How Many Google Reviews Do Charleston Businesses Have?
The typical business in Charleston, SC has 98 Google reviews and a 4.53-star average rating, based on 1,142 local Google Business Profiles across 31 categories. Compared with the same kinds of businesses across the US, Charleston businesses have 34% fewer reviews, ranking #2 of 3 South Carolina cities in our study.
Source: Feedback Guru analysis of public Google Business Profile data, collected December 2024 to January 2025. Methodology in the Google review statistics study.
See where your business stands, then start asking every customer.
Get a free Google review link and QR code in about a minute. Ratings and private feedback show up in your dashboard.
Median reviews
98
Average rating
4.53
Rated 4.5+
71%
Reviews vs. US
−34%
same categories
How Many Reviews It Takes to Stand Out in Charleston
The median is the middle business in each category. Getting into the top 25% or top 10% of Charleston businesses like yours is what makes a profile stand out in local results. For example, gyms in Charleston need 102 reviews to reach the top 25% and 218 for the top 10%.
| Category | Businesses | Median reviews | Top 25% | Top 10% | Avg. rating | vs. US median |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gyms | 79 | 53 | 102+ | 218+ | 4.8 | −32% |
| Restaurants | 76 | 695 | 1,418+ | 2,598+ | 4.5 | −18% |
| Bars | 66 | 589 | 1,490+ | 2,881+ | 4.5 | −11% |
| Hotels and Lodging | 60 | 470 | 937+ | 1,900+ | 4.4 | −42% |
| Lawyers | 54 | 59 | 117+ | 243+ | 4.9 | −34% |
| Dentists | 49 | 165 | 349+ | 538+ | 4.8 | −47% |
| Cafes | 48 | 290 | 640+ | 963+ | 4.6 | −13% |
| Pharmacies | 46 | 18 | 34+ | 126+ | 4.2 | −31% |
| Auto Repair Shops | 45 | 160 | 357+ | 524+ | 4.6 | +13% |
| Accountants | 40 | 6 | 10+ | 28+ | 4.6 | −50% |
| Gas Stations | 34 | 80 | 158+ | 227+ | 3.9 | −13% |
| Spas | 30 | 96 | 141+ | 329+ | 4.7 | ≈ same |
| Florists | 28 | 48 | 118+ | 211+ | 4.7 | −29% |
| Hair Salons | 28 | 66 | 120+ | 245+ | 4.9 | −42% |
| Grocery Stores | 27 | 350 | 781+ | 1,039+ | 4.3 | −58% |
| Retail Stores | 27 | 195 | 413+ | 895+ | 4.7 | +47% |
| Self Storage | 27 | 179 | 329+ | 481+ | 4.7 | ≈ same |
| Health and Wellness | 26 | 34 | 51+ | 120+ | 4.9 | ≈ same |
| Laundromats and Dry Cleaners | 25 | 52 | 99+ | 282+ | 3.9 | −52% |
| Veterinarians | 25 | 164 | 212+ | 381+ | 4.7 | −35% |
| Beauty Salons | 24 | 58 | 133+ | 169+ | 4.8 | −49% |
| Schools | 23 | 11 | 18+ | 35+ | 4.5 | −54% |
| Convenience Stores | 22 | 35 | 52+ | 65+ | 2.9 | −15% |
| Electricians | 22 | 18 | 73+ | 475+ | 4.8 | −42% |
| General Contractors | 21 | 102 | 159+ | 575+ | 4.9 | ≈ same |
| Plumbers | 19 | 58 | 531+ | — | 4.7 | −65% |
| Car Washes | 16 | 124 | 324+ | — | 3.4 | −46% |
| Drugstores | 12 | 56 | 86+ | — | 2.8 | −39% |
| Furniture Stores | 12 | 16 | 26+ | — | 4.4 | −72% |
| Home Goods Stores | 12 | 19 | 35+ | — | 4.4 | −57% |
| Food Businesses | 11 | 36 | 128+ | — | 4.8 | +16% |
Categories with at least 10 reviewed businesses in Charleston; top 10% shown when a category has 20 or more. "vs. US median" compares the Charleston median with the median for the same category across all 48,320 businesses in the study.
How Charleston Compares
Measured category by category against the US, Charleston ranks #55 of 71 cities in our study and #2 of 3 in South Carolina. Local businesses have fewer reviews than their peers nationally, so a steady stream of new reviews stands out faster here than in most cities.
Ahead of the US
- Retail Stores47% more
Behind the US: room to stand out
- Furniture Stores72% fewer
- Plumbers65% fewer
- Grocery Stores58% fewer
How Reviews Are Spread Across Charleston Businesses
10.8% of Charleston businesses have fewer than 10 Google reviews, and 8.9% have 1,000 or more. The most reviewed categories are restaurants (695), bars (589) and hotels and lodging (470); the least reviewed are accountants (6), schools (11) and furniture stores (16) (median reviews).
Share of reviewed businesses by review count. Blue: Charleston. Gray: all businesses in the study.
Using These Numbers
- Find your category above and note the top 25% number. That's a realistic goal for standing out in Charleston.
- Ask every customer, the same way. A link in your follow-up email or text and a QR code at the counter or on receipts. See how to get more Google reviews.
- Keep it steady and reply. Recent reviews and owner replies both matter, so a few new reviews every week beats a one-time push.
Google Reviews in Charleston: FAQ
The typical (median) business in Charleston, SC has 98 Google reviews and the average rating is 4.53 stars. 70.8% of Charleston businesses are rated 4.5 stars or higher. Based on 1,142 Google Business Profiles collected December 2024 to January 2025.
Gyms are the most common category in our Charleston data (79 businesses). The median has 53 reviews; 102 reviews puts one in the top 25% locally, and 218 in the top 10%.
Compared with the same kinds of businesses across the US, Charleston businesses have 34% fewer Google reviews. That ranks Charleston #55 of the 71 cities in our study and #2 of 3 in South Carolina.
By median review count: Restaurants (695), Bars (589), Hotels and Lodging (470). The fewest: Accountants (6), Schools (11), Furniture Stores (16).
Ask every customer, the same way, every time: a link in your follow-up email or text, a QR code at the counter or on receipts. Make it a few taps, reply to the reviews you get, and keep it steady, because recent reviews count. Feedback Guru gives you a free review link and QR code for this.
Google Review Benchmarks for Other South Carolina Cities
- Mt Pleasant median 78 reviews
- North Charleston median 79 reviews
See Where Your Charleston Business Stands
Look up your business to compare its Google reviews with these benchmarks, then get a free review link and QR code for your customers.
Check My Business Free