Home Health and Personal Care Aide Salary in Charleston, SC
Home Health and Personal Care Aides in the Charleston-North Charleston, SC metro area earn a median $34,100 a year — 5% less than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $28,690 take-home, or $2,391 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median home health and personal care aide salary in Charleston, SC. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$1,912
- Social Security (6.2%)$2,114
- Medicare (1.45%)$494
- South Carolina income tax$889
- Take-home pay$28,690
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 6.00% state
Got an offer somewhere else? Compare it with this one after taxes and rent →
Home Health and Personal Care Aide pay by experience in Charleston, SC
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $26,090 | $12.54 | $22,672 | $1,889 |
| 25th percentile | $29,620 | $14.24 | $25,360 | $2,113 |
| Median (50th) | $34,100 | $16.39 | $28,690 | $2,391 |
| 75th percentile | $35,360 | $17.00 | $29,627 | $2,469 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $37,160 | $17.87 | $30,966 | $2,580 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, South Carolina resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $34,100 buys in Charleston, SC
Prices in Charleston, SC are 1.0% higher than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1.20× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median home health and personal care aide's $28,690 take-home pay has the buying power of $28,417 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Home Health and Personal Care Aide jobs are less concentrated in Charleston, SC than nationally (location quotient 0.40), so openings may be scarcer.
Best-paying cities for home health and personal care aides, adjusted for cost of living
Charleston, SC ranks #115 of 180 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.
| # | Metro area | Median salary | Take-home | Real value* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Grants Pass, OR | $53,120 | $41,044 | $41,984 |
| 2 | Kennewick, WA | $47,810 | $40,595 | $40,563 |
| 3 | Spokane, WA | $47,410 | $40,274 | $40,135 |
| 4 | Yakima, WA | $44,490 | $37,928 | $39,696 |
| 5 | Seattle, WA | $48,210 | $40,917 | $36,818 |
| 6 | Bellingham, WA | $44,080 | $37,598 | $36,385 |
| 7 | Olympia, WA | $44,060 | $37,582 | $36,252 |
| 8 | Fargo, ND | $37,910 | $32,641 | $35,920 |
| 115 | Charleston, SC | $34,100 | $28,690 | $28,417 |
*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 180 metros →
About the job: home health and personal care aides
- Typical education
- High school diploma or equivalent
- Work experience
- None required
- On-the-job training
- Short-term on-the-job training
- Job outlook, 2025–35
- +18.1% (much faster than average)
Source: BLS Standard Occupational Classification and Employment Projections, 2025–35.
Home Health and Personal Care Aide salaries elsewhere in South Carolina
- Spartanburg, SC — $30,190
- Columbia, SC — $30,210
- Greenville, SC — $29,800
Frequently asked questions
How much does a home health and personal care aide make in Charleston, SC?
The median home health and personal care aide salary in the Charleston-North Charleston, SC metro area is $34,100 a year, or about $16.39 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $29,620 and $35,360.
What is a home health and personal care aide’s take-home pay in Charleston, SC?
On the median $34,100 salary, a single filer living in South Carolina takes home about $28,690 a year ($2,391 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $889 in South Carolina taxes in 2026.
Is Charleston, SC a good place to work as a home health and personal care aide?
Pay here is 5% below the national median of $35,800. Local prices are 1.0% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $28,417 would in a typical U.S. city. Charleston, SC ranks #115 of 180 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a home health and personal care aide afford rent in Charleston, SC?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Charleston, SC is $1,630 a month ($1,787 for two bedrooms) — 68% of a median home health and personal care aide’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in Charleston, SC
- Nursing Assistant — $38,810