Mount Pleasant, SC vs North Charleston, SC
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
North Charleston, SC and Mount Pleasant, SC spend within 6.7% of each other per resident — $12,917 versus $12,111 — so on the headline spending-per-capita measure the two cities are effectively neck and neck.
North Charleston, SC holds the stronger Fiscal Health Score, 80/100 (grade A) against 70/100 (grade B) for Mount Pleasant, SC — a 10-point spread that puts the two in different grade territory.
North Charleston, SC reports no outstanding debt per resident in its Census filing, while Mount Pleasant, SC carries $925 per resident. Their budgets diverge on where the largest per-resident dollars go: Mount Pleasant, SC leads with parks and recreation at $963 per resident, while North Charleston, SC leads with fire protection at $1,323.
On the revenue side both lean hardest on intergovernmental transfers — 23% of total revenue in Mount Pleasant, SC and 100% in North Charleston, SC.
Summary
North Charleston spends 6.2% more per capita than Mount Pleasant ($806/person difference). North Charleston, SC has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (A, 80/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Sales Tax | $437 | $231 |
| Intergovernmental | $6,212 | $23,753 |
| Charges & Fees | $2,912 | $0 |
| Other | $3,395 | $632 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Fire Protection | $399 | $1,323 |
| Highways & Roads | $0 | $867 |
| Public Welfare | $623 | $0 |
| Hospitals | $0 | $194 |
| Parks & Recreation | $963 | $987 |
| Housing | $2,205 | $3,880 |
| Sewerage | $0 | $274 |
| Utilities | $3,710 | $650 |
| Other | $4,211 | $4,742 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.