CallataGuidesBusiness phone system for optometry practices in Charleston, SC
Optometry practices in the Charleston-North Charleston, SC metro area: 60 establishments in 2023, the local area codes, and what phone service costs a 5-person team.
- Establishments
- 60CBP 2023
- Employees
- 300mid-March 2023
- Per 100k residents
- 6.9U.S. 6.6
- Rank
- 61st of 734areas by count
Optometry practices in Charleston, SC by the numbers
There were 60 optometry practices in the Charleston-North Charleston, SC metro area in 2023, according to Census County Business Patterns (NAICS 621320, Offices of Optometrists). Together they reported 300 mid-March employees and $14.7 million of payroll for the year. That ranks 61st of the 734 metro and micropolitan areas where Census published a count for this industry.
With 870,000 residents in the Census 2024 estimate, that is 6.9 optometry practices per 100,000 people, 4.3% above the national rate of 6.6. Establishments average 5.0 employees, 23.9% below the U.S. average of 6.6. Payroll per employee comes to $48,937, in line with the national $48,910.
| Measure | Charleston, SC | South Carolina | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Establishments | 60 | 284 | 22,501 |
| Mid-March employees | 300 (moderate noise) | 1,838 | 147,931 |
| Annual payroll | $14,681,000 | $83,220,000 | $7,235,361,000 |
| Employees per establishment | 5.0 | 6.5 | 6.6 |
| Payroll per employee | $48,937 | $45,277 | $48,910 |
| Establishments per 100,000 residents | 6.9 | 5.2 | 6.6 |
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 optometry practices in Charleston, SC are
Of the optometry practices in Charleston, SC that had employees in March 2023, 60.3% had fewer than five (the U.S. share is 47.9%). 87.9% had fewer than ten. For a business of a few people, phone coverage is a staffing question as much as a technology one: someone has to be free to pick up, or the call needs somewhere sensible to go.
| Employment size | Establishments | Share | U.S. share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1–4 employees | 35 | 60.3% | 47.9% |
| 5–9 employees | 16 | 27.6% | 32.2% |
| 10–19 employees | 7 | 12.1% | 15.5% |
| 20–49 employees | not published | — | 4.0% |
| 50 or more employees | 0 | 0.0% | 0.4% |
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.
Why the phone matters for optometry practices in Charleston, SC
Eye-care offices combine exam scheduling with eyewear and contact-lens orders, so callers want both appointments and order status. Calls about broken glasses or eye irritation also need to reach someone quickly.
A few of the calls that come in to optometry practices in Charleston, SC:
- A patient calls to reorder contact lenses.
- A parent calls to book a child's eye exam before the school year.
- The office calls patients when an order arrives.
When nobody can pick up
After-hours messages are typically order questions or appointment requests that can be returned the next business day.
Callata transcribes voicemail and triages it for urgency, so the first callback in the morning can go to the caller who needs it most.
What a phone system costs an optometry practice in Charleston, SC
The average optometry practice in Charleston, SC has 5.0 employees, so a 5-person team is a reasonable benchmark. Priced per seat, 5 users would run $150.00 a month on RingCentral RingEX Core and $124.75 on Ooma Office Pro (month-to-month list prices, checked September 28, 2026). On Callata the same 5 people cost $99.00 a month, less than either per-seat plan.
The annual difference against RingCentral's monthly list price comes to $612. Some vendors discount annual contracts; the table shows month-to-month prices.
| Provider (plan) | Pricing basis | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Callata (Callata Office) | $99 incl. 5 users, $20 per extra user | $99.00 | $1,188.00 |
| Quo (Starter) | $19.00 per user | $95.00 | $1,140.00 |
| Nextiva (Core) | $23.00 per user | $115.00 | $1,380.00 |
| Ooma (Office Pro) | $24.95 per user | $124.75 | $1,497.00 |
| Dialpad (Standard) | $27.00 per user | $135.00 | $1,620.00 |
| RingCentral (RingEX Core) | $30.00 per user | $150.00 | $1,800.00 |
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.
Getting a local number 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%). Callata's plan includes up to 3 local numbers; you can pick them in the area codes your patients recognize, subject to carrier inventory, or port the number you already have for free.
| 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.
What optometry practices in Charleston, SC get with Callata
For $99 a month, Callata puts a team of up to 5 on one plan ($20 for each person after that): up to 3 local numbers, unlimited inbound calls, a pooled allowance of 1,500 outbound US and Canada minutes per user, browser and cell calling, voicemail transcription with urgency triage, recorded calls with AI summaries and business-hours routing, with E911 on every number.
If you already have a number in Charleston, SC, porting it to Callata is free. Texting from a local number requires a one-time carrier registration (10DLC, $49), and the numbers available in any area code depend on carrier inventory when you choose them.
Optional AI agents (receptionist, sales, support or scheduler) can answer calls after hours or when nobody picks up, take messages, text, email and transfer to your team. They are billed from prepaid AI minutes at $0.25 per minute, identify themselves as AI, and may only place outbound calls to people who consented, between 8am and 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 optometry practices are there in Charleston, SC?
Census County Business Patterns counted 60 optometry practices in the Charleston-North Charleston, SC metro area in 2023. They employed 300 people in mid-March.
What does a business phone system cost for a 5-person optometry practice?
At month-to-month list prices checked September 28, 2026, 5 users cost $150.00 a month on RingCentral RingEX Core and $124.75 on Ooma Office Pro. On Callata, $99 a month with 5 users included, then $20 per additional user, the same team pays $99.00.
What area code should an optometry practice 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 optometry practice?
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.