Taxes in North Charleston
South Carolina's real, two-bracket Act 110 income tax (1.99%/5.21%) applies to North Charleston residents the same as statewide, layered with a 9.0% combined sales tax and a genuinely more complex, tri-county property tax and school-district picture than most markets in this dataset.
Exploring the idea of moving?
We can connect you with a local real estate professional who knows the area -- no pressure, just a starting point.
Learn moreSouth Carolina's Act 110 income tax -- restated as place-level context
Act 110 (H.4216), signed March 30, 2026, restructured South Carolina's income tax from three graduated brackets into two, effective for tax year 2026: 1.99% on the first $30,000 of SC taxable income, 5.21% above that. This is neither a no-income-tax state nor a flat-rate state.
North Charleston's 9.0% combined sales tax
North Charleston's combined sales tax rate is cited at 9.0% -- 6% state, 1% city, 2% special district. Because the city genuinely spans three counties, confirm the specific rate for an exact address before budgeting a large purchase.
Property tax: a real, tri-county complexity
Charleston County's portion of North Charleston carries the same 0.32%-0.53% effective-rate disagreement documented for Mount Pleasant. Ownwell separately notes that for a North Charleston home near the area's $130,000 lower-end median price point, tax bills range from roughly $556 (25th percentile) to $2,825 (90th percentile) -- real, wide variance driven by assessment differences and overlapping special-district levies. Berkeley and Dorchester County portions of the city are subject to each county's own separate rate, not independently confirmed to one figure this pass.
Social Security exempt; retiree deductions are coordinated, not additive
South Carolina does not tax Social Security income at all. Residents 65+ get real, coordinated deductions capped at $15,000 combined for a single filer. See retiring for the fuller mechanics.
Key takeaways
- South Carolina's Act 110 two-bracket income tax (1.99% under $30,000 SC taxable income, 5.21% above) applies to North Charleston residents same as statewide.
- North Charleston's combined sales tax is 9.0% (6% state + 1% city + 2% special district).
- Property tax bills show real, wide variance ($556-$2,825 at the 25th-90th percentile) driven by assessment differences and which of the three counties an address sits in.
- Social Security is fully exempt; the age-65/retirement-income deduction combination is coordinated and capped at $15,000 for a single 65+ filer.
Want to know what your budget actually buys here?
Tell us a bit about what you're looking for and we'll connect you with someone local who can walk you through real numbers.
Get local guidanceRead the full North Charleston overview for the complete picture -- housing, taxes, climate, and who this place genuinely fits.
Planning a move?
Tell us what you're looking for and we'll connect you with a local expert who can help you make it happen.
Talk to a local expert