Charleston, SC: Ranked One of the Most Affordable Cities

Who doesn’t want the best bang for their buck? Here in Charleston, SC, that’s what we’re known for. Forbes magazine recently ranked Charleston No. 27 on the list for most affordable cities to live in.

Charleston ranked high in most categories but especially stood out with low real estate taxes, low travel times, low foreclosure rate and high job forecast. Charleston ranked in the middle of the pack with unemployment numbers and housing vacancies.

One major standout for the Charleston metro area was home price forecast. Using the three-year forecast for the Case-Schiller Home Price Index from 2009 to 2012 (created by Moody’s), Charleston ranked No. 4 on the list. This number indicates the markets that economists think will improve the most in the near future.

Cities and metropolitan areas are ranked based on housing markets, employment rates, taxes and overall cost of living. The study analyzed the country’s 100 largest Metropolitan Statistical Areas, as defined by the U.S. Office of Management and Budget.

View the complete list of rankings here.