Ladson SC
Ladson, South Carolina.
An unincorporated community that sits in three counties at once. Summerville to the southwest, North Charleston to the south, Goose Creek to the east. The deal is the address, not a village square.
Photo: Mark Cowell / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0
The market
What you need to know about Ladson.
Ladson is a Census-designated place, not a city. About 15,550 people as of the 2020 census, ZIP 29456 at the core, with some listings showing 29485. Buyers search it because the name sits on the MLS between Summerville and Goose Creek, and because the asking prices still work for VA and conventional budgets that bounce off Mount Pleasant.
The live band above is active asking from Charleston Trident MLS, not sold comps. As of 19 August 2026 that snapshot showed 124 active homes and an ask median of $334,900. Condos start well below that. Coosaw Preserve and a handful of custom houses sit well above it. ACS “owner-occupied value” figures from a few years ago are stale; do not budget from them.
Typical range
$250,000 to $450,000
Most single-family inventory. Honey Ridge Villas condos from the high $140s. Coosaw Preserve often $410,000 to $550,000. Outliers exist above $1M.
Schools
Three districts
Berkeley County, Charleston County, or Dorchester District 2. Assignment is by parcel, not by the word Ladson on the listing.
Why people buy here
The commute math
Naval Weapons Station and Joint Base Charleston without a Mount Pleasant payment. Highway 78 congestion is the tax you pay for that math.
On the horizon. Charleston County is advancing Alternative 4 at the Highway 78 / College Park Road / Ladson Road intersection. Construction is expected in early 2028. That is an intersection project, not a claim that the full eight-mile corridor is being rebuilt. hwy78corridor.com
The actual deal
Three counties. One search name.
This is the fact most listing summaries skip. Taxes, school boards, and some closing details change when you cross a line you cannot see from the street. I verify the county on the parcel before you write an offer.
Berkeley County
College Park, Sangaree edge
College Park Elementary and Middle, Sangaree Middle, then Stratford High or Cane Bay High depending on the address. A lot of the military traffic lives on this side of the line.
Charleston County
Ladson Elementary, Stall High
Ladson Elementary is Charleston County School District, despite the name. High school is Stall. If a listing says Ladson and you assumed Dorchester 2, check the district before you tour.
Dorchester District 2
Oakbrook, Pye, Sires
Oakbrook Elementary and Middle, Joseph R. Pye Elementary, Dr. Eugene Sires Elementary. High schools are Ft. Dorchester, Ashley Ridge, or Summerville, by address. This is the Summerville-adjacent slice.
Neighborhoods
Where people actually live.
These are MLS subdivision names, not mood-board cards. Price bands are typical asking ranges I am seeing in 2026. They move. Verify against the live snapshot and the specific house.
College Park
Established streets, mix of ranches and later infill, close to College Park Road. Often the first Ladson tour stop for NWS families.
$250,000 to $380,000See live homes
Coosaw Preserve
The upper band of Ladson single-family. Amenities and a newer floorplan, at a price that still sits under Summerville master-plans of the same vintage.
$410,000 to $550,000See live homes
McKewn
A named subdivision people actually search. Confirm the elementary. This is where the Dorchester 2 premium, if any, shows up.
$280,000 to $420,000See live homes
Grand Oaks Preserve
Larger lots than the tightest new clusters. Check flood and the exact high school; the preserve name does not pin the district.
$300,000 to $450,000See live homes
Hunters Bend & Elms Glen
Workhorse inventory. Yards, garages, and a payment that still looks like a payment. Tour them back to back with College Park.
$260,000 to $400,000See live homes
Paddock Pointe & Woodside Manor
Not a lifestyle brand. Houses. Confirm HOA, remaining terms, and whether the roof and HVAC were already done once.
$250,000 to $390,000See live homes
Tranquil Estates
Buyers who want to skip the amenity fee often land here or on older non-HOA streets nearby. Condition varies house to house.
$240,000 to $380,000See live homes
Honey Ridge Villas
The low entry. HOA dues, rental rules, and insurance matter more than the list price. Read the docs before you fall for the payment.
From about $148,000See live homes
Lifestyle
Convenient, unpretentious, well located.
You are not buying Ladson for a walkable village center. You are buying a garage, a yard, and a commute that still works on a duty day. The Coastal Carolina Fair is here every fall; that is the closest thing to a civic landmark, and it is honest about what this place is.
Tour Ladson against Goose Creek and Summerville on the same day. School lines, flood, HOA, and the way Highway 78 actually moves become obvious when you see them back to back.
Times are typical ranges, not guarantees. Highway 78 backups change the clock. Pair this with the BAH calculator, PCS guide, NWS, and Joint Base Charleston.
Work with Jennifer
Ladson rewards buyers who do the homework.
County lines, school zones, and flood maps all shift in a few hundred yards. I verify the details listing summaries skip, then I tell you which pocket is actually the one you meant.
Start the conversationHow it sits
Ladson next to the neighbors. Asking medians.
Same Flexmls snapshot as the band at the top of this page, 19 August 2026. Active residential asking medians, not sold. Inventory counts move daily.
| Place | Ask median | Active | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ladson | $334,900 | 124 | Live homes |
| Goose Creek | $342,000 | 182 | Guide |
| North Charleston | $350,000 | 347 | Guide |
| Moncks Corner | $380,900 | 324 | Guide |
| Summerville | $419,900 | 1,477 | Guide |
| Hanahan | $475,000 | 66 | Guide |
| Mount Pleasant | $959,900 | 404 | Guide |
| Metro (~22 mi) | $470,000 | 4,209 | Hub |
Common questions
Ladson real estate, answered.
Where is Ladson SC?
An unincorporated CDP in the Charleston metro, generally between Summerville, Goose Creek, and North Charleston along Highway 78, College Park Road, and Ladson Road. It spans Berkeley, Charleston, and Dorchester counties. ZIP 29456 is the core; some listings show 29485.
Is Ladson good for military families?
Often, yes. It sits between Naval Weapons Station Charleston and Joint Base Charleston, so typical drive times are shorter than Mount Pleasant or downtown while asking prices stay closer to BAH. Confirm the gate you actually use. Highway 78 congestion is real on duty days.
What schools serve Ladson?
Three districts, by address, not by zip. Dorchester District 2 (Oakbrook, Joseph R. Pye, Dr. Eugene Sires, then Ft. Dorchester, Ashley Ridge, or Summerville High). Berkeley County (College Park, Sangaree Middle, then Stratford or Cane Bay). Charleston County (Ladson Elementary and Stall High). Ladson Elementary is CCSD despite the name. Verify the parcel.
How does Ladson compare to Summerville?
Summerville has more town identity, retail, and master-planned communities, and a higher active ask median. Ladson is smaller, three-county, and usually cheaper on a like-for-like house. Tour both the same day. Check school lines, flood, and HOA before you pick a side of 78.
Information is for general education only and is not legal, tax, lending, or financial advice. Asking medians are live MLS list-price snapshots, not sold comps, and they move. Verify county, schools, flood, and HOA on the specific property. Jennifer Dane is a licensed REALTOR® in South Carolina with eXp Realty LLC. Equal Housing Opportunity.
Related areas
Explore nearby communities.
Base-adjacent
Goose Creek & Hanahan
Shorter NWS hops and a similar price band. Tour it the same day as Ladson.
Read the guide
Flower Town
Summerville
More town, more master-plans, higher ask median. Nexton and Cane Bay sit on this side of the comparison.
Read the guide
Urban metro
North Charleston
Park Circle, Boeing, Joint Base at the back door. The city Ladson listings sometimes get confused with.
Read the guide
Berkeley growth
Moncks Corner
Farther north, more lake, still Berkeley. For buyers who will trade a longer drive for space.
Read the guide
Part of the Greater Charleston real estate hub. Statewide context: South Carolina real estate guides.