Charleston Senior AdvisorWhich counties does Charleston Senior Advisor cover?
Three: Charleston, Berkeley and Dorchester, the counties of the Charleston-North Charleston metropolitan area, all licensed by the same state agency and all served by the same Area Agency on Aging.
| County | Population | 65+ | 85+ | Median age | Senior CRCFs | Nursing homes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Charleston County | 436,200 | 85,144 | 8,799 | 39.7 | 42 | 11 |
| Berkeley County | 274,666 | 44,495 | 3,615 | 37.3 | 9 | 4 |
| Dorchester County | 178,397 | 30,715 | 2,528 | 38.8 | 5 | 4 |
U.S. Census Bureau, Vintage 2025 county population estimates by age (July 1, 2025); S.C. DPH data as of November 6, 2026.
Do the three counties share the same aging agency?
Yes. The Trident Area Agency on Aging in North Charleston serves Berkeley, Charleston and Dorchester counties as Region 9's Aging and Disability Resource Center, with one regional long-term care ombudsman program and one SHIP office.
Each county also has its own veterans affairs office and its own emergency management agency, which matters for hurricane planning: a facility writes its evacuation plan with the county agency where it sits.
Which county has the oldest population?
Charleston County: 19.5% of its residents were 65 or older in 2025 Census estimates, with a median age of 39.7, compared with 17.2% in Dorchester and 16.2% in Berkeley County.
Charleston County also has the most licensed beds, so many families in rural Berkeley and western Dorchester look toward Summerville, Goose Creek or North Charleston when local choices run out.
Why does the county matter for hurricane planning?
Regulation 60-84 requires assisted living facilities in Charleston County, but not Berkeley or Dorchester, to name at least one sheltering facility outside the six coastal counties in their evacuation plans.
Summerville and North Charleston straddle county lines, so check the county on the facility's license. Our hurricane evacuation guide covers the rest of the plan requirements.
How many older adults live in the three counties?
Census Bureau estimates put 160,354 residents aged 65 or older in Charleston, Berkeley and Dorchester counties on July 1, 2025, including 14,942 aged 85 or older, the age group most likely to need daily help.
Berkeley and Dorchester are younger and growing fast, but their older populations are growing too, often as retirees and the parents of military families settle near children.
How do families choose between counties?
Most choose by the family member who will visit most and by the hospital and doctors a parent already uses, then compare licensed buildings within a reasonable drive; a parent in Moncks Corner, St. George or McClellanville may need to look a county away.
County lines matter less than travel time. I-26 links Summerville, North Charleston and the peninsula; I-526 and the Ravenel Bridge link West Ashley, North Charleston and Mount Pleasant. Rush hour on either can double a drive, so test the route at the times you would actually visit.
Side by side
| Shared by all three counties | Different county to county | |
|---|---|---|
| Rules | DPH licensing (Regulation 60-84) and SCDHHS Medicaid rules | Hurricane sheltering rule (Charleston County only) |
| Help | Trident AAA 843-554-2275, DSS APS 1-888-227-3487 | Veterans affairs and emergency management offices |
| PACE | BoldAge PACE serves all three | Distance to the North Charleston center |
| Costs | The same South Carolina CareScout medians | Actual local quotes |
