James Island is a town in Charleston County, South Carolina, home to about 12,198 people across 4.7 square miles. It has no ZIP code of its own: it’s part of 29412.
Homes sold for a median of $355 per square foot in the three months ending August 2026, a seller’s market.
Mostly Charleston; part is in James Island
Each card is that ZIP code’s whole market, including any part outside James Island. Seller’s market: under 4 months of supply; buyer’s market: over 6. Methodology
We’re writing up James Island’s story and what everyday life there is like, for people thinking about moving in.
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| Nearest major airport | Charleston International Airport (CHS)13 miles away |
|---|---|
| Nearest city of 250,000+ | Charlotte, NC179 miles away |
| Nearest city of 1 million+ | Philadelphia, PA570 miles away |
Straight-line distances from the center of James Island; driving is longer.
Source: Airports from OurAirports (scheduled passenger service); city centers and populations from the U.S. Census Bureau.
Source: Members of Congress from the congress-legislators project; districts from the Census Bureau’s relationship files; governor and mayor from Wikidata.
It’s the 53rd largest of 474 towns in South Carolina by population.
Charleston County grew from 88,006 residents in 1900 to 408,235 in 2020.
Charleston County, 1900–2020
Source: U.S. Census Bureau decennial censuses (counties 1900–1990 from the Bureau’s historical county file).
Average highs peak around 88°F in summer, and winter lows average 44°F. About 44.5 inches of rain and melted snow fall in a typical year.
Source: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, Charleston City, SC weather station (4 miles away).
226,330 jobs at 15,801 businesses in Charleston County. The biggest industries by employees:
Source: U.S. Census Bureau County Business Patterns 2023 (private employers; jobs counted where people work).
311 doctors and other health care providers list an office in James Island.
Nearest hospitals
Providers with an office here
| Primary care doctors | 63 |
|---|---|
| Specialist doctors | 15 |
| Dentists | 36 |
| Nurse practitioners and physician assistants | 52 |
| Mental health providers | 57 |
| Physical and occupational therapists | 66 |
| Optometrists | 5 |
| Chiropractors | 17 |
| Pharmacies | 21 |
Source: Hospitals from CMS Hospital General Information (ratings are CMS overall star ratings); straight-line distances; providers from the CMS National Plan and Provider Enumeration System (NPPES), by practice address and primary specialty.
Parks (3 nearby)
Grocery stores (3 nearby)
Pharmacies (2 nearby)
Libraries (1 nearby)
Museums
Theaters and performance venues (1 nearby)
Counts are within about 1.5 miles of the center of town.
Source: Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors (openstreetmap.org/copyright), as mapped by volunteers; it can miss places or include closed ones.
Public schools here are run by Charleston 01, Orangeburg. Check each district’s attendance zones for a specific address.
| School | Grades | Students | Type | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Harbor View ElementaryCharleston | Pre-K–5 | 621 | Public | 2.8 mi |
| James Island ElementaryCharleston | Pre-K–5 | 580 | Public | 1.7 mi |
| Murray-LaSaine MontessoriCharleston | Pre-K–8 | 347 | Public | 2.6 mi |
| Stiles Point ElementaryCharleston | Pre-K–5 | 866 | Public | 2.0 mi |
| Camp Road MiddleCharleston | 6–8 | 901 | Public | 1.6 mi |
| Lake Marion MiddleSantee | 6–8 | 501 | Public | 60.0 mi |
| James Island Charter HighCharleston | 9–12 | 1,612 | Charter | 1.5 mi |
| School | Grades | Students | Affiliation | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| James Island Christian SchoolCharleston | Pre-K–8 | 221 | Christian (no specific denomination) | 3.1 mi |
| James Island Christian SchoolCharleston | Pre-K–8 | 218 | Christian (no specific denomination) | 3.1 mi |
| Nativity SchoolCharleston | Pre-K–8 | 91 | Roman Catholic | 1.1 mi |
Source: U.S. Department of Education, NCES: Common Core of Data (2024-2025) for public schools; Private School Universe Survey (2023-2024) for private schools. Listed by address; we don’t rate schools.
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Shares ZIP codes with Charleston and Folly Beach.
Town boundaries don’t always match ZIP codes: a ZIP code can cross into neighboring towns, and a town can share a ZIP code with its neighbors. Facts describe the town itself; market figures describe whole ZIP codes.