Charleston, SC
Leans Republican — shifted 6.6pp toward Republicans in 2024 — 968K residents — 6 counties
| Group | % |
|---|---|
▶White (Non-Hispanic)(13) | 61.4% |
▶Hispanic / Latino(19) | 7.2% |
▶Black / African American(13) | 25.4% |
▶Asian(6) | 1.9% |
▶Middle Eastern / North African(10) | 0.6% |
▶Native American / Alaska Native(1) | 0.4% |
▶Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander(3) | 0.1% |
Multiracial / Other | 3.7% |
| Tradition | % Pop | % Adherents |
|---|---|---|
| Evangelical Protestant | 17.2% | 38.5% |
| Catholic | 10.2% | 22.8% |
| Mainline Protestant | 7.4% | 16.5% |
| Black Protestant | 7.3% | 16.2% |
| Other | 2.5% | 5.6% |
| LDS (Mormon) | 0.8% | 1.7% |
| Orthodox Christian | 0.2% | 0.4% |
| Non-religious | 55.2% | — |
| Year | Result |
|---|---|
| 2024 | Trump+5.3 |
| 2020 | Biden+1.3 |
| 2016 | Trump+3.0 |
| 2012 | Romney+3.1 |
| 2008 | Obama+0.3 |
| 2004 | Bush+10.0 |
| 2000 | Bush+10.1 |
| 1996 | Dole+4.9 |
| 1992 | Bush+7.0 |
Charleston, SC is a media market that has a population of 968,143. In the 2024 presidential election, it voted Republican with a margin of R+5.3. Akashic Edge tracks 40 presidential elections here, dating back to 1868.
| Year | Dem % | Rep % | Margin | Swing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 46.5% | 51.8% | R+5.3 | R+6.6 |
| 2020 | 49.8% | 48.5% | D+1.3 | D+4.3 |
| 2016 | 45.8% | 48.7% | R+3.0 | D+0.1 |
| 2012 | 47.7% | 50.8% | R+3.1 | R+3.4 |
| 2008 | 49.6% | 49.2% | D+0.3 | D+10.3 |
| 2004 | 44.3% | 54.2% | R+10.0 | D+0.1 |
| 2000 | 43.7% | 53.8% | R+10.1 | R+5.2 |
| 1996 | 44.9% | 49.8% | R+4.9 | D+2.1 |
| 1992 | 40.6% | 47.6% | R+7.0 | D+12.0 |
| 1988 | 40.1% | 59.1% | R+19.0 | D+6.4 |
| 1984 | 36.9% | 62.3% | R+25.4 | R+17.5 |
| 1980 | 44.8% | 52.6% | R+7.9 | R+17.4 |
| 1976 | 54.4% | 44.8% | D+9.5 | D+42.8 |
| 1972 | 32.5% | 65.8% | R+33.3 | R+31.8 |
| 1968 | 35.8% | 37.2% | R+1.5 | D+34.2 |
| 1964 | 32.2% | 67.8% | R+35.7 | R+16.0 |
| 1960 | 40.1% | 59.9% | R+19.7 | R+14.9 |
| 1956 | 20.1% | 25.0% | R+4.9 | R+37.1 |
| 1952 | 34.4% | 2.2% | D+32.2 | D+20.4 |
| 1948 | 15.1% | 3.3% | D+11.8 | — |
What defines Charleston, SC?
Charleston, SC has flipped between parties in each of the last three elections — a fiercely contested battleground. It has a racially mixed, moderately educated electorate — the suburban swing demographic that decides close elections.
Constituent Counties
Similar media markets
Counties in Charleston, SC
| County | Pop. | Margin | Dem | Rep | Total | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Charleston | 420K | D+5.7 | 111,427 | 99,265 | 214,521 | 45.1% |
| Berkeley | 247K | R+16.3 | 46,416 | 64,777 | 112,834 | 23.7% |
| Dorchester | 167K | R+14.6 | 32,489 | 43,839 | 77,764 | 16.4% |
| Georgetown | 65K | R+19.5 | 14,965 | 22,326 | 37,754 | 7.9% |
| Colleton | 39K | R+18.2 | 7,376 | 10,696 | 18,276 | 3.8% |
| Williamsburg | 30K | D+21.7 | 8,634 | 5,524 | 14,330 | 3.0% |
Ask the Historian
Key Insights
- The 2008 election was decided by just 0.3 points — razor-thin
- Won by both parties in recent history — Democrats most recently in 2020, Republicans in 2024
- Swung 6.6 points toward Republican between 2020 and 2024
Who Lives Here
| Group | Charleston, SC | National |
|---|---|---|
▶White (Non-Hispanic)(13) | 61.4% | 57.4% |
▶Black / African American(13) | 25.4% | 12.2% |
▶Hispanic / Latino(19) | 7.2% | 19.3% |
Multiracial / Other | 3.7% | 4.0% |
▶Asian(6) | 1.9% | 6.0% |
▶Middle Eastern / North African(10) | 0.6% | 0.9% |
▶Native American / Alaska Native(1) | 0.4% | 0.9% |
▶Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander(3) | 0.1% | 0.2% |
Religious Adherents
Catholic-Evangelical edge: -20.1pp (vs national 4.5pp). A strongly Evangelical-leaning religious profile, which nationally correlates with Republican-leaning rural and exurban communities.
| Tradition | % Pop | % Adherents | US Pop | US Adherents |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 17.2% | 38.5% | — | — | |
| 10.2% | 22.8% | — | — | |
| 7.4% | 16.5% | — | — | |
| 7.3% | 16.2% | — | — | |
| 2.5% | 5.6% | — | — | |
LDS (Mormon) | 0.8% | 1.7% | — | — |
| 0.2% | 0.4% | — | — | |
Non-religiousPopulation | 55.2% | — | — | — |
Who lives in the Charleston, SC media market? 968,143 residents across 6 counties.
Demographics
38% of adults hold a bachelor's degree — 5pp above the national average. Places with similar education levels vote D+8 on average nationally.
Scale, voting-age share, and this geography's footprint inside the national electorate.
Income, attainment, and ownership indicators that often shape coalition structure and turnout behavior.
Age structure, language use, and nativity signals that explain how this geography differs from state and nation.
Turnout in Charleston, SC
How competitive is Charleston, SC?
Do voters in Charleston, SC split their tickets?
| Offices | Margin A | Margin B | Split |
|---|---|---|---|
| Senate vs Governor | R+14.4 | R+0.4 | 14.0pp |