Charleston, South Carolina

Downtown Charleston is on the Charleston Peninsula and doesn’t really count as a “neighborhood” for locals. Instead there are 10 or so smaller neighborhoods that make up the downtown area. The neighborhoods are surrounded by water with Cooper River to the east, Ashley River to the west and it all comes together in the Charleston Harbor. Tourists typically hit up King Street Historic District, the center of shopping, restaurants, bars and the center of the historic city architecture.

South of Broad is a residential neighborhood that is home to some of the most notable massive, antebellum townhouses and homes in Charleston. Protected from tourist eyes, by high brick walls and massive ancient live oak trees, the homes are surrounded by elegant gardens, beautiful fountains, and gallery porches. The South of Broad neighborhood is also home to East Bay Street’s Rainbow Row and many of the historic house-museums, like the Heyward-Washington House and the Williams Mansion.

Housing in South of Broad is a mix of historic multi-story homes, traditional townhomes and luxury apartments that were carved out of historic properties. The city protects the architectural significance of each property regardless of whether it has remained a single-family home or been retrofitted into multi-unit. The median listing price for homes here is $3m and the average rental price is $3.4k per month. Needless to say this is a pricey neighborhood.

The French Quarter neighborhood was founded by French Huguenots, refugees from religious persecution, who settled and set up businesses and workshops in this neighborhood. The neighborhood is home to the sole French Huguenot Church in the United States, as well the center for many of the city’s art galleries and restaurants. [The Old Slave Mart Museum, the South Carolina Historical Society Museum, and the Gibbes Museum are here, along with a Bay Street by the City Market, a busy area due to its proximity to the pier where the cruise ships dock. There are plenty of parks in the area, including Washington Square Park, which is filled with azaleas and has ancient live oaks surrounding the center and providing shade to those resting on benches or walking the cobblestone paths.

Much of the housing in the The French Quarter is comprised of historic townhomes, loft-style condos and Georgian row houses. Most homes and buildings date to the late 18th and early 19th centuries so expect to a high price for those that have been renovated (although always preserving historical value) or in need of some work. Condo medians are ~$300k+, townhomes are $1.1m and larger homes run up to $3m.

Harleston Village is a much larger neighborhood that feels a bit like its own village nestled inside the city. It includes the lovely campus of the College of Charleston. In particular, the school’s central Cistern Yard, accessed through the picturesque Gate Lodge and surrounded by some of the city’s most historic buildings, is a wonderful stop for tourists and long-timers.
The neighborhood is filled with streets of historic townhouses and walled gardens, as well as hotels and plenty of churches (they don’t call it Holy City for nothing!).

In the center of Harleston Village is Colonial Lake, a beautiful tidal pond that has wide walkways surrounding it and plenty of open park space for the kiddos and grownups to play. The neighborhood was originally developed in the late 1700’s so historic homes remain but much of the primarily single-family housing was built in the late 1800’s. This is considered a prime family-friendly neighborhood with access to the lake, the school and big homes amidst tree-lined streets a big part of the draw. Median home prices for Harleston Village are ~$1.4m.

While the Lower King neighborhood has a lot going for it, one of its biggest draws is the shopping. In fact Travel & Leisure calls King Street the “Best Antique Shopping in the U.S.” That isn’t all its known for now though with plenty of modern retail brands taking up residence, like Ralph Lauren, Ben Silver, Berlins and RTW.

As with much of Charleston, King Street is noted for historic homes, beautiful townhomes, and condos/apartments carved out of older buildings and a splash of new developments. Median home price in the King Street neighborhood is $660k with median rental prices hovering around $3k.

Aside from shopping you also get a healthy collection of excellent restaurants, cafes and bars, all within walking distance, making this neighborhood popular with pretty much everyone!