September is here, and there is plenty happening around Charleston as we head toward fall.
This month brings some of Charleston’s favorite festivals, concerts, farmers markets and outdoor events. We are also getting a clearer picture of how the Charleston housing market is performing in 2026, with sales running ahead of last year but some pretty significant differences depending on where you look.
Here is our September update on what’s happening around the Lowcountry.
Things to Do in Charleston This September
September is packed with events throughout the Charleston area.
The Wizard of Oz is at Dock Street Theatre through September 27, while Grease is at the Queen Street Playhouse through September 13.
The annual MOJA Arts Festival also returns at the end of the month, bringing music, dance, visual arts and cultural events to Charleston.
Baseball fans have one last opportunity to catch the Charleston RiverDogs during the regular season, with games at The Joe September 1-6, 10 and 11.
There are plenty of recurring events happening throughout the month as well.
Freshfields Village at Kiawah hosts a farmers market every Monday, bingo and movie nights on Wednesdays, and live music on the Village Green on Fridays.
Closer to Charleston, the Farmers Market at Marion Square takes place every Saturday. West Ashley’s Farmers Market is held Wednesday afternoons at Ackerman Park, while the North Charleston Farmers Market takes place Thursdays at the Park Circle Pavilion.
September 2026 Charleston Events Calendar
Here are some of the events worth putting on your calendar:
September 2
The War and Treaty – The Refinery
September 3
Yappy Hour – James Island County Park
September 4-6
Lowcountry Jazz Festival – Gaillard Center
September 5
Taco and Margarita Festival – North Charleston Riverfront Park
September 5
Sunrise Yoga – Kiawah Beachwalker Park
September 5
The Movement and Pepper – The Refinery
September 6
Hayley Williams – Credit One Stadium
September 6
Collie Buddz – The Refinery
September 6
NEEDTOBREATHE – Firefly Distillery
September 10
Billy Currington and Kip Moore – Firefly Distillery
September 10
Starlight Yoga – Mt. Pleasant Pier
September 11
Dancing on the Pier – Mt. Pleasant Pier
September 11
Collective Soul – The Refinery
September 12
Charleston Battery Soccer
September 12
Lowtide Festival – North Charleston Riverfront Park
September 12
Park Circle Oktoberfest
September 13
Second Sunday on King Street
September 14-15
Little Feat and Shovels and Rope – Charleston Music Hall
September 17
Zac Brown Band – Credit One Stadium
September 17
Asleep at the Wheel – Charleston Music Hall
September 18
Beer From Here – South Carolina Aquarium
September 18
Moonlight Mixer – Folly Beach Pier
September 19
Ashley McBryde – The Refinery
September 19
Sweet Tea Festival – Hutchinson Square
September 25-26
A Charleston Carnival with the Charleston Symphony – Gaillard Center
September 25
Home Team BBQ 20th Anniversary – Downtown Charleston
September 26
Holy City Homegrown Festival – Charleston Pour House
September 26
Bluegrass, BBQ and Brews – Magnolia Plantation
September 26
Travis Tritt – North Charleston PAC
September 28
Lang Lang with the Charleston Symphony – Gaillard Center
September 12, 19 and 26 are especially busy weekends if you’re looking for something to do around town.
Charleston Real Estate Market Update
The Charleston real estate market has performed a little better in 2026 than some of the headlines might suggest.
Through the first seven months of the year, 10,365 residential properties sold across the Charleston area. That’s a 5 percent increase compared with the same period in 2025.
The median sales price also increased 2.4 percent and now sits at approximately $452,000.
Single-family homes tell a slightly different story. Through July, the median price of a detached single-family home was approximately $488,000, with the number of sales up 3.9 percent from last year.
Those overall numbers are useful, but they don’t tell the whole story.
Charleston’s Housing Market Varies Significantly by Area
One of the most important things to understand about the current market is that there really isn’t one “Charleston real estate market.”
Conditions can look very different depending on the neighborhood.
Here are a few examples through July 2026:
James Island
James Island recorded 413 sales, up 3 percent from last year.
The median sales price increased 2.5 percent to $625,000.
Johns Island
Johns Island has seen considerably more activity.
There were 493 sales, an increase of 11.3 percent from last year, while the median price increased 5.5 percent to $670,000.
West Ashley Outside I-526
West Ashley outside I-526 recorded 531 sales, up 7.3 percent.
Interestingly, the median price moved in the opposite direction, falling 2 percent to $475,000.
That’s a good example of why simply hearing that “Charleston prices are up” doesn’t necessarily tell you what is happening with a particular property.
Mount Pleasant
The area of Mount Pleasant south of the Isle of Palms Connector recorded 570 sales, up 10 percent from last year.
At the same time, the median price declined 2.3 percent to $967,500.
North of the IOP Connector, sales were essentially flat and the median price declined 3 percent to $854,000.
Downtown Charleston
Downtown Charleston has been one of the stronger markets in terms of transaction growth.
Inside the Crosstown, 281 properties sold through July, a 20.1 percent increase from the same period last year.
The median sales price increased 5.8 percent to approximately $1.32 million.
Summerville
The Summerville and Ridgeville area remains one of the largest markets in the region, with 1,191 sales through July, up nearly 15 percent year over year.
The median sales price was approximately $396,000, down 1.3 percent.
That combination of increased transactions and relatively flat pricing is something we’re seeing in several parts of the Charleston area.
Did the Charleston Market Slow This Summer?
July was noticeably slower than June.
There were 1,582 residential sales in July compared with 1,868 in June, representing a decline of approximately 15 percent.
Median price also moved from approximately $470,000 in June to $460,000 in July.
However, we wouldn’t read too much into a single month.
Looking at the broader six-month period gives us a better picture. Charleston-area residential sales were up 5.1 percent year over year, while the median price increased 2.4 percent.
Over the most recent 12 months, sales were up 4.1 percent and the median price increased 2.9 percent.
What Does This Mean for Buyers and Sellers?
The market isn’t booming, but it isn’t falling apart either.
Instead, we are seeing a much more balanced and highly localized market than we experienced a few years ago.
For sellers, pricing matters considerably more now. Buyers generally have more choices, and homes that are priced too aggressively can sit while appropriately priced properties attract attention.
For buyers, increased choices can create opportunities. Depending on the neighborhood and property, there may be more room to negotiate on price, repairs, closing costs or other terms than there was during the highly competitive market of a few years ago.
The important part for both buyers and sellers is understanding the micro-market surrounding the specific property, rather than relying solely on Charleston-wide statistics.
Charleston’s Economy Continues to Grow
The housing market is only one part of the story.
Population growth and continued business investment remain important forces shaping the Charleston region.
One recent example is the opening of Hutchinson Apartments in Nexton, adding 324 residential units. The development includes apartments and townhomes with one-, two- and three-bedroom options, along with amenities including a pool, fitness center, game room, walking trail and pet park.
Several companies are also making new investments in the region.
Translucent Solar plans to invest $15.675 million in a new Dorchester County manufacturing facility. The 1.2-gigawatt solar panel facility is expected to create 167 jobs and become operational by the end of 2026.
Trison Wells is investing $3.37 million to expand its Walterboro operations, with the project expected to create 30 jobs in Colleton County.
IEB Americas is also investing $1.5 million in Charleston County. The battery charging and power supply company plans to create 30 jobs, with its North Charleston facility becoming the company’s first major production operation in North America.
These individual announcements may seem unrelated to housing, but together they help explain the bigger picture.
Jobs, infrastructure, population growth and quality of life continue to attract people to the Charleston region. At the same time, new residential and mixed-use developments are expanding to accommodate that growth.
Looking Ahead to Fall in Charleston
Heading into the final months of 2026, we’ll be watching several things closely.
The first is inventory. More choices for buyers can put additional pressure on sellers to price and present their homes correctly.
We’ll also be watching mortgage rates and affordability, which continue to have a major influence on buyer purchasing power.
And perhaps most importantly, we’ll continue watching the individual neighborhoods.
The Charleston-wide median price is useful, but what’s happening on James Island can be very different from Johns Island, Mount Pleasant, West Ashley, Summerville or downtown Charleston.
That’s why we always encourage homeowners to look beyond the headlines.
Have Questions About the Charleston Market?
Whether you’re thinking about buying, selling, investing or you’re simply curious about what your home might be worth, we’re always happy to be a resource.
If you’d like to know what’s happening in your particular Charleston neighborhood, reach out to us. We can take a look at recent sales, current competition, inventory and buyer activity around your property rather than relying on an automated home value.
Kory Roscoe and Leslie Howard
Charleston Property Group
The Boulevard Company
843.608.9867
CharlestonPropertyGroup.com
