Photo: Chris Pruitt · CC BY-SA 3.0On CDC estimates, Charleston as a whole is healthier than 92% of U.S. towns
Charleston differs from South Carolina on 26 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 23 better, 3 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Charleston. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Charleston
Binge drinking is the habit Charleston doesn’t win on
22.9% of adults binge drink, vs 15.7% across South Carolina, even though fewer of them smoke and more of them exercise. Habits ↓
COPD and heart disease are less common in Charleston
Charleston runs below South Carolina on seven chronic conditions, most of all COPD (4.8% vs 7.5%), heart disease (4.6% vs 6.8%) and diabetes (9.5% vs 13.9%). Conditions ↓
Charleston has four hospitals within its borders
4 hospitals and 1 community health center are inside Charleston. Roper Hospital is rated 4 of 5 stars by Medicare and has an emergency room. Getting care ↓
Charleston is short on primary care and mental health care
Charleston’s county is a federal shortage area for primary care and mental health care, meaning too few providers for the people who live there. Getting care ↓
Charleston is an active town
Only 18.3% of adults get no exercise outside work, vs 25.8% across South Carolina. The town has 89 miles of trails across 79 parks and preserves. Habits ↓
Written from the CDC, Medicare and HRSA data on this page. CDC PLACES 2025 release: modeled estimates for adults, not counts; “higher” and “lower” mean the South Carolina figure falls outside Charleston’s likely range.
What’s behind Charleston’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Charleston is healthier than 92% of U.S. towns, #7 of 169 in South Carolina. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is physical distress (fewer adults with frequent physical distress than 94% of towns); the weakest is mental distress, still better than 80%.
Health estimates follow income closely across the country: towns with higher household incomes usually score higher (a correlation of 0.77 across 21,157 graded towns). Charleston’s median household income is $92,414; among the 9,662 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($69K–$116K), it’s healthier than 97%, about where its income would put it.
At 159,423 residents, Charleston is graded like any town, from one citywide estimate; its rank among the 395 U.S. cities over 100,000 is the fairer comparison.
Everyday habits, side by side with South Carolina
Share of adults, with the South Carolina figure marked.
89 miles of trails across 79 parks and preserves
Out of every 100 Charleston adults…
Charleston runs below SC on 10 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Charleston
4 hospitals and 1 community health center in Charleston.
Hospitals: Medicare overall star ratings, 1–5. Community health centers charge on a sliding scale by income. Distances are straight-line from the center of Charleston; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas (a “population” designation covers specific residents, such as those with low incomes).
Keeping up with care
Share of Charleston adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks South Carolina.
How Charleston adults are doing
On 1 of 4 measures, Charleston does better than South Carolina.
3 in 10 Charleston adults feel lonely. A hello is a start.
Groups are the easiest way in: a walking group, a book club, your street.
If you or someone you know is struggling, call or text 988, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. It’s free, confidential and open 24/7.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
6.7% of Charleston adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 10.5% across South Carolina.
Charleston and the towns around it
Charleston’s Health Grade ranks 3rd of 8 graded towns around it.
Nearby towns are shaded from CDC’s estimates for their ZIP codes, or CDC’s own figure for cities and villages.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Charleston | A | 28.7% | 9.5% | 9.5% | CDC place |
| James Island | A+ | 27% | 9.8% | 8.9% | CDC place |
| Hollywood | B− | 35.6% | 17.8% | 13.5% | CDC place |
| Folly Beach | A | 26.8% | 11.9% | 8.6% | CDC place |
| North Charleston | B− | 35.2% | 13.2% | 14.3% | CDC place |
| Mount Pleasant | A+ | 26% | 9.1% | 7.8% | CDC place |
| Goose Creek | B+ | 36% | 10.9% | 12% | CDC place |
| Hanahan | B | 37.1% | 12.1% | 12.9% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Charleston adults live with a disability (South Carolina 31.5%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Charleston
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Charleston is better than South Carolina on 23 and worse on 3; on the rest, the South Carolina figure falls inside Charleston’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Charleston | SC | U.S. | vs SC |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 13.6%12.2–15.2 | 20.1% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 10.3%9.3–11.5 | 14% | 13% | Better |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.1%13.6–16.7 | 16.4% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 28.7%25.1–32.4 | 35.8% | 32.9% | Better |
| Diabetes | 9.5%8.5–10.6 | 13.9% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 28.5%26.1–30.9 | 38.5% | 34.4% | Better |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 33.5%30.9–36.1 | 38.1% | 37.1% | Better |
| Arthritis | 22.2%20.3–24.2 | 28.5% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 8.8%7.9–9.8 | 9.6% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 7.6%7–8.2 | 8.6% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 4.6%4.2–5 | 6.8% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 4.8%4.4–5.3 | 7.5% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 2.7%2.5–2.9 | 3.9% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 8.5%7.1–10.1 | 13.9% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 9.5%8.3–10.7 | 13.3% | 11.8% | Better |
| No exercise outside work | 18.3%16.1–20.6 | 25.8% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 22.9%20.1–25.7 | 15.7% | 15.4% | Worse |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 30.7%27.3–34.1 | 35.8% | 36% | Better |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 8.7%7.6–9.9 | 11.8% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 77.9%75–80.3 | 80.6% | 77.4% | Worse |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 68.8%66.2–71.2 | 63.1% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 86.4%84.9–87.8 | 86.9% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 76.8%74.4–78.8 | 80.2% | 76.5% | Worse |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 74.2%71.1–77.1 | 69.3% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 79.3%74.3–83.7 | 77.6% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 22.6%20–25.2 | 22.3% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 30.3%27.2–33.7 | 31.7% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 20.4%18.1–23 | 23.6% | 23.6% | Better |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 11.5%10.2–13 | 17.4% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 9.5%8.4–10.8 | 13.3% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 6.4%5.7–7.2 | 8.9% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 6.6%5.9–7.4 | 8.6% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 6.7%5.8–7.6 | 10.5% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 24.2%21.8–26.8 | 31.5% | 30.1% | Lower |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 10.1%9.1–11.2 | 15.4% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 12.2%11–13.5 | 14.3% | 13.9% | Lower |
| Hearing difficulty | 5.2%4.6–5.7 | 7% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 3.8%3.5–4.1 | 5.6% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 6.5%5.9–7.2 | 8.7% | 7.9% | Lower |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 2.8%2.6–3 | 4.3% | 3.8% | Lower |
Each figure is the share of adults 18+ unless the label says otherwise; small numbers after it are CDC’s likely range (95% interval). “About the same” means the South Carolina figure falls inside that range.
Questions about health in Charleston
Is Charleston a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Charleston is healthier than 92% of U.S. towns: A for health, #7 of 169 in South Carolina. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 97%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Charleston?
CDC estimates 28.7% of adults have obesity, likely between 25.1% and 32.4%, against 35.8% across South Carolina and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Charleston?
MUSC Medical Center in Charleston, 3.3 miles in a straight line from Charleston’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 2 of 5 stars.
How many people in Charleston have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 8.7% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 7.6–9.9%), against 11.8% across South Carolina.
How accurate are these numbers?
They’re modeled estimates: CDC applies national survey answers to each area’s age, sex, race and education mix, so they describe who lives in Charleston more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from A− to A+.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Charleston.
Health estimates: CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The South Carolina figure combines its counties, weighted by adult population. Hospitals and star ratings: Medicare Care Compare (CMS). Health centers and shortage areas: HRSA. The Health Grade is our own summary of CDC’s estimates, not an official rating. Ages: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey. Town boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau. This page isn’t medical advice. In an emergency, call 911.