Inground pool cost in Charleston, SC
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (450 sq ft)
- $33,000 – $103,500
- Per sq ft
- $73 – $229
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −8%
- US $74,500
- Rank of 300 metros
- #221
- 1 = most expensive
Charleston homeowners pay roughly $33,000 to $103,500 to install an inground pool at 450 sq ft, or $73 to $229 per sq ft (permit not included). Against the US midpoint, Charleston is 8% lower. Construction laborers earn a median of $20.98 an hour in the Charleston area, 7% below the US median of $22.66.
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Estimated cost for 450 sq ft in Charleston, SC, standard level
$54,100 to $82,200
About $120 to $182 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 49% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $27,100 | $41,400 |
| Labor | $26,800 | $40,600 |
| Permits and fees | $160 | $240 |
| Total | $54,100 | $82,200 |
Cost breakdown for 450 sq ft in Charleston, SC
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $16,500 | $34,200 | $52,000 | 50% |
| Labor | $16,500 | $33,700 | $50,900 | 49% |
| Permits and fees | $100 | $200 | $300 | 0% |
| Total | $33,000 | $68,200 | $103,500 | 100% |
Why Charleston prices look the way they do
The wage side of the estimate leans on construction laborers, who do 40% of the hours on a typical job. Their local median is $20.98 an hour. Add the other trades involved and the blended wage index for Charleston is 0.87 (US = 1.00), which puts labor at 49% of the total.
On the materials line, the BEA goods price index for the Charleston metro is 96.3 (US = 100). The midpoint materials bill for 450 sq ft comes to $34,200, compared with $35,600 at national prices. Permit and inspection fees are scaled by the broader index (101.0) and land at $100 to $300.
Specs and site conditions that change a Charleston bid
Pool type
Vinyl pools are $25,000-$65,000, fiberglass $45,000-$100,000, and concrete or gunite $50,000-$120,000 (HomeGuide).
Maintenance
Pool maintenance is $80-$150 a month; concrete pools also need an acid wash every 3-5 years at $300-$1,000.
Permit
A building permit for a pool is $100-$300 and contractors often include it. Many cities add plumbing and electrical permits.
What nearby projects cost in Charleston
Because every project leans on different trades, Charleston's wage level does not move all prices equally. Against the US midpoint, aluminum fence runs −6% and retaining wall −9%.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aluminum fence | 150 linear ft | $3,550 – $10,700 | −6% |
| Paver patio | 300 sq ft | $2,750 – $5,050 | −8% |
| Concrete patio | 300 sq ft | $1,200 – $3,750 | −6% |
| Wood deck | 300 sq ft | $6,900 – $13,900 | −9% |
| French drain | 60 linear ft | $560 – $1,950 | −6% |
| Retaining wall | 200 sq ft of wall face | $6,250 – $12,300 | −9% |
How Charleston compares
Contractors rarely work more than an hour or two from home, so the neighboring metros set a rough ceiling and floor for your quotes. Midpoints for 450 sq ft range from $64,900 to $68,700 across Charleston and its five closest metros.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charleston, SCthis page | $33,000 – $103,500 | $68,200 | |
| Hilton Head, SC65 miles | $33,300 – $104,000 | $68,700 | +1% |
| Florence, SC80 miles | $33,000 – $103,000 | $68,100 | level |
| Myrtle Beach, SC85 miles | $31,500 – $98,400 | $64,900 | −5% |
| Columbia, SC95 miles | $32,500 – $101,500 | $67,000 | −2% |
| Savannah, GA95 miles | $32,100 – $100,500 | $66,200 | −3% |
| South Carolina (statewide) | $32,700 – $102,000 | $67,400 | −1% |
| United States | $36,100 – $113,000 | $74,500 | +9% |
Across 300 US metros, Charleston comes in at #221 from the top. The priciest is Kahului, HI at $105,000; the cheapest is McAllen, TX at $62,300 (midpoints, 450 sq ft). Statewide, Charleston is 1% above the South Carolina figure.
Other South Carolina metros
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Greenville, SC | 434,900 jobs | $32,900 – $102,500 | $67,800 | −1% |
| Columbia, SC | 394,200 jobs | $32,500 – $101,500 | $67,000 | −2% |
| Spartanburg, SC | 165,150 jobs | $32,400 – $101,500 | $67,000 | −2% |
| Myrtle Beach, SC | 146,260 jobs | $31,500 – $98,400 | $64,900 | −5% |
| Florence, SC | 89,060 jobs | $33,000 – $103,000 | $68,100 | level |
| Hilton Head, SC | 81,920 jobs | $33,300 – $104,000 | $68,700 | +1% |
Cities with a workforce like Charleston's
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Charleston against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Columbia, SC | 394,200 jobs | $32,500 – $101,500 | $67,000 | −2% |
| Boise, ID | 391,790 jobs | $35,400 – $110,500 | $73,100 | +7% |
| Des Moines, IA | 404,130 jobs | $36,900 – $115,000 | $76,100 | +12% |
| Tucson, AZ | 389,630 jobs | $34,400 – $107,500 | $70,900 | +4% |
Pick a size, pick a tier: inground pool pricing in Charleston
Three bands are cut from the same cited range and localized for Charleston wages and prices. They overlap on purpose: a good standard job and a modest premium job can cost the same. The grid below prices the same bands at 3 common sizes.
Basic
$33,000 to $61,100
Vinyl-liner pool, small size
Standard
$54,100 to $82,200
Fiberglass pool, standard size
Premium
$75,200 to $103,500
Concrete or gunite, large with custom features
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| small pool (400 sq ft) | $29,400 – $54,400 | $48,100 – $73,100 | $66,800 – $91,800 |
| average (512 sq ft) | $37,600 – $69,500 | $61,500 – $93,500 | $85,500 – $117,500 |
| large (800 sq ft) | $58,600 – $108,500 | $96,100 – $146,000 | $133,500 – $183,500 |
Local wages behind the labor line
Wages are the part of this estimate that changes most from town to town. 4 trades carry the job here, and each is compared with its US median. The weighted result for Charleston is 0.87 times the national level.
Construction laborers (47-2061), 40% of the weighting: a median of $20.98 an hour, 7% below the US median of $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $18.00 and $24.49 an hour. About 3,710 work in the metro. That is 94.1 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 70.5 nationally, which suggests plenty of local crews to bid.
For operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (47-2073, weighted 30%) the local median is $24.35 an hour, which is 15% below the national $28.78. The middle half of them earn between $23.39 and $29.69 an hour. BLS counts 1,470 of them working in the area, 37.3 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 30.7), so the local bench is deeper than average.
Brickmasons and blockmasons (47-2021), 20% of the weighting: a median of $23.41 an hour, 22% below the US median of $29.87. The middle half of them earn between $22.04 and $29.19 an hour. About 50 work in the metro. That is 1.3 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 3.4 nationally, so expect fewer local crews to bid.
For plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters (47-2152, weighted 10%) the local median is $27.58 an hour, which is 10% below the national $30.67. The middle half of them earn between $23.50 and $31.15 an hour. BLS counts 960 of them working in the area, 24.4 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 30.0), so the local bench is thinner than average.
Quotes come from real crews, not medians. If the construction laborers on your job are paid at the 75th percentile ($24.49 an hour) instead of the median, the labor line grows by about $2,400. At the 25th percentile ($18.00) it shrinks by about $2,050. The total moves by 3.5% or 3.0%, so wages alone rarely explain a quote that is far outside our range.
For context on the local economy, BLS counts 394,170 jobs in the Charleston-North Charleston area. That makes it the 66th largest of the 300 metros we cover, with 0.25% of US employment.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 40% | $18.00 | $20.98 | $24.49 | $22.66 | 0.93 | metro |
| Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (47-2073) | 30% | $23.39 | $24.35 | $29.69 | $28.78 | 0.85 | metro |
| Brickmasons and blockmasons (47-2021) | 20% | $22.04 | $23.41 | $29.19 | $29.87 | 0.78 | metro |
| Plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters (47-2152) | 10% | $23.50 | $27.58 | $31.15 | $30.67 | 0.90 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 0.87 | |||||
When to schedule inground pool in Charleston
We use NOAA's 1991-2020 climate normals for Charleston City (5 miles from the city center). These are 30-year monthly averages, not forecasts.
Weather is not a serious constraint for pouring concrete in Charleston: no month in the averages is cold enough (an average overnight low of 40°F or below) or hot enough (an average daytime high of 90°F or more) to rule it out, so the workable window is all year.
Charleston gets about 44 inches of precipitation in a normal year. The wettest months are July, August and September (6.1 inches in August). The station averages about 25 days a year at 90°F or above.
Does the season change the price? Probably, but we do not have a sourced seasonal price curve, so the estimator shows a year-round figure and does not adjust by month. When you collect quotes, ask whether scheduling in a slower month gets a better rate.
| Month | Avg high °F | Avg low °F | Precip (in) | For this job |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 58 | 44 | 2.6 | Workable |
| Feb | 60 | 46 | 2.6 | Workable |
| Mar | 66 | 52 | 3.0 | Workable |
| Apr | 72 | 60 | 3.0 | Workable |
| May | 79 | 68 | 2.6 | Workable |
| Jun | 84 | 74 | 4.8 | Workable |
| Jul | 88 | 77 | 5.1 | Workable |
| Aug | 86 | 77 | 6.1 | Workable |
| Sep | 83 | 73 | 5.3 | Workable |
| Oct | 76 | 63 | 4.1 | Workable |
| Nov | 67 | 53 | 2.3 | Workable |
| Dec | 61 | 47 | 2.9 | Workable |
Get 3 local quotes
Tell us about the job and we will try to connect you with up to three local contractors for written quotes. It is free and you are under no obligation to hire. Your estimate of $54,100 to $82,200 for Charleston, SC is attached.
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Multi-page report for Charleston, SC: low, typical and high cost, a line-item breakdown of materials and labor by trade, permit notes, the best months to schedule, a quote comparison sheet, red flags, questions for contractors, checklists and every source. Save your estimate above, preview page 1 free, and unlock the full report for $9 one-time, or get every report with CostLocal Pro.
Inground pool in Charleston: your questions
+How much does it cost to install an inground pool in Charleston?
For 450 sq ft, expect $33,000 to $103,500 in the Charleston area. A standard-spec job lands at $54,100 to $82,200. Small jobs usually cost more per sq ft and large ones less.
+What is the price per sq ft for inground pool in Charleston?
About $73 to $229 per sq ft for materials and labor, plus $100 to $300 for the permit if one is needed. The US range is $80 to $250.
+Is inground pool cheaper in Charleston or Hilton Head?
Hilton Head is 65 miles away. The midpoint for 450 sq ft there is $68,700, which is 1% more than Charleston ($68,200). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Charleston?
About 49% at the midpoint, or $33,700 out of $68,200. Materials are 50% and permits 0%. Nationally, labor is 52%.
+What would average (512 sq ft) cost in Charleston?
$37,600 to $117,500. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does inground pool need a permit in Charleston?
Often, but rules are set by your city or county building office, so call before you hire. Budget $100 to $300 for fees in the Charleston area (our national range of $100 to $300 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Charleston expensive for inground pool compared with the rest of South Carolina?
Charleston is 1% above the South Carolina statewide estimate ($67,400 at the midpoint). We cover 7 metros in South Carolina; see the state page to compare them.
+What do construction laborers earn in Charleston?
The BLS median is $20.98 an hour in the Charleston area, compared with $22.66 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $18.00 to $24.49.
+What do basic and premium inground pool work cost in Charleston?
For 450 sq ft, basic work runs $33,000 to $61,100 and premium work $75,200 to $103,500. Basic means: vinyl-liner pool, small size. Premium means: concrete or gunite, large with custom features.
+Is there a bad season to install an inground pool in Charleston?
Not from a temperature point of view. NOAA's 1991-2020 normals show no month with a freezing-level overnight low or a 90°F-plus average high, so timing is mostly about contractor availability and rain.
Inground pool near Charleston
Where these numbers come from
Base prices are national ranges from the sources below. We scale labor by local BLS wages, materials by BEA goods prices and permits by the BEA all-items price level. Full method on the methodology page.
- HomeGuide: How Much Does An Inground Pool Cost? (2026) (accessed November 4, 2026)
- Cost to Renovate: Renovation Labor Report 2026: Where the Money Goes (accessed November 4, 2026)
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025
- BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991-2020
Note on derived figures: Materials = 48% of the installed price, from Cost to Renovate's mid-range 'Outdoor Living' category split. It is a category average, not a pool-specific one, so read the pool materials line loosely.