Mount Pleasant vs James Island
By Blake Heron, Realtor, Heron Homes CHS with eXp Realty.
The Ravenel Bridge and the James Island Connector put these searches on different sides of downtown, with Shem Creek in Mount Pleasant and Folly Road on James Island. Over the past 12 months, the median sale price was $895K in Mount Pleasant and $628K in James Island.
| Metric | Mount Pleasant | James Island |
|---|---|---|
| Homes sold | 1,934 | 670 |
| Median sale price | $895,000 | $627,500 |
| Lowest sale | $240,000 | $160,000 |
| Highest sale | $7,300,000 | $13,980,000 |
| Median days on market | 20 | 16 |
| Single family detached share | 74.6% | 73.9% |
Source, Charleston MLS closed sales, November 2025 through October 2026, pulled November 11, 2026. 2,604 sales.
What the same budget bought
For a single family home from $500K to $700K, Mount Pleasant had 218 sales, with a median price of $643K and 1,721 square feet. James Island had 174 sales in that range, with a median price of $613K and 1,704 square feet.
The median price per square foot in that budget was $366 in Mount Pleasant and $370 in James Island. The homes in that price range spent a median of 22 days on the market in Mount Pleasant and 15 days in James Island. A home with the same asking price can lead to a different search when you put the size, the street and your drive into town alongside it.
Where single family homes sold by price
The price bands run from homes below $400K through homes at $1M and above. Start with your budget, then follow the area and neighborhood links below to see the streets behind those sales.
Mount Pleasant
1,442 single family sales over the past 12 months.
James Island
495 single family sales over the past 12 months.
What to know about the two searches
Mount Pleasant
Mount Pleasant sits across the Ravenel Bridge from downtown Charleston, between Charleston Harbor, the Wando River and the marsh behind Sullivan's Island and Isle of Palms.
James Island
James Island sits between downtown Charleston and Folly Beach, with marsh and creeks on almost every side.
Mount Pleasant on the water
Shem Creek has the restaurants, docks and boardwalk. The Pitt Street Bridge park in the Old Village and Memorial Waterfront Park under the Ravenel Bridge are where locals walk at sunset. Sullivan's Island and Isle of Palms beaches are a short drive.
James Island outdoors
James Island County Park has trails, a dog park and a climbing wall, and the creeks and marsh make it easy to get out on a kayak or paddleboard. Folly Beach is just down Folly Road.
Condos, townhomes and single family homes
Mount Pleasant had 492 attached home sales at a median of $485K. In James Island, 175 attached homes sold at a median of $368K. Single family homes sold at medians of $1.1M in Mount Pleasant and $710K in James Island.
An attached home and a detached home at the same price can come with different upkeep, parking and outdoor space. I look at the exact home, its association documents and the recent sales around it with you before you decide which kind of search fits.
Questions buyers ask about Mount Pleasant and James Island
What is the median home price in Mount Pleasant and James Island?
The median was $895K in Mount Pleasant and $628K in James Island. The full sale range was $240K to $7.3M in Mount Pleasant, and $160K to $13.98M in James Island. The neighborhood pages below let you narrow that broad area search to the places you would actually consider living.
What did $500K to $700K buy in each area?
There were 218 single family sales in Mount Pleasant and 174 in James Island at that budget. The median home had 1,721 square feet in Mount Pleasant and 1,704 in James Island. I would put the floor plan and the street beside those figures, then walk the homes that fit your day to day life.
How long did homes take to sell?
Across all home types, the median was 20 days in Mount Pleasant and 16 days in James Island. Single family homes sold for a median of 98% of list price in Mount Pleasant and 98.2% in James Island. For a home you want to buy or sell, I pull the recent nearby sales and look at its condition and asking price before we talk about an offer.
Are there condos and townhomes in both searches?
Yes. The attached home sales in this window numbered 492 in Mount Pleasant and 175 in James Island. Their medians were $485K and $368K, respectively. Before an offer, I review the association documents with the property, including what the dues cover and which parts of the home the owner maintains.
Which routes should I test for my commute?
The Ravenel Bridge puts downtown and MUSC close to the south end of town. Highway 17 and 526 connect you to North Charleston and the airport. Summer beach traffic and rush hour on Highway 17 and the IOP Connector are real, so I map commutes for each home you are serious about.
The James Island Connector puts downtown and MUSC close by. Folly Road and Maybank Highway are the main routes and get busy at rush hour and on summer weekends, so I map commutes for each home you are serious about.
Where should I start a neighborhood search?
The Old Village and Shem Creek give Mount Pleasant a harbor side search, while James Island includes Riverland Terrace and Stiles Point. Each has its own neighborhood page, so you can move from the area totals to the streets you are considering.
Read the Mount Pleasant guide and the James Island guide, or compare the other places on the Charleston area market page.
Deciding between Mount Pleasant and James Island
Tell me your budget, your commute and the kind of home you want, and I will send you the sales and listings that fit. Call or text Blake Heron at 843-718-6338. Heron Homes CHS, eXp Realty.
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3 Beds 2.5 Baths 1,344 SqFt$514,000Open Sun 11AM-1PM - 3D
3 Beds 2.5 Baths 2,829 SqFt$995,000New - 1/33 33
2 Beds 2.5 Baths 1,600 SqFt$495,000New - 1/41 41
2 Beds 2 Baths 1,057 SqFt$450,000Active - 1/23 23
3 Beds 2 Baths 1,611 SqFt$1,500,000Active - 1/60 60
5 Beds 4.5 Baths 4,023 SqFt$1,350,000Active
Homes for sale on James Island
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4 Beds 2.5 Baths 2,584 SqFt$700,000New - 1/44 44
2 Beds 1 Bath 920 SqFt$495,000Price Dropped by $4K - 1/23 23
2 Beds 1.5 Baths 1,022 SqFt$359,000Active - 3D
4 Beds 2.5 Baths 2,222 SqFt$849,000Price Dropped by $39K - 1/56 56
4 Beds 2 Baths 1,710 SqFt$525,000Active - 1/29 29
3 Beds 2 Baths 1,248 SqFt$529,000Price Dropped by $15K
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