North Charleston, SC vs Mount Pleasant, 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: North Charleston, SC leads with fire protection at $1,323 per resident, while Mount Pleasant, SC leads with parks and recreation at $963.
On the revenue side both lean hardest on intergovernmental transfers — 100% of total revenue in North Charleston, SC and 23% in Mount Pleasant, SC.
Summary
North Charleston spends 6.7% 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 | $231 | $437 |
| Intergovernmental | $23,753 | $6,212 |
| Charges & Fees | $0 | $2,912 |
| Other | $632 | $3,395 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Fire Protection | $1,323 | $399 |
| Highways & Roads | $867 | $0 |
| Public Welfare | $0 | $623 |
| Hospitals | $194 | $0 |
| Parks & Recreation | $987 | $963 |
| Housing | $3,880 | $2,205 |
| Sewerage | $274 | $0 |
| Utilities | $650 | $3,710 |
| Other | $4,742 | $4,211 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.