Charleston multifamily market, October 2026

Landlords have the edge in Charleston, and it is heating: asking rents are up 3.8% on a year, while jobs grew 2.2%.

Updated October 31, 2026 · from Zillow, BLS and the US Census Bureau

+3.8%

Asking rent, year over year

Zillow · September 2026

+2.2%

Jobs, year over year

BLS · September 2026, preliminary

8.5%YEARLY

Vacancy

Census · 2024 count

What is moving now

Asking rents are up 3.8% on a year to September 2026, which is the figure the condition is read from. Jobs are up 2.2% over the same year to September 2026, a first release the BLS revises the following month. Asking rents are climbing and jobs are growing (September 2026).

The backdrop

These are yearly Census counts, not this month's: 8.5% of rentals sat empty in 2024, permits for new apartments were down 7% in 2025, more people moved in than out in 2025, and the typical rent was $1,714 a month in 2024. They are the background the monthly figures move against, and they are the newest the Census has published.

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Common questions about Charleston

Answered from the data, updated October 31, 2026

Is the Charleston rental market tight or soft right now?

In Charleston right now, landlords have the edge, and it is heating.

Which way is the Charleston market heading?

Charleston is heating right now, as asking rents firm over the past year (Zillow ZORI, monthly).

Is Charleston a landlord's or a renter's market?

Charleston is a landlord's market right now: landlords have the edge, and it is heating.

What is the vacancy rate in Charleston?

Vacancy in Charleston is 8.5% in the 2024 count, a yearly snapshot rather than a monthly reading (US Census Bureau).

How much have Charleston rents changed?

Asking rents in Charleston are up 3.8% over the past year (Zillow ZORI, monthly, latest Sep 2026).

Recent coverage

Daily, from the MetroSgnl news feed. Headlines only.

Editorial: Benefits of SC affordable housing law must outweigh the cost to localsPost and Courier

MUSC Foundation to get $25M buyout of WestEdge property where Charleston plans affordable housingPost and Courier

City of Charleston celebrates completion of Juniper Street affordable housingLive 5 News

$1.2M in property tax vanishes when North Charleston apartment complex becomes exemptPost and Courier

How a Charleston Supportive Housing Development Overcame Years of SetbacksTD Stories

Charleston board OKs request to remove 25 trees in West Ashley for affordable housingPost and Courier

See all Charleston news →

Data: Zillow ZORI, BLS, US Census Bureau, FRED, and the MetroSgnl news feed. Recomputed daily. Market information only, not investment advice.
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