Charleston, SC
Commercial Real Estate Market Trends & Data

$552 Avg asking sale price
$1,159 Avg asking lease rate
10,579 SF Avg unit lease size
13,471 SF Avg building size for sale
6.60% Average cap rate

Charleston's Demographic Profile

Charleston has 73,254 households and a median income of $80,020, providing context for rent absorption and tenant demand across retail and multifamily assets. A +8% five-year population trend is a key signal for evaluating long-term demand in this market.

Key Demographic Metric Value
Population 164,439
# Households 73,254
Median age 38
Median household income $80,020
Avg household size 2.0
Renter-occupied housing units 33,428
5-year population change +8%

{{marketTabHeadings[activeMarketTab]}} Market Metrics Near Charleston, SC

↻ Updated Monthly

{{marketTabDescriptions[activeMarketTab]}}

Nearby Office Markets Avg Cost/SF Typical Size Cap Max
Charleston $428 7,299 SF 7.68%
North Charleston $384 11,678 SF 7.68%
Hanahan $230 30,288 SF 7.68%
Nearby Industrial Markets Avg Cost/SF Typical Size Cap Max
Charleston $254 28,822 SF 7.05%
North Charleston $281 34,484 SF 7.05%
Nearby Retail Markets Avg Cost/SF Typical Size
Charleston $615 11,423 SF
North Charleston $685 10,755 SF
Hanahan $401 13,538 SF
James Island $401 1,992 SF
Johns Island $410 10,490 SF
Nearby Multifamily Markets Avg Cost/SF Typical Size Cap Max
Charleston $794 20,784 SF 6.35%
North Charleston $820 21,250 SF 6.35%
Hanahan $1,000 1,500 SF 6.00%

Commercial Properties For Sale in Charleston

The listings below reflect how current market pricing and building scale translate into active opportunities available today.
For Sale

5780 Dorchester Rd

Charleston, SC 29418

  • 10,810 SF Industrial Building
  • $2,450,000
For Sale

HWY 61 No more LEASING! Own your CRE!

Charleston, SC 29407

  • 3,054 SF Office Building
  • $1,300,000
For Sale

1470 Tobias Gadson Blvd

Charleston, SC 29407

  • 41,600 SF Office Building
  • $1,250,000
For Sale

641 Saint Andrews Blvd

Charleston, SC 29407

  • 6,963 SF Office Building
  • $2,695,000
For Sale

209-211 Spring Street

Charleston, SC 29403

  • 3,520 SF Retail Building
  • $13,730,000
For Sale

North Village Build-to-Suit

North Charleston, SC 29418

  • 1.10 AC Lot
  • 1 Commercial Lot
  • $1,250,000

Average Price For Sale

↻ Updated Monthly

Average Price For Lease

↻ Updated Monthly

Number of Listings

↻ Updated Monthly

Cap Rate

↻ Updated Monthly

How Investors Evaluate Commercial Real Estate Markets

The 3 Most Common Types of Commercial Leases
The 3 Most Common Types of Commercial Leases
Understanding Gross, Net, and Percentage Lease Structures and Their Impact on Your Business
Cash on Cash Return
Cash on Cash Return
Learn How Cash on Cash Return Can Optimize Your Real Estate Investments
Office Space Calculator
Office Space Calculator
Estimate How Much Space Your Team Really Needs
How to Buy a Church Building
How to Buy a Church Building
Learn the essential steps for evaluating, purchasing, and converting religious facilities into profitable investments
Balloon Payment Calculator
Balloon Payment Calculator
Use this calculator to estimate monthly payments, total interest, and the final lump-sum balloon payment for commercial real estate loans.
Types of Commercial Real Estate Investment Properties
Types of Commercial Real Estate Investment Properties
Understanding commercial properties and their investment potential
Raw Land vs. Unimproved Land
Raw Land vs. Unimproved Land
Learn the essential differences between raw and unimproved land to make informed commercial real estate decisions.
Starbucks Real Estate
Starbucks Real Estate
Top Starbucks Real Estate Listings: What Makes These Properties Prime Investments

Nearby Commercial Markets

Comparing nearby markets helps investors see whether Charleston pricing and building scale sit above, below, or in line with surrounding areas.

Commercial Markets Avg Cost/SF Average Size
Charleston $549 13,356 SF
North Charleston $535 15,526 SF
Hanahan $356 25,357 SF
James Island $564 5,295 SF
Sullivans Island $1,367 512 SF

Multifamily Properties For Sale in Charleston

For Sale

Fire Tower Portfolio

Charleston, SC

  • $35,000,000

Regional Demographic Comparison

This comparison places Charleston alongside nearby cities to show how population size, household counts, and income levels differ across the region. Viewing these markets side by side helps investors understand whether local demand and income characteristics are concentrated in Charleston or distributed across surrounding areas.

City Population # Households Age Median Household Income Avg Household Size Renter Occupied Housing Units Five Yr Pop Growth %
Charleston 164,439 73,254 38 $80,020 2 33,428 8%
North Charleston 121,625 48,404 36 $53,834 2 26,114 7%
Hanahan 21,321 8,209 38 $80,835 3 3,075 14%
James Island 11,454 4,613 42 $96,781 2 854 4%
Sullivans Island 2,266 889 51 $153,387 3 123 10%

Disclaimer: The figures on this page reflect LoopNet's active commercial listings in Charleston, SC and update as inventory changes. Averages can shift between periods or vary across property types depending on the mix of listings available at a given time, so individual metrics may not reflect broader market trends. These figures are best used as directional benchmarks for early market evaluation. For comprehensive commercial real estate data and analytics, subscribe to CoStar.

FAQs About Commercial Investing in Charleston

View All Commercial Real Estate For Sale in Charleston
Is Charleston a good market for a first-time commercial real estate investor?

Charleston offers commercial properties across a wide range of sizes and price points. By reviewing the market data and benchmarks on this page, first-time investors can better understand what a typical commercial property looks like before committing capital and narrowing in on specific listings.

How can this market data help me decide whether to buy commercial property for my business in Charleston?

The pricing and size metrics on this page help business owners compare the cost of ownership against leasing in Charleston. Typical building sizes and asking prices provide a starting point for evaluating space needs, budget fit, and long term occupancy costs before engaging lenders or brokers.

What should conservative investors focus on when evaluating commercial properties in Charleston?

Conservative investors often prioritize manageable deal sizes, stable pricing ranges, and cap rate benchmarks shown for Charleston. These metrics help assess whether current market conditions support steady income potential without relying on aggressive assumptions.

How does Charleston compare to nearby commercial real estate markets?

Nearby market comparisons highlight differences in pricing, building scale, and cap rate ranges relative to Charleston. Reviewing these side by side helps experienced investors identify relative value, pricing premiums, or alternative markets that may better align with return targets.

How can this page support early-stage deal screening for Charleston acquisitions?

This page provides high-level benchmarks for pricing, deal size, and observed cap rates in Charleston, which are useful for initial market filtering. Institutional and data-driven investors often use these signals to prioritize listings that meet size, pricing, and return thresholds before deeper underwriting.

Nearby Cities
Commercial Market Reports