CallataGuidesBusiness phone system for assisted living facilities for the elderly in Charleston, SC
Assisted living facilities for the elderly in the Charleston-North Charleston, SC metro area: 30 establishments in 2023, the local area codes, and what phone service costs a 28-person team.
- Establishments
- 30CBP 2023
- Employees
- 838mid-March 2023
- Per 100k residents
- 3.4U.S. 6.1
- Rank
- 106th of 614areas by count
Assisted living facilities for the elderly in Charleston, SC by the numbers
There were 30 assisted living facilities for the elderly in the Charleston-North Charleston, SC metro area in 2023, according to Census County Business Patterns (NAICS 623312, Assisted Living Facilities for the Elderly). They employed 838 people in mid-March and paid $29.7 million in annual payroll. By establishment count the area is 106th out of 614 areas with published figures for assisted living facilities for the elderly.
Measured against its 870,000 residents (2024 estimate), the area has 3.4 assisted living facilities for the elderly per 100,000 people; the U.S. rate is 6.1, so Charleston, SC is 43.8% below the national figure. The average establishment here has 27.9 employees, compared with 24.3 nationally. Payroll per employee comes to $35,383, in line with the national $34,874.
| Measure | Charleston, SC | South Carolina | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Establishments | 30 | 195 | 20,884 |
| Mid-March employees | 838 | 5,910 | 508,230 |
| Annual payroll | $29,651,000 | $170,342,000 | $17,723,940,000 |
| Employees per establishment | 27.9 | 30.3 | 24.3 |
| Payroll per employee | $35,383 | $28,823 | $34,874 |
| Establishments per 100,000 residents | 3.4 | 3.6 | 6.1 |
Census County Business Patterns 2023 (mid-March employment; annual payroll). Employees and payroll flagged high-noise are shown but not used in the text. Residents: Census Vintage 2024 estimates.
How big assisted living facilities for the elderly in Charleston, SC are
Of the assisted living facilities for the elderly in Charleston, SC that had employees in March 2023, 35.7% had fewer than five (the U.S. share is 33.3%). Small teams usually share the phone: the person who answers is often also serving a customer or doing the job, which is when calls get missed.
| Employment size | Establishments | Share | U.S. share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1–4 employees | 10 | 35.7% | 33.3% |
| 5–9 employees | not published | — | 14.8% |
| 10–19 employees | 6 | 21.4% | 14.0% |
| 20–49 employees | 7 | 25.0% | 22.4% |
| 50 or more employees | 5 | 17.9% | 15.5% |
Employment-size classes count establishments by mid-March 2023 employment. Establishments with no March employees are excluded from the size classes, so shares are of establishments with employees. Source: Census County Business Patterns 2023.
Calls an assisted living community in Charleston, SC has to catch
Families researching assisted living usually start with a phone call, and those calls come at all hours from adult children juggling work. Existing residents' families also call regularly for updates. That holds for assisted living facilities for the elderly in Charleston, SC as much as anywhere.
A few of the calls that come in to assisted living facilities for the elderly in Charleston, SC:
- A resident's family calls to check on a care update.
- A hospital case manager calls about a possible placement.
- A vendor calls to confirm a delivery.
What assisted living facilities for the elderly text about
Communities text tour confirmations and event reminders to families.
Because carriers require registration for business texting from local numbers, Callata files a 10DLC registration for a one-time $49; after approval, anyone on the team can reply from the business number.
Phone system pricing for a 28-person assisted living community
The average assisted living community in Charleston, SC has 27.9 employees, so a 28-person team is a reasonable benchmark. On a per-user plan that headcount sets the bill: $698.60 a month on Ooma Office Pro or $840.00 on RingCentral RingEX Core at list price (checked September 28, 2026). Callata comes to $559.00 a month for 28 users ($99 a month with 5 users included, then $20 per additional user), below both.
Over a year, that is $3,372 less than RingCentral for an assisted living community in Charleston, SC of that size. Annual contracts lower some competitors' prices, so compare the plan you would actually sign.
| Provider (plan) | Pricing basis | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Callata (Callata Office) | $99 incl. 5 users, $20 per extra user | $559.00 | $6,708.00 |
| Quo (Starter) | $19.00 per user | $532.00 | $6,384.00 |
| Nextiva (Core) | $23.00 per user | $644.00 | $7,728.00 |
| Ooma (Office Pro) | $24.95 per user | $698.60 | $8,383.20 |
| Dialpad (Standard) | $27.00 per user | $756.00 | $9,072.00 |
| RingCentral (RingEX Core) | $30.00 per user | $840.00 | $10,080.00 |
Competitor prices are each vendor's published month-to-month list price per user for its lowest plan that includes business calling and texting, checked September 28, 2026: Quo Starter $19, Nextiva Core $23, Ooma Office Pro $24.95 (Essentials excludes texting; one-time $29.95 activation not included), Dialpad Standard $27, RingCentral RingEX Core $30 ($20 billed annually). Prices exclude taxes and fees and may change; annual contracts lower some competitors' prices.
Which area code to use in Charleston, SC
NANPA records place the exchanges of the area's named cities and towns in 2 area codes. 843 has the most, with 267 of 330 exchanges (81%). A local number lets residents and families in Charleston, SC call without dialing out of area. Callata includes up to 3 local numbers, and which numbers are open in an area code depends on carrier inventory when you choose.
| Area code | Exchanges | Time zone | In service since | Overlay with |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 843 | 267 | Eastern | 1998 | 854 |
| 854 | 63 | Eastern | 2015 | 843 |
Exchanges are NANPA-assigned central office codes (NPA-NXX) in the rate centers matched to the area's named places. Source: NANPA utilized code and NPA reports.
How Callata works for assisted living facilities for the elderly
Callata Office costs $99 per month for up to 5 people, and each additional user is $20 a month. That covers up to 3 local numbers, calling from a browser or your cell, transcribed voicemail, recorded calls with AI summaries, after-hours routing and E911 on each number.
Porting a number you already use in Charleston, SC is free, and business texting is available once the carrier registration (10DLC) is approved; the registration carries a one-time $49 fee. Which specific numbers are open in a given area code depends on carrier inventory at the time you sign up.
AI agents are optional: an AI receptionist or scheduler can pick up when the team is busy or closed, take a message, send a text or email, or transfer the call. They draw on prepaid AI minutes ($0.25/minute), disclose that they are AI, and outbound AI calls require prior consent and are limited to 8am–9pm.
Practices that handle protected health information should review their own privacy obligations before recording calls, enabling AI summaries or texting appointment details, and keep clinical conversations out of text messages unless their policies allow it.
Frequently asked questions
How many assisted living facilities for the elderly are there in Charleston, SC?
Census County Business Patterns counted 30 assisted living facilities for the elderly in the Charleston-North Charleston, SC metro area in 2023. They employed 838 people in mid-March.
What does a business phone system cost for a 28-person assisted living community?
At month-to-month list prices checked September 28, 2026, 28 users cost $840.00 a month on RingCentral RingEX Core and $698.60 on Ooma Office Pro. On Callata, $99 a month with 5 users included, then $20 per additional user, the same team pays $559.00.
What area code should an assisted living community in Charleston, SC use?
Area code 843 has the most assigned exchanges among the area's named places, followed by 854. If you already have a local number, you can port it to Callata for free.
Can an AI receptionist answer calls for an assisted living community?
Yes. Callata's optional AI agents can answer when the team is busy or closed, take a message, text, email or transfer the call. They disclose that they are AI and are billed from prepaid AI minutes at $0.25 per minute. Practices that handle protected health information should review their own privacy obligations before recording calls, enabling AI summaries or texting appointment details, and keep clinical conversations out of text messages unless their policies allow it.