Living in Charleston County

Charleston County is one of the most excellent places to live in the nation. Residents enjoy a comfortable southeast climate, great location, historical allure and a wide range of resources.

Charleston County is a destination of choice for today’s mobile professional. Each year, thousands of new residents relocate to the Charleston region, bringing new ideas and diverse talents to this thriving community.

The Charleston area was noted among the best places to live by Men’s Journal (April 2005) and a "New American Dream Town" by Outside magazine (August 2005). Young singles, established professionals, growing families, college students, and empty nesters are all eager to enjoy the Charleston lifestyle. It is no surprise that employers find this an easy place to recruit and retain a talented workforce.

Charleston County also possesses a multi-billion dollar visitor industry; one of the Southeast’s most impressive medical center; a deep-rooted base of national and international manufacturers,; as well as a sizeable military presence. The county also contains a diverse economic blend and one of the largest containerized cargo ports on the South Atlantic and Gulf coasts. With its long coastline, the region features a large number of rivers and other tributaries, as well as freshwater lakes and salt marshes. In addition, art, recreational and cultural opportunities are abundant here.

Charleston County encompasses 919 square miles, with nearly 100 miles of coastline.

Recreation, Culture and Entertainment

Miles of pristine coastline and scenic rivers, acres of freshwater lakes, and vast stretches of tidal marsh add up to the perfect setting for just about any recreational pursuit.

Whether sailing on the harbor, teeing off along the dunes or kayaking through the tidal creeks, the Charleston County lifestyle is intricately connected to the area’s natural environment.

Sports fans can also take advantage of the region’s many sports teams, including minor league baseball, professional soccer, professional tennis and professional hockey.

In Charleston County, arts and entertainment are an integral part of the local flavor. Residents actively support a world-class symphony orchestra, ballet company, several stage companies, a number of museums, and a growing base of art galleries.

Perhaps the area’s most famous arts event is the annual Spoleto Festival USA, a 17-day international tribute to the arts featuring an eclectic mix of visual and performing arts at venues throughout the region.

For more than a decade, the City of Charleston has been named one of the top 10 travel destinations in the United States by Condé Nast Traveler "Reader’s Choice Poll." A thriving visitor industry helps to sustain a world-class array of restaurants, shops and recreational and cultural amenities rarely found in mid-size metro areas.

Economic History of Charleston County

Business, industry, and commerce have been a vital part of the area since its founding. It began in April of 1670, when a group of English colonists landed on the Carolina coast. They settled on a tract of land they soon called Charles Towne. By 1672, the colony realized the advantages of relocating across the river on a peninsula that lies between what are today’s Ashley and Cooper Rivers, and it was from this settlement that the port city of Charles Towne grew.

Commerce was born through trade with Indians. They bartered deer skins, hemp, rice, indigo, and eventually cotton. Merchants were equally important to the growth of Charles Towne (later deemed Charleston) with luxuries from England being bought and sold, adding to the seaport city’s culture.

In the early 1700s, an economic boom surged across the colony. However, from the 1700s to 1800s, Charleston encountered numerous challenges, such as the great fires of 1740 and 1861. One of the most catastrophic economic impacts to the area resulted from the fall of Fort Sumter and destruction of the city when Union forces moved in at the end of the Civil War in 1865. In 1886, the city was split down the middle, literally. A major earthquake damaged 90 percent of the city’s brick buildings and killed 10 people. The Charleston region’s economy did not die; it once again found its vision and began striving for the economic success that its golden past had witnessed.

In the late 1800s through the 1900s, Charleston County’s economy was still rebounding. The growth of the area at this time is attributed to manufacturing, the military and the railroad industry. The City of Charleston’s Chamber of Commerce contributed to railroad development by originating and supporting a proposal in 1828 to construct a railroad to Augusta, Georgia. This helped Charleston become the manufacturing center of South Carolina in the late 1800s and into the next century.

More recently, in 1989, Hurricane Hugo tested Charleston County’s economic stability. It caused millions of dollars in damage, but the community quickly pulled together to overcome the damage and recovered in record time. Today, communities around the world turn to this area for natural disaster planning and recovery assistance.

Throughout history, the region’s economy has endured fires, epidemics, wars, and hurricanes. Despite these calamities, Charlestonians have continued to enjoy rich culture, abundant history, and prosperous lifestyles.

 Charleston Regional Map