All about Downtown Charleston’s Neighborhoods – a map, descriptions and more.
I created this Charleston neighborhood map years ago at the start of my ongoing project to eventually profile every single neighborhood on the Charleston Peninsula, including photos, videos, recreation, school, shops, restaurants and services. But since many of you ask ‘Which Charleston neighborhood is best for me?”, I thought I’d go ahead and give you a head start. You might have to wait for all the colored boxes to download on the map, but in the meantime, you can read the descriptions below it, in order from north to south.
If you already live in one of the neighborhoods and love it, I invite you to visit one of my neighborhood pages and leave a comment about why your neighborhood is the best one!
View Charleston Neighborhoods in a larger map
Uptown
The neighborhoods of Wagener Terrace, Longborough and Lowndes Point are often collectively referred to as Wagener Terrace. Most of the area homes were built from the 1920s-1960s though since 2004, various upscale custom dwellings have sprung up on the Ashley River. Single family renovated homes range from about $350,000 to over $2,000,000. Fixer-uppers start at around $250,000. This neighborhood is popular with young professionals and families given its close proximity to the majority of Charleston’s restaurants and shopping, though Moe’s Tavern and Rutledge Cab Company are popular neighborhood places nearby. It is bordered on the south by the beautiful Hampton Park, once the site of The 1901 Charleston World Exposition.
Lowndes Point
Sitting on a peninsula jutting out into the Ashley River, the Lowndes Point neighborhood boasts custom homes built since 2004, all of which have river or marsh views and a deepwater boat slip for personal use. Prices range from $600,000 to $1,200,000.
North Central has a variety of homes, many of which were built in the 1940s and 50s. Handyman specials abound and new homes are going up in several places. This neighborhood is gaining in popularity given its proximity to Upper King Street and the growing NoMo area where you’ll find TacoBoy, Santi’s Mexican Restaurant, the Tattooed Moose, several BBQ joints and various other businesses like DwellSmart. Prices range from $250,000-$750,000.
Longborough
Longborough is located on the banks of the Ashley River, just north of Hampton Park and the Citadel. Built beginning in 2004, the traditional architecture, tree-lined sidewalks and pedestrian friendly streets reflect the pattern and lifestyle of old Charleston. A community fishing dock offers sunset views over the Ashley River and Downtown is just five minutes away. Home prices in Longborough range from $475,000 to $900,000.
Hampton Park Terrace is situated just south of the gorgeous 60-acre Hampton Park in close proximity to both The Citadel and MUSC. Listed on the National Historic Register, this neighborhood offers homes built beginning in the 1910s that range from small cottages to grand homes on the Park with a price range of $350,000 – $1,000,000. Go to their neighborhood website for more information. Stop in to Harold’s Cabin for a great bite to eat.
Westside
Home to the Joseph P. Riley Baseball Stadium (known to locals as “The Joe” with fireworks every Friday night in-season), The Citadel, Brittlebank Park, the Police Station and a variety of homes, the Westside has much diversity across the Peninsula. Homes here range from $200,000-$900,000, though the condos overlooking the Ashley River near Brittlebank Park – The Bristol – can run up to $1,000,000. On the western side, a new 4 million square foot multi-use development called WestEdge is under construction, while on the eastern side of this neighborhood from Rutledge Avenue to King Street, the area just north of King Street has become very popular with young professionals buying homes from the 1920s and 30s and fixing them up, given this part of the neighborhood is walking distance to the hot restaurants and shops of Upper King Street, as well as places like Leon’s Oyster Shop .
Eastside
The Eastside is an historic neighborhood that used to lie under the shadow of the old Cooper River bridges. Currently the focus of numerous neighborhood revitalization projects, new homes, restaurants and retail are being built here, many with a view over the shipping terminal, bridges and Charleston Harbor. One of the most impressive projects is the Cigar Factory, located at the foot of Columbus St and East Bay, a hub for commercial office space, retail and restaurants.
East Central
Home to some historic cottages, industrial and commercial buildings, this area is the new ‘hot’ area for local businesses and technology companies. You’ll also find a bunch of restaurants and bars – Edmunds Oast, Lewis’s BBQ, Tattooed Moose, Santi’s, The Royal American and more… New apartment buildings pepper this area, and the neighborhood’s only condominiums are at One Cool Blow.
Downtown
In the past ten years, Cannonborough and Elliottborough have experienced significant gentrification. Old homes have been spruced up and new homes have been built, though there are still many handyman specials available for those with a keen eye. Homes here range from $300,000 for a fixer upper to $800,000 for a large renovated home, or $1,500,000 an up for a legally permitted short-term rental on Spring or Cannon. Newer construction homes in the Morris Square and Midtown developments start at around $450,000. Bogard Street is popular with college students and a fantastic restaurant opened there in 2008 – Trattoria Lucca. There are also multiple great community gardens tucked in among these streets. The heart of this area, Spring Street and Cannon Street, is considered “Midtown” and numerous stores and restaurants line the blocks. Fuel and Goulette are on the west end, and places like The Grocery are on the east.
Right next to the Medical University of South Carolina, Radcliffeborough is populated by doctors, college students and more in condos and historic properties. Homes here are more affordable than those in the neighborhoods south of Calhoun St, and it’s not hard to find a beautiful 3/4 BR for under $800,000. This neighborhood is easy walking distance to the Upper King St district with restaurants and shops galore. For families with young daughters, the private Ashley Hall school is here too.
Mazyck-Wraggborough
Mazyck-Wraggborough, or Wraggborough for short, is a growing neighborhood with historic homes, and several areas of newer construction. It is home to the famed Aiken-Rhett house and several churches. Walking distance to both Marion Square and Upper King St, homes here range from $500,000-$1,500,000.
King Street is often compared to New York City’s 5th Avenue and boasts not only high end name brand boutiques, but also local purveyors and a fine selection of restaurants. This street is divided into three sections: Upper King (above Calhoun St) which is home to the Design District and many excellent restaurants; King St – from (Calhoun to Market St) with all your well known shops including Williams-Sonoma, Pottery Barn, Talbots etc…; and Lower King St (Market to Broad St) with more shops, antique and art galleries, and my favorite wine bar, Bin 152. There are countless condos to choose from, including newly renovated loft styles and historic buildings ranging from $350,000 to $1,750,000.
Harleston Village is one of the most diverse and lively neighborhoods of Downtown Charleston. With its center point of Colonial Lake and Moultrie Park, you’ll find all kinds of people enjoying the outdoors, from college students to families to the elderly and everything in between. Just a short walk to the City Marina and King Street, Harleston Village also has lots of corner stores, business and services (dentists, doctors), making it a very pedestrian-friendly area. Homes here range from $600,000 to over $3,000,000 and you can find condos at the Baker House, Berkeley Court and in various historic homes turned into multiple places.
If you love to walk to restaurants and shops, Ansonborough is within a few blocks of the Harbor and Market St. The Harris Teeter grocery store is just across East Bay St from this neighborhood and the Gaillard Auditorium borders the northern side. Many of the homes in Ansonborough are made of brick, built after a fire ravaged the original homes in 1838 and range from $550,000 to $3,000,000. There is also a good selection of condos on the Harbor, starting at $400,000 at Dockside, Laurens Place and Anson House, with a new one called The Gadsden opening in 2018.
The French Quarter is the oldest section of Downtown Charleston, bounded on the south by Broad Street and the north by the City Market. It is home to the Charleston Art Walk, an evening held many times a year where Charleston residents and visitors alike enjoy gallery hopping and wine tasting along its storied streets. Here you will also find theaters like the famed Dock Street, churches, inns and secret gardens waiting to be discovered. While homes are less available in this area, condos abound – from the historic converted apartment to luxury living near the water. Homes range from $750,000 to $3,000,000 and Condos from $300,000 to $3,500,000.
South of Broad is Charleston’s most storied neighborhood and perhaps the most exclusive part of Downtown and perhaps the entire state. Rows of palatial antebellum mansions line East Bay and Meeting Streets but you’ll find homes of all shapes and sizes on the quaint wandering streets. Perhaps the quietest neighborhood of Downtown, residents here enjoy the tranquility of the suburbs with the proximity of urban living, though this district is very popular with meandering tourists and horse drawn carriages. In the past 10 years it has become a favorite of part-time second-home owners, and you can still find native Charlestonians and families if you look in the right places. Homes here range from around $850,000 to $23,000,000.
Nicely done!
Thanks Dan! Add your two cents to Wagener Terrace/North Central. 🙂