North Charleston is the third-largest city in the
U.S. state of
South Carolina, with incorporated areas in
Berkeley,
Charleston, and
Dorchester counties. On June 12, 1972, the city of North Charleston incorporated and was the ninth-largest city in South Carolina. As of the
2010 Census, North Charleston had a population of 97,471, growing to an estimated population of 104,054 in 2013, and with a current area of more than . As defined by the U.S. Office of Management and Budget, for use by the U.S. Census Bureau and other U.S. Government agencies for statistical purposes only, North Charleston is included within the
Charleston–North Charleston–Summerville metropolitan area and the Charleston-North Charleston urban area. North Charleston is one of the state's major industrial centers and is the state's top city in gross retail sales.