriting question sits: the case for Charleston rests on whether demand is durable enough to outweigh supply constraint.
Employment grew 4.0% over the trailing three years, and the metro permits 1.82 multifamily units per 1,000 residents annually. That is a comparatively restrained pipeline, which supports pricing power if demand holds.
The model flags one risk for Charleston: rents are already high relative to local incomes, which limits how much further they can be pushed. This is not disqualifying, but it should be addressed explicitly in any underwriting of this market.
These scores describe the metro, not any individual property. Submarket conditions inside Charleston vary widely, and a specific deal still has to be underwritten on its own rent roll, expense load, and business plan.
Category profile
The model's rating in each of its four categories. Exact category scores, alongside the composite and the live ranking, are part of MultiMarket Pro.
- DemandElite
- Supply constraintStrong
- FundamentalsStrong
- MomentumStrong
Underlying data
Public federal sources only. Figures are the model inputs behind the ratings above.
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
Job growth, 3-year Total employment growth across the metro over the trailing three years. | 4.0% |
Population growth, 3-year Resident population change over the trailing three years. | 2.2% |
Net migration rate Net domestic and international migration as a share of population. | 1.82% |
Net AGI migration per filer Net adjusted gross income moving into the metro per tax filer. A proxy for the income level of in-migrants. | $1,185 |
Household income growth Growth in household income, the ceiling on how far rents can be pushed. | 5.0% |
Employer diversity Concentration measure across employment sectors. Higher means less dependence on any single industry. | 0.905 |
Permits per 1,000 residents Annual multifamily permitting relative to population. The forward supply signal. | 1.82 |
Supply added, 5-year Cumulative permitted units over five years, per 1,000 residents. | 11.6 |
Common questions
- Is Charleston a good multifamily market?
- Charleston–North Charleston, SC is a Grade A market, ranking in the top 10 of 53 tracked U.S. metros. Its strongest category is demand and its weakest is supply constraint. Metro scores indicate where to look, but any specific property still has to be underwritten on its own rent roll and expense load.
- How fast is Charleston growing?
- Over the trailing three years, Charleston recorded 4.0% employment growth and 2.2% population growth, per BLS and Census data.
- How much new multifamily supply is being built in Charleston?
- Charleston permits 1.82 multifamily units per 1,000 residents annually, per the Census Building Permits Survey. The model rates its supply constraint strong, where a stronger rating means less near-term supply pressure.
Similar markets
Market scores are informational and are not investment advice. Data is sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Census Bureau, and Internal Revenue Service, and is recomputed quarterly. Scores describe metropolitan areas and do not evaluate any individual property.