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Economic Activity
The cost of living in Berkeley County is very affordable, with housing costs being below the national average
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Metro Area | All items index | Housing Index | Atlanta, Georgia | 99.0 | 97.9 | Charleston, South Carolina | 97.5 | 87.1 | Charlotte, North Carolina | 97.2 | 94.0 | Columbia, South Carolina | 92.9 | 87.6 | Jacksonville, Florida | 95.7 | 80.7 | Birmingham, Alabama | 98.5 | 96.7 |
Norfolk, Virginia | 96.2 | 84.9 | Savannah, Georgia | 94.5 | 90.6 | All Cities Average | 100.0 | 100.0 |
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Source: ACCRA Cost of Living Index, First Quarter 1996 Retail Sales
Year | Amount | 1990 | $1.3 Billion | 1991 | $1.5 Billion |
1992 | $1.4 Billion | 1993 | $1.6 Billion | 1994 | $1.7 Billion | 1995 | $1.8 Billion |
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Construction Activity |
Residential | Non Residential | Year | # Permits | Value ($000) | # Permits | Value ($000) |
1990 | 1077 | $61,095 | 174 | $9,364 | 1991 | 645 | $41,607 | 104 | $42,312 | 1992 | 784 | $50,951 | 170 | $9,414 | 1993 |
475 | $33,910 | 124 | $28,223 | 1994 | 351 | $28,958 | 150 |
$6,387 | 1995 | 307 | $24,750 | 141 | $509,579 |
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Source: SC Budget & Control Board, Division of Research and Statistics
Taxes Financial Incentives:
* There is no inventory tax.
* A five-year exemption from all county property taxes (except school and special purpose taxes)
for new and expanding manufacturers with a capital investment in excess of $50,000.
* A jobs tax credit towards corporate income tax of $3500 per job created for qualifying
companies creating 10 or more jobs.
* A five-year exepmtion from all county property taxes (except school and special purpose taxes)
for corporate headquarters, corporate office facilities and distribution facilities if the cost of new
construction or additions is $50,000 or more and 75 or more full-time jobs are created.
* Fee-in-lieu of taxes: Berkeley County may also negotiate a fee in lieu of property taxes with
newly locating or expanding firms who meet the requirements. Complete details are available
upon request.
* Exemption from sales taxes on water, air or noise pollution equipment and facilities.
Sales Tax: 6% Income Tax:
Corporate: 5%
Personal: South Carolina has a tiered indexed personal income tax which ranges from 2.5% to 7.0% on all income above $11,250.
Property Tax: South Carolina has NO state property tax. Real and personal property taxes are levied by local taxing authorities (real at 4% or 6% and personal at 10.5%) There is no intangible personal property tax in South Carolina. The local millage rate (set at the local level) is applied to the assessed value to determine the annual tax liability. Back to Berkeley County Facts Index
Infrastructure Utilities Water and Sewer
Provided to Berkeley County by the following sources: | Berkeley County Water & Sanitation Authority *
(BCW&SA) |
City of Goose Creek | Moncks Corner Public Works Commission** | | Water | Sewer | Water | Sewer | Water | Sewer |
Capacity | 9 MGD | 15 MGD | 6 MGD | treated at BCW&SA | 4 MGD,
6.25 MGD (wells) | 1.6 MGD | Average Use | 2.8 MGD | 6 MGD | 1.3 MGD | | 0.8 MGD | 1.1 MGD |
Peak Use | 3.5 MGD | 10.923 MGD | 1.4 MGD | | 1.2 MGD | 1.5 MGD |
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* BCW&SA expansion plans include upgrading sewer plant to 22.5 MGD in 2007.
** MC Public Works Commission expansion plans - have been submitted permit to DHEC for
upgrading plant.
Note: All three suppliers use Lake Moultrie as its water source.
Source: Berkeley County Government Electricity
Berkeley County enjoys the lowest electricity rates in the Southeast. On average, our rates
are 20% lower than the national average.
Electricity Providers
Company | Location | Phone | Santee Cooper | Moncks Corner, SC | 761-8000 | Berkeley Electric Cooperative | Moncks Corner, SC | 761-8200 | South Carolina Electric & Gas Company | Charleston, SC | |
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Natural Gas Providers
Company | Location | Phone | South Carolina Electric & Gas Company | Charleston, SC | |
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Telephone Providers Company | Location | Phone | BellSouth | Charleston, SC | | Home Telephone Company, Inc. | Moncks Corner, SC | 761-9101 | St. Stephen's Telephone Company | St. Stephens, SC | |
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Transportation Highways Serving Berkeley County Interstates |
I-26, I-95, I-526 | Federal Highways | US 52, US 17, US 176 | State Roads | SC 6, SC 27, SC 33, SC 41, SC 45, SC 311, SC 402 |
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Airports Serving Berkeley County
Airport | Location | Berkeley County Airport | Moncks Corner, SC | Charleston International Airport | Charleston, SC |
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Rail Service Norfolk-Southern
| CSX System |
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Water Transportation Port of Charleston - SC Ports Authority | Barge Service is also available into Lake Moultrie |
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Motor Carriers * Over 120 motor carriers serve the Charleston Metro Region
. * Ten sites in the Charleston Metro region
* Offers over 4,700 acres where businesses can store and process goods or raw materials
duty-free until they're transported into the United States.
Berkeley County Government
County affairs are managed by a county council with an elected county supervisor as chief administrative officer. Back to Berkeley County Facts Index Population Berkeley County is one of the fastest growing counties in the state. With a 1990 population of 128,776, the current population is estimated at nearly 140,000 and is expected to have an annualy growth rate of over 5% over the next 20 years, reaching 266,700 by 2015. Area | 1980 | 1990 | 1994 | Change 1990 - 1994 |
Berkeley County | 94,745 | 128,776 | 138,839 | 7.8% | Bonneau | 401 | 374 | 417 | 11.5% | Goose Creek
| 17,889 | 24,692 | 27,454 | 11.2% | Hanahan | 13,224 | 13,176 | 12,886 | -2.2% | Jamestown |
193 | 84 | 86 | 2.4% | Moncks Corner | 4179 | 5607 | 6103 | 8.8% | St. Stephen | 1,850 | 1,697
| 1,825 | 7.5% | Charleston County | 276,556 | 295,039 | 293,550 | -0.5% | Dorchester County | 58,761 | 83,060 | 89,887 | 8.2% | Metro Region | 430,062 | 506,875 | 522,276 | 3.0% |
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Source: US Census Bureau
1994 Estimates
| Berkeley County
| Charleston Region | Number of Households | 46,300 | 183,200 | Median Household Income | $30,033 | $30,424 | Average Household Income | $33,939 | $37,509 |
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Source: Sales and Marketing Management (1996)
% Population by Age 0-17 | 33.1% |
18-24 | 9.6% | 25-34 | 18.0% | 35-49 | 23.1% | 50 and over | 16.2% |
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Source: Sales and Marketing Management 1996, Survey of Buying Power
Back to Berkeley County Facts Index
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