Charleston, SA: suburb profile

The population of Charleston SA is 550 according to the 2021 Census. The median personal income in Charleston is $883 per week ($45,916 per year). Median rent in Charleston is $350 per week ($1,517 per month). Charleston has a median age of 42 years, older than the national median of 38. Charleston has a population density of 20 people per km².

The most common overseas birthplace in Charleston is England. The most common religion is No religion (49.6% of residents). After English, the most spoken language is Polish. The median monthly mortgage repayment in Charleston is $1,920.

There were 1 recorded offences in Charleston in 2025-26, a rate of 2 offences per 1,000 people. The most common offence category was theft (1 offences).

Source: ABS Census of Population and Housing 2021; offences from SA Government Open Data (data.sa.gov.au), 2025-26.

Charleston Map

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Charleston Population

550 residents at the 2021 Census.

Charleston Median Income & Rent

Median Income

$883/wk

$45,916 per year

Ranked 2,336 of 14,663

Median Rent

$350/wk

$1,517 per month

Ranked 3,104 of 14,663

Median Age

42years

4 years older than the national median

Mortgage

$1,920/mo

Avg household size: 2.8 · 0.8 per bedroom

Charleston Demographics

Gender Split

Male 49.8% (272) Female 50.2% (274)

Population Density

people per km²

550 people · 26.9 km²

Households

2.8

Avg household size

0.8

Persons per bedroom

$2,259

Family income/wk

Charleston Age Distribution

0-4

5-9

10-14

15-19

20-24

25-29

30-34

35-39

40-44

45-49

50-54

55-59

60-64

65-69

70-74

75-79

80-84

Male Female

Source: ABS Census 2021, Suburb and Locality (SAL)

Charleston Home Ownership

Of owner-occupied homes in Charleston, 37.7% are owned outright and 62.3% have a mortgage.

Owned outright

37.7%

Owned with mortgage

62.3%

Rented homes are not included in this breakdown.

Source: ABS Census 2021, Suburb and Locality (SAL)

Most common overseas birthplaces

England

Source: ABS Census 2021, G09 Country of Birth by SAL

Charleston Religion

No religion

49.6%

Lutheran

12.5%

Not stated

7.5%

Uniting Church

6.9%

Anglican

6.7%

Catholic

5.8%

Christian (other)

3.1%

Baptist

2.9%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G14 Religion by SAL

Charleston Education Level

Year 12 or equivalent

60.5%

Year 11 or equivalent

22.3%

Year 10 or equivalent

14.4%

Year 9 or equivalent

2.8%

Shares are of people whose highest year of school is Year 9 to 12 only. Source: ABS Census 2021, G16 Highest Year of School by SAL

Most common languages at home other than English

Polish

Source: ABS Census 2021, G13 Language Spoken at Home by SAL

Charleston Employment

Employed full-time

43.8% 172 people

Employed part-time

28.2% 111 people

Unemployed

2.0% 8 people

Not in labour force

26.0% 102 people

Source: ABS Census 2021, G46 Labour Force Status by SAL

Charleston Qualifications

Certificate III/IV

39.4%

Bachelor Degree

29.5%

Advanced Diploma/Diploma

20.3%

Postgraduate Degree

4.4%

Graduate Diploma/Certificate

4.4%

Certificate I/II

2.0%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G49 Non-School Qualification by SAL

Charleston Occupation

Professionals

22.0%

Technicians & Trade Workers

20.6%

Managers

17.4%

Community & Personal Service

12.8%

Clerical & Administrative

11.0%

Labourers

6.9%

Sales Workers

4.6%

Machinery Operators & Drivers

4.6%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G51 Industry of Employment by Occupation

Charleston Field of Study

Engineering

17.9%

Management & Commerce

15.9%

Agriculture & Environment

12.9%

Health

11.9%

Education

10.9%

Society & Culture

10.0%

Food, Hospitality & Personal Services

7.5%

Creative Arts

4.5%

Natural & Physical Sciences

4.5%

Architecture & Building

4.0%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G51 Field of Study by SAL

Charleston Dwelling Types

Separate house

100.0%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G36 Dwelling Structure by SAL

Charleston Weekly Household Income

$400-$499/wk

5.3%

$500-$649/wk

2.4%

$650-$799/wk

6.5%

$800-$999/wk

5.9%

$1,000-$1,249/wk

3.6%

$1,250-$1,499/wk

8.9%

$1,500-$1,749/wk

4.7%

$1,750-$1,999/wk

10.7%

$2,000-$2,499/wk

17.2%

$2,500-$2,999/wk

13.6%

$3,000-$3,499/wk

4.7%

$3,500-$3,999/wk

3.6%

$4,000+/wk

13.0%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G33 Household Income by SAL

Charleston Marital Status

Married

60.5% 263

Separated

3.0% 13

Divorced

6.9% 30

Widowed

3.2% 14

Never married

26.4% 115

Source: ABS Census 2021, G05 Marital Status by SAL

Charleston Ancestry

English

47.5%

Australian

40.7%

German

18.5%

Scottish

8.9%

Irish

6.2%

Dutch

4.2%

Italian

2.0%

Polish

1.5%

Welsh

1.3%

Hungarian

1.1%

Australian Aboriginal

0.7%

Shares are of the suburb population. People can report up to two ancestries, so shares add to more than 100%. Source: ABS Census 2021, G08 Ancestry by SAL

Charleston School & University Attendance

Primary — Government

35.5%

Secondary — Government

15.9%

Pre-school

12.1%

Primary — Catholic

11.2%

Primary — Other Non-Govt

10.3%

Vocational Education

9.3%

Secondary — Other Non-Govt

5.6%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G15 Type of Educational Institution by SAL

Charleston Need for Assistance

Needs assistance

4.2%

No need for assistance

95.8%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G18 Core Activity Need for Assistance by SAL

Charleston Volunteering

Volunteer

32.1% 131

Not a volunteer

67.9% 277

Source: ABS Census 2021, G23 Voluntary Work by SAL

Charleston Monthly Mortgage Repayments

$0-$299/mo

3.2%

$300-$449/mo

5.4%

$600-$799/mo

8.6%

$1,000-$1,399/mo

18.3%

$1,400-$1,799/mo

12.9%

$1,800-$2,399/mo

21.5%

$2,400-$2,999/mo

16.1%

$3,000-$3,999/mo

14.0%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G38 Mortgage Repayment by SAL

Charleston How People Get to Work

Car (driver)

80.3%

Did not go to work

9.1%

Car (passenger)

5.7%

Bus

2.7%

Truck

1.1%

Walked only

1.1%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G62 Method of Travel to Work by SAL

Charleston Car Ownership

1 vehicle

14.1%

2 vehicles

46.2%

3 vehicles

21.2%

4+ vehicles

18.5%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G34 Motor Vehicles per Dwelling by SAL

Charleston Number of Bedrooms

1 bedroom

2.7%

2 bedrooms

8.1%

3 bedrooms

47.0%

4 bedrooms

38.9%

5 bedrooms

3.2%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G41 Number of Bedrooms by SAL

Charleston Population Mobility

10.0%

moved in the last year

31.3%

moved in the last 5 years

2.2%

unemployment rate (Census)

72.7%

labour force participation

Source: ABS Census 2021, G43 Summary by SAL

Charleston Indigenous Population

0.7%

Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander

Source: ABS Census 2021, G07 Indigenous Status by SAL

Charleston Long-term Health Conditions

Mental health

Asthma

Diabetes

Arthritis

Cancer

Heart disease

Lung condition

Stroke

Source: ABS Census 2021, G19 Long-term Health Conditions by SAL

Charleston Personal Weekly Income Distribution

$0 or less/wk

5.4%

$1-$149/wk

5.2%

$150-$299/wk

6.8%

$300-$399/wk

2.7%

$400-$499/wk

3.0%

$500-$649/wk

3.8%

$650-$799/wk

11.4%

$800-$999/wk

11.4%

$1,000-$1,249/wk

10.1%

$1,250-$1,499/wk

10.1%

$1,500-$1,749/wk

10.4%

$1,750-$1,999/wk

3.8%

$2,000-$2,999/wk

8.7%

$3,000-$3,499/wk

3.3%

$3,500+/wk

3.8%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G17 Personal Income by SAL

Charleston Family Structure

Couple — children under 15

42.8%

Couple — no children

28.5%

Couple — no children under 15

20.9%

One parent — children under 15

4.5%

One parent — no children under 15

3.4%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G29 Family Composition by SAL

Charleston Military Service

Previously served

2.7% 11

Never served

97.3% 402

Source: ABS Census 2021, G22 ADF Service by SAL

Charleston Unpaid Carers

Provided unpaid assistance

14.7% 61

Did not provide

85.3% 355

Source: ABS Census 2021, G25 Unpaid Assistance by SAL

Charleston Children Ever Born

No children

24.0%

1 child

10.9%

2 children

41.0%

3 children

22.4%

4 children

1.6%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G28 Children Ever Born by SAL

Charleston When Migrants Arrived

1951–1960

1961–1970

1971–1980

1981–1990

1991–2000

2001–2010

Source: ABS Census 2021, G10 Year of Arrival by SAL

Charleston Unpaid Domestic Work

Less than 5 hours

22.5%

5–14 hours

34.5%

15–29 hours

16.3%

30+ hours

13.2%

Did not do domestic work

13.5%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G24 Unpaid Domestic Work by SAL

Charleston Household Size

1 person

13.1%

2 persons

37.7%

3 persons

17.8%

4 persons

21.5%

5 persons

6.8%

6+ persons

3.1%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G35 Household Size by SAL

Charleston Where Residents Moved From

Same address

467

Moved from SA

Moved — same area (SA2)

Moved from VIC

Source: ABS Census 2021, G44 Address 1 Year Ago by SAL

Charleston Family Blending

Intact family — no other children

91.1%

Step family — no other children

8.9%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G31 Family Blending by SAL

Charleston Crime Statistics

1 reported offences in 2025-26, by category.

Theft

Total offences by year

2021

2022

2023

2024

2025

Source: SA Government Open Data (data.sa.gov.au).

Charleston Schools

schools nearby

government

1109

avg ICSEA score

total students

St Benedict School Independent

Primary · R-5 · 49 students

1109

ICSEA

Source: Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA), 2025. ICSEA is the Index of Community Socio-Educational Advantage (national average 1000).

All schools near Charleston, with a map

Charleston Rent Prices & Affordability

17% of median household income goes on median rent

Marks at 25% and 35%. Band: affordable.

Household income $2,116/wk

Median rent $350/wk

Rent to income 16.5%

Rent is under 25% of household income, generally considered affordable.

Median rent in Charleston against your income

Your weekly income

About $9,169 a month

Median rent $350/wk

Left after rent $1,766/wk

Rent share 16.5%

Cheaper alternatives with similar incomes

Everard Park

Income: $744/wk Rent: $286/wk $64/wk less rent

Upper Sturt

Income: $1,009/wk Rent: $345/wk $5/wk less rent

Semaphore South

Income: $930/wk Rent: $320/wk $30/wk less rent

One Tree Hill

Income: $842/wk Rent: $305/wk $45/wk less rent

West Richmond

Income: $724/wk Rent: $320/wk $30/wk less rent

Exeter (SA)

Income: $849/wk Rent: $310/wk $40/wk less rent

Moorak

Income: $817/wk Rent: $250/wk $100/wk less rent

Ethelton

Income: $787/wk Rent: $300/wk $50/wk less rent

Charleston vs the typical SA suburb

The median personal income in Charleston is $883 a week, 16% above the typical SA suburb ($759). That ranks 149th of 710 SA suburbs with 200 or more residents. Median rent is $350 a week, $50 more than the typical SA suburb. Rent takes 16.5% of the median household income here, against 19.5% in the typical SA suburb. The median resident is 42, 1 year younger than in the typical SA suburb (43).

The typical suburb is the median across suburbs with 200 or more residents. ABS Census 2021, calculated by GDP.com.au.
Measure	Charleston	Typical SA	Typical Australia
Personal income	$883/wk	$759/wk	$766/wk
Household income	$2,116/wk	$1,494/wk	$1,637/wk
Rent	$350/wk	$300/wk	$330/wk
Mortgage repayment	$1,920/mo	$1,534/mo	$1,733/mo
Median age	42	43	42
Rent share of household income	16.5%	19.5%	20.3%

Suburbs near Charleston

The closest suburb to Charleston is Lobethal, 4.7 km away.

Lobethal

4.7 km away · income $759/wk · rent $310/wk

Woodside (SA)

5.3 km away · income $757/wk · rent $320/wk

Oakbank

9.8 km away · income $889/wk · rent $340/wk

Birdwood (SA)

11.6 km away · income $776/wk · rent $320/wk

Balhannah

12.3 km away · income $843/wk · rent $335/wk

Nairne

13.8 km away · income $859/wk · rent $350/wk

Compare Charleston

Frequently Asked Questions About Charleston

What is the population of Charleston SA?

The population of Charleston SA is 550 according to the ABS Census 2021.The suburb has a population density of 20 people per km².Charleston is ranked #4,878 out of 14,663 suburbs by population.

What is the median income in Charleston?

The median personal income in Charleston SA is $883 per week, or $45,916 per year.The median household income is $2,116 per week.Family income is $2,259 per week.Charleston is ranked #2,336 by income out of 14,663 Australian suburbs.

How much is rent in Charleston?

Median rent in Charleston SA is $350 per week ($1,517 per month).Rent represents 16.5% of household income, which is considered affordable.Charleston ranks #3,104 out of 14,663 suburbs by rent.

What are mortgage repayments in Charleston?

The median monthly mortgage repayment in Charleston SA is $1,920. This data comes from the ABS Census 2021 and reflects mortgage repayments for owner-occupied dwellings.

What is the median age in Charleston?

The median age in Charleston SA is 42 years.This is older than the national median age of 38 years.

Is Charleston a good suburb to live in?

Charleston is a suburb in South Australia with a population of 550.The median income is $883/wk, which is above the typical SA suburb ($759/wk).Rent affordability is rated as affordable (16.5% of household income). See the full suburb profile above for detailed statistics.

Explore More

Australian Average Salary Australian House Prices Adelaide Cost of Living

Data: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Census of Population and Housing 2021. SA2 area: 40245. All dollar figures in AUD.