Skip to content
AffordMap

Can You Afford a Studio in Charleston? The Salary Math.

We use a 2-bedroom HUD Fair Market Rent of $1,036/month as a proxy for the studio in Charleston. To keep rent under 30% of take-home, you need at least $52,000/year before taxes.HUD does not publish a separate FMR for a studio in Charleston. Showing the 2-bedroom rent of $1,036/month as a proxy.

HUD does not publish a separate FMR for a studio in Charleston. Showing the 2-bedroom rent of $1,036/month as a proxy.

Salary thresholds at the HUD FMR of $1,036/month

Rent burden based on estimated take-home after federal, state, and FICA taxes (single filer). Verdict uses 30% rule.

PercentileAnnual salaryMonthly take-homeRent burdenVerdict
Entry-level (10th pct.)$30,800$2,15648.1%Too much
Early career (25th pct.)$30,800$2,15648.1%Too much
Median$30,810$2,15748%Too much
Experienced (75th pct.)$35,650$2,46642%Too much
Top earners (90th pct.)$38,690$2,66138.9%Stretch

Verdict guide: Comfortable <25% | OK 25-30% | Stretch 30-40% | Too much >40%

Jobs that pay enough to afford a Studio in Charleston

These occupations have median salaries that keep rent under 30% of take-home.

Managers, All Other
$107,490/yr median
Conservation Scientists
$81,760/yr median
Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers
$62,300/yr median
Adult Basic Education, Adult Secondary Education, and English as a Second Language Instructors
$64,280/yr median
Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists
$78,840/yr median
Registered Nurses
$80,230/yr median
General and Operations Managers
$83,190/yr median

Keep exploring Charleston

Top paying jobs in CharlestonCost of living in CharlestonCan you afford a 1-bedroom?Can you afford a 3-bedroom?

Frequently asked questions

What salary do you need to afford a studio in Charleston?
You need roughly $52,000/year gross to keep a studio at $1,036/month under the 30% rent burden threshold. That uses current federal and WV state tax brackets with FICA, assuming single filing and the standard deduction.
How much is the HUD Fair Market Rent for a studio in Charleston?
HUD publishes Fair Market Rents at the metro level, not for Charleston as a whole. We use the statewide 2-bedroom Fair Market Rent of $874/month as a proxy.
Is Charleston expensive for renters?
Charleston is below the national average in cost. A studio at the HUD FMR of $1,036/month is more manageable here than in most metros.
What percentage of income should go to rent?
The standard guideline is 30% of your gross monthly income before taxes. Go above that and you risk being "rent-burdened," which the Census Bureau defines as spending more than 30% of income on housing costs. Budget carefully if your rent burden sits above 40%.
Which jobs pay enough to afford rent in Charleston?
The following occupations in Charleston have median salaries that keep studio rent under 30% of take-home pay: Managers, All Other, Conservation Scientists, Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers, Adult Basic Education, Adult Secondary Education, and English as a Second Language Instructors, Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists, Registered Nurses, General and Operations Managers.

Source data is published by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and other federal agencies. AffordMap is not affiliated with or endorsed by any government agency. Per BLS policy, "BLS.gov cannot vouch for the data or analyses derived from these data after the data have been retrieved from BLS.gov."

Some links on this page are affiliate links. If you click through and take action, AffordMap may receive compensation at no cost to you. This never influences the salary data, cost-of-living figures, or calculations shown, all data comes from U.S. government sources. See our full disclosure.