US Highway 17 - South Carolina, 2013
Ravenel’s story
150 years in pictures
Census counts: 337 in 1950, 2,542 in 2020. The archive holds 12 old photos and papers going back to 2013 and 2 maps from 1986 on.
- 1876Ravenel is settled
RavenelSC
A town of 2,728, settled in 1876. Public schools that outperform most of South Carolina.
1 bordering townMap →
Photo: Brian Stansberry · CC BY 4.0
Population
2,728
2025 Census estimate · +7.2% since 2020
Typical home
$477K
+0% in a year
Household income
$83K
median
Median age
39.1
years
Jobs based here
670
A commuter town
TownGrade
A
#11 of 167 in SC
Is Ravenel a good place to live?
Ravenel gives you more for your money than most places: homes are within reach, about $477K for a typical one, or 5.6 years of the Charleston metro’s $85K median household income. It grades A overall, 11th among South Carolina's 167 graded towns. The low prices come with trade-offs. FEMA rates its natural-hazard risk higher than 95% of U.S. communities, with hurricanes at the top. On the plus side, its schools rank ahead of 86% of South Carolina towns. On civic life, just 4 of South Carolina’s 152 towns do better. Ravenel’s January low is 38°F, against 34°F in South Carolina’s towns and 22°F across U.S. towns. The biggest park or preserve is Caw Caw Interpretive Center, at 490 acres.
What makes Ravenel stand out
Where Ravenel beats most towns, and one thing worth knowing.
Charleston 01 schools
| School | Grades | Students |
|---|---|---|
| E.B. Ellington Elementary | PK–5 | 366 |
SchoolsA
#17 of the 169 South Carolina towns we grade for schools
NCES · EDFacts.
Community nonprofits per 1,000 residents
Ravenel6.5
Typical U.S. town3.7
Typical SC town3.1
Civic lifeA−
2.1 times the nonprofits per person
than the typical South Carolina town
Charities, civic groups and human services; churches not counted.
Worth knowing · Natural hazardsD−
Hurricanes and earthquakes at the top
FEMA National Risk Index.
A commuter town
98% of working residents leave Ravenel for work
Where Ravenel’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
670jobs based in Ravenel
2%of working residents work in town
16 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
How Ravenel grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within South Carolina), ordered by how far Ravenel is from typical.
Hazard riskhurricanes tops the listD−Open →SchoolsAOpen →Cost of livingA−Open →HealthBon Secours-St. Francis Xavier Hospital 11.1 miles awayBOpen →Jobs & incomeBOpen →WalkabilityEPA walkability 9.3 of 20; 0.8% of households have no car; 0% of workers walk, bike or ride transitC+Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors6% conserved landC+Open →HistoryDOpen →Civic life6.5 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsA−Open →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
Climate–Open →Housing market$477K typical home, up 0% in a year; 68 days on market–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 39.1–Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
Nearby attractions
All 38 attractions →H. L. Hunley and 34 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Ravenel. Close and well known come first.
Big draw17 mi MuseumH. L. Hunley
Big draw19 mi MuseumUSS Yorktown
19 mi MuseumUSS Laffey
10 mi Park & preserveAngel Oak
20 mi LandmarkFort Wagner
17 mi DamThe BatterySources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
H. L. Hunley: Sepia wash drawing by R.G. Skerrett, 1902, after a painting then held by the Con, Public domain · USS Yorktown: David Ratledge, CC BY 4.0 · USS Laffey: U.S. Navy, Public domain · Angel Oak: Galen Parks Smith, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Fort Wagner: Unknown authorUnknown author, Public domain · The Battery: Eagledj, CC BY-SA 4.0
_Island_-_Mount_Pleasant,_South_Carolina_-_December_29,_2012.jpg){kind=link}
_underway_at_sea_on_26_March_1964_(USN_1100870).jpg){kind=link}
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Ravenel: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Ravenel, and how to reach them.
PowerDominion Energy South Carolina16.4¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterCharleston Water System (Sc1010001)2 health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet5 providers98% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Ravenel’s trash rules yet
Register to voteOnlineIn South Carolina you can register online until 30 days before Election Day, in person until 30 days before Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 30 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereCharleston Board of Voter RegistrationCharleston County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Apr 2026
ZIP codes29470, 2944929470 99% · 29449 1%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Sep 12, 2025.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Ravenel.
Ravenel pairs an A for schools with modest home prices, but it carries more natural-hazard risk than most of South Carolina (mostly hurricanes).
HousingCost of living grade A−
For cost of living, Ravenel earns an A−
87% of households own their home in Ravenel. The typical Ravenel home is worth about $477,000, about the same as a year ago, 57% above the South Carolina typical home.
$477KZillow home value
| Ravenel | South Carolina towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 87% | 65% | 73% |
| Median rent | $1,115 a month | $1,058 a month | $1,185 a month |
Typical home value
Ravenel$477K
South Carolina$304K
Market temperature
68
days on market
99.3%
sale-to-list price
+0%
value change, 1 year
34
homes sold in May
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
SchoolsA
For schools, Ravenel earns an A
Its A for schools comes with an A− for cost of living: the typical home is worth about $477K.
Its public schools are run by the Charleston 01 school district. Its one school is below.
86%of SC districts it outscoresASchool Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| E.B. Ellington ElementaryLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–5 | Grades PK–5 | 366 | D− |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within SC on state tests and graduation
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade D−
Ravenel faces a very high natural-hazard risk, led by hurricanes
FEMA rates its natural-hazard risk higher than 88% of South Carolina towns; that rating is what its D− for hazard risk is built on.
95risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
HurricanesEarthquakesInland flooding
4
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Work & commuteJobs & income grade B
Ravenel has 0.6 jobs for every working resident, so most commute out
Most working residents leave Ravenel for work: only 2% work in town. 19% of Ravenel residents live below the poverty line. Since 2013, Ravenel has added 143 jobs, to 670 in 2023.
2%work in town
| Ravenel | South Carolina towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 19% | 17% | 9.6% |
| Average trip to work | 28 minutes | 24 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Median household income | $83,000 | $57,000 | $80,000 |
| Working residents who work in town | 2.3% | 6.3% | 8% |
Where working residents work
In Ravenel2%
Charleston30%
North Charleston20%
Mount Pleasant4%
Hollywood3%
16 mi
median commute distance
670
jobs based in Ravenel
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
C+
Walkability grade: more walkable than 42% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Who lives here
Fewer young adults than South Carolina overall
Adults 18 to 34 are 11% of residents (22% statewide); adults 35 to 64 are 46% of residents (38% statewide). Ravenel has grown 7.2% since 2020, to 2,728 residents in the Census Bureau’s 2025 estimate. 27% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor’s degree or more, vs 32% across South Carolina.
39.1median age · SC 40.2
| Ravenel | South Carolina towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aged 65 or older | 14% | 17% | 18% |
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 27% | 23% | 29% |
RavenelSouth CarolinaUnited States
Ages · share of residents
21%
Education · adults 25 and older
No diploma5%
High school39%
Some college21%
Associate’s9%
Bachelor’s10%
Graduate17%
Women and men · all residents
54% women, 46% men
That’s an even split within the survey’s margin of ±6.1 points. Across South Carolina, 51.3% of residents are women.
| Ravenel | SC | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 16.3% | 11.4% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 12.5% | 10.1% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 3.7% | 9.1% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 7.3% | 12.8% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 21.3% | 12.5% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 10.6% | 12% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 14.3% | 13.2% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 9.5% | 11.4% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 4.5% | 7.4% | 7% |
| No diploma | 4.9% | 9.9% | 10.4% |
| High school | 38.8% | 28.2% | 26% |
| Some college | 20.6% | 19.8% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 8.8% | 10% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 9.9% | 19.8% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 17% | 12.3% | 14.1% |
Census population estimates, 2025 · U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 2,700, single groups can be off by several points
Climate
In Ravenel, expect mild winters and hot summers
Ravenel has mild winters and warm summers, with plenty of rain. Ravenel’s July high is 92°F.
92°summer high
Typical low → high °F
Winter40–62°
Spring53–77°
Summer71–90°
Fall56–78°
Nov 27
typical first frost
Mar 7
typical last frost
+1.3°
vs. the 20th-century average
92°
typical summer high
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
HealthB
Residents of Ravenel are healthier than 64% of U.S. towns
Ravenel beats the South Carolina average on 3 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 1. Only 9 of the 169 South Carolina towns we compare have a lower share of adults who have been diagnosed with depression than Ravenel.
64%healthier than U.S. townsBHealth Grade
| Ravenel | South Carolina towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 15% | 16% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 14% | 18% | 17% |
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 20% | 23% | 23% |
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 30% | 33% | 33% |
32 measures vs. South Carolina
3 better28 too close to call1 worse
| What stands out | Ravenel | SC |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults in frequent mental distress | 14.3% | 16.4% |
| Fewer adults with depression | 19.6% | 22.3% |
| More binge drinkers | 18.8% | 15.7% |
Bon Secours-St. Francis Xavier Hospital
11.1 mi away · emergency room
None
primary care, dental or mental-health shortage
77th
percentile among SC towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
5.6%conserved
5.6%
conserved · 465 of 8,340 acres
0.0 mi
of trails · 0 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Caw Caw Interpretive Center | — | 490 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Ravenel
18pages on Ravenel
The big questions
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Ravenel; the nearest are
Trident Technical CollegeCommunity college · Public · Charleston15.4 mi$4,546 in-state tuitionCitadel Military College of South CarolinaUniversity or college · Public · Charleston15.7 mi$12,570 in-state tuition
About 1 of every 100 Ravenel residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across South Carolina.
About Ravenel
Town in South Carolina, United States
Ravenel is a town in Charleston County, South Carolina, United States. As of the 2020 census, Ravenel had a population of 2,542. Ravenel is part of the Charleston-North Charleston-Summerville metropolitan area.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 13 sq mi
- Elevation
- 49 ft
- ZIP code
- 29470
- Area code
- 843
Ravenel’s neighbors
One town shares a border with Ravenel.
HollywoodRavenel
How the neighbors grade
Ravenel and Hollywood report no FBI crime data of their own. Compare Ravenel with a neighbor →
Questions about Ravenel
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Ravenel, SC a good place to live?
By most measures, yes. Ravenel grades A overall, better than 89% of U.S. towns and #11 of 167 in South Carolina. It grades B for health and A for schools. Hazard risk is its weak spot, with a D−.
Is Ravenel, SC expensive?
Not for the area. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades A−.