Home Insurance in Charleston County, South Carolina
Homes in Charleston County carry a median value of $489,100 - 89% higher than the South Carolina median.
The typical home in Charleston County was built around 1991. About 15% of homes were built before 1960, about 3 points above South Carolina's 12%. Older homes can cost more to insure or rebuild because of aging wiring, roofing and plumbing.
Mobile and manufactured homes typically need a manufactured-home (HO-7) policy rather than a standard homeowners policy. The housing stock in Charleston County is 65% single-family homes, 23% apartments in buildings with 5+ units and 5% mobile or manufactured homes.
In Charleston County, about 66% of owner-occupied homes have a mortgage - lenders require hazard insurance on every mortgaged home.
About 64% of occupied homes in Charleston County are owner-occupied. The vacancy rate is 15%; vacant or unoccupied homes typically need a different coverage form than an owner-occupied policy.
76% of homes in Charleston County are primarily heated with electricity.
The top hazards for Charleston County, per FEMA's National Risk Index, are coastal flooding (Very High), hurricane (Very High) and earthquake (Relatively High). Standard homeowners policies exclude earthquake, so separate coverage is usually needed.
Charleston County had 59,025 active National Flood Insurance Program policies as of September 2026. Standard homeowners insurance does not cover flood damage, so flood coverage needs a separate NFIP or private flood policy.
According to the NAIC homeowners insurance report (2023 data), a standard HO-3 homeowners policy in South Carolina carries a statewide average premium of $1,753 per year.
Key figures
| Median home value | $489,100 |
|---|---|
| Median year built | 1991 |
| Owner-occupied share | 64% |
| Share of owner-occupied homes with a mortgage | 66% |
| Top hazards (FEMA National Risk Index) | Coastal Flooding (Very High), Hurricane (Very High), Earthquake (Relatively High) |
| Active NFIP flood policies (county) | 59,025 |
| Home insurance premium | $1,753 - statewide average (NAIC, 2023 data) |
Towns and cities
- Awendaw
- Charleston
- Folly Beach
- Hollywood
- Isle of Palms
- James Island
- Kiawah Island
- Lincolnville
- Meggett
- Mount Pleasant
- North Charleston
- Ravenel
- Rockville
- Sullivan's Island
Smaller communities
-
McClellanville
- Median home value: $477,400
- Median year built: 1984
- Owner-occupied share: 96%
-
Seabrook Island
- Median home value: $1,001,400
- Median year built: 1988
- Owner-occupied share: 96%
Sources
Data last updated: 2026-09-29
- U.S. Census Bureau Gazetteer Files (2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-Year Estimates (2024)
- FEMA National Risk Index (December 2025)
- FEMA OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Policies v3 (2026)
- NAIC Dwelling Fire, Homeowners Owner-Occupied, and Homeowners Tenant and Condominium/Cooperative Unit Owners Insurance: Data for 2023 (published 2026) (2023)