Best Cities to live in South Carolina

The 14 Best Places to Live in South Carolina!

In Buying a Home, Community, Moving to Charleston, Things to Do by Mark Garrison

11 Best Beach Towns
17 Cities near Charleston
Historic Charleston

South Carolina is an amazing State, and if you are relocating, you should consider this area.  South Carolina is known for it’s vast history, coastal shoreline, Boating, Fishing, culture, great food, beaches, and much more!  South Carolina played a pivotal role in the creation of the United States, the Revolutionary War, and Civil War, and is the location where the first shots of the Civil War were fired (Fort Sumter). 

If you are considering relocating to South Carolina, you will need to decide which area fits your needs.  The “best place to live in South Carolina” is subjective, and is dependent on what you’re looking for.  Whether you prefer to live near the beach, in a retirement community, golf community, gated community, downtown, rural location, on a lake or river, in a college town, or in a waterfront community, South Carolina may be the right place for you!

  South Carolina is a Coastal State, and the closer you are to the coast, the more likely it is that you will be affected to a greater degree by hurricanes.  Some people prefer to live inland for this reason.  Another thing to consider is if you would like to live in an area that gets a lot of tourist every year (Myrtle Beach, Folly Beach, Charleston, etc…)  Also, you should consider what type of climate you area looking for.  Generally, the further North you live, the cooler the weather will be, which is something to consider with the heat and humidity here during the Summer months.  Areas along the Mountains (Blue Ridge Mountains at the South Carolina, North Carolina, Georgia Borders) usually have cooler temperatures than other areas in the State.  If you’re not sure if South Carolina is the right area for you, my post “Pros and Cons of Living in Charleston” may help you decide.  

Here is a list of what I consider to be the Best Places to Live in South Carolina:

Charleston

Not surprisingly (since I live here), I consider Charleston not only the best place to live in South Carolina, but one of the best cities to live in the Country. Time and Leisure has rated Charleston as the #1 City in the United States multiple times. Charleston is an amazing Coastal City to live in, and if you’re considering moving to South Carolina, or retiring in South Carolina, you should consider Charleston.

Downtown Charleston

Charleston has an amazing history, and the City is a living museum. The Charleston Peninsula is in the Board of Architectural Review’s (BAR) jurisdiction, and the downtown area is full of Historic homes. Charleston has Historic Homes, monuments, and historic military sites everywhere. Charleston is a great place to live, but there are some cons of living here as well (Hurricanes, Heat/Humidity, etc…) If you’re considering moving to the Charleston Area, read my Pros and Cons of living in Charleston, to help you decide if it is right for you.

If you would like to know what there is to do while you are in Charleston, read my Best 100 things to Do in Charleston, SC. Charleston area has a large metro area, with many smaller cities nearby. If you would like to know more about the surrounding area, you can read my 17 Best Places to live near Charleston. Feel free to contact me if you have any further questions about moving to the Charleston area!

The area around Charleston is sometimes referred to the “tri-county” area. Charleston County, Dorchester County, and Berkeley county are the 3 counties near Charleston, and below is a graph showing median home prices in these areas.

  • Charleston, SC Population: 137,556 (2019)
  • Charleston County Population: 411,406 (2019)
  • Berkeley County Population: 227,907 (2019)
  • Dorchester County Population: 162,809 (2019

Mount Pleasant

Mount Pleasant, SC
Arthur Ravenel Bridge- Mount Pleasant

Estimated Drive Time to Downtown Charleston: 10-25 Minutes– Depending on Traffic and Location

Mount Pleasant is a historic City near Charleston, and is on the other side of the Wando River from the Charleston Peninsula. Mount Pleasant is located on the other side of the Arthur Ravenel Bridge from Charleston, and is a great location to rent or own a home.  Mount Pleasant homes for sale/rent can be expensive when comparing them to other neighboring communities of Charleston, and you can view a chart of Median Homes prices in Mount Pleasant below. 

Mount Pleasant borders Charleston Harbor, the Wando River, Sullivan’s Island, Shem Creek, and is the location of Patriot’s Point, and the U.S.S. Yorktown. Mount Pleasant is expanding outward, and has many older/renovated homes for sale, but also has a lot of New Construction options. Mount Pleasant is a historic city, and has opportunities to own a historic home, or an opportunity to live near a historic area. You can view Historic Homes for sale in Mount Pleasant here.

Mount Pleasant is bordered by Sullivan’s Island, Daniel Island, and is close to Isle of Palm; making Mt. Pleasant a location that is close to the beach and to Charleston downtown.  If you are considering moving to South Carolina, you should consider Mount Pleasant!

Kiawah Island

Kiawah Beachwalker Park

Estimated Drive Time to Downtown Charleston: 45-55 Minutes– Depending on Traffic and Location

Kiawah Island is a popular community near Charleston in South Carolina. Kiawah is a gated community, and is a great community to live, own a vacation home, or a great place to retire. Kiawah offers a variety of club memberships, including a membership to The SandCastle for homeowners. Kiawah Island will host the 2021 PGA Championship at the Ocean Course. Below is a list of golf courses at Kiawah Island

In close proximity to Kiawah Island is Seabrook Island. Kiawah Island and Seabrook Island are neighboring islands bordering Johns Island, and both offer resort style living near Charleston!  Both Kiawah Island and Seabrook Island are gated communities, and offer ocean-front properties and many amenities.

This is an amazing area for people who love to be on the beach, and for golfers! These are great locations to live, but both Kiawah Island and Seabrook Island have different fees club memberships that may be required to live on the island. Another option for people who would like to live in South Carolina on the Beach is Wild Dunes, in Isle of Palms. Wild Dunes is another Gated and Golf Community in the Area, that also offers great amenities .

Summerville

Estimated Drive Time to Downtown Charleston: 30-50 Minutes– Depending on Traffic and Location

Summerville is a Historic City located near Charleston, SC, and is a very popular location for people who want to live close to Charleston with more affordable housing. Summerville is a charming city with a nice downtown area, with shops, restaurants, and a nice park area. Summerville has grown rapidly in recent years, and offers plenty of amenities nearby, including grocery stores, shopping centers, golf courses, and more!.

Summerville is a big area that is bordered by North Charleston, Ladson, Moncks, and Interstate-26 is the main road that will lead you into Charleston. Since this area has grown rapidly, there can be a lot of traffic during the morning and evening rush hours.

Summerville is a great location if you are interested in owning a a home in a more rural location than Charleston, but would still like to have a lot of amenities nearby. There are a lot of New Construction homes for sale in Summerville, as well as older homes. There are also many homes for sale with acreage in this location, making it one of the best rural areas to live in South Carolina.

Highway 17a and Hwy 78 run through the downtown historic area of Summerville. Trident Hospital is a large hospital and Trauma Center located near Summerville, and Summerville Medical Hospital is a smaller hospital located in Summerville. Historic Hwy 61 is another road that will take you from the Summerville area into Charleston (West Ashley). This road is the location of Middleton Place, and Magnolia Plantation and Gardens. Hwy 642 (Dorchester Road) connects North Charleston with Summerville as well, and runs on the north side of the Ashley River.

Rock Hill

Rock Hill is the fifth largest City in South Carolina, and is located near the North Carolina border. Rock Hill is a charming college town (Winthrop University) located in York County, and is the largest City in that County. Living in Rock Hill offers residence a smaller community feel, with large Cities within a reasonable driving distance.

Corowinds Amusement Park is located near Rock Hill, and is a great place to visit with the family. Charlotte, NC is only about a 30 minute drive from Rock Hill, Columbia is a little over an hour away, and Greenville is about a hour and a half drive from Rock Hill. Rock Hill is a nice option for people who want to move to a more inland city in South Carolina, but still have large cities nearby. Rock Hill is also located near the Catawba River, and Lake Wylie, making it a good location for people that want to own waterfront property, or have a fun place to go fishing and boating!

Seabrook Island

Best Places to live in South Carolina
Seabrook Island

Seabrook Island is a barrier island located within Charleston County, bordering Johns Island and Kiawah Island. Seabrook Island is a gated, resort style, beach and golf community located approximately 45 minutes away from Charleston’s Downtown area.

Seabrook Island offers many amenities, including an equestrian center, oceanfront pools, great dining, 2 golf courses, a fitness center with aquatics, a boat/kayak launch, and more! If you’re looking for oceanfront, gated, resort style living in the Charleston area, Seabrook Island, Kiawah Island, And Wild Dunes are great options to look at. Living in a Resort Style, gated and golf community comes with additional costs, so you can expect to pay higher HOA, membership, and regime fees for these areas.

Columbia

South Carolina State House- Columbia, SC

Columbia is the the capital of South Carolina, and is the second largest City in the State. Columbia is a good location for people that want to live within driving distance to the beach (2 hour drive to Charleston), but also want to live a little further inland.

Some popular things to visit in Columbia are the Riverbanks Zoo and Garden, South Carolina State Museum, Congaree National Park, and the South Carolina State House. Columbia is the location of the University of South Carolina, and the Gamecocks football team. Close to Columbia is Lake Murray, offering an opportunity to own lakefront property in this area.

Myrtle Beach

Myrtle Beach is another Coastal City in the State, and is another place to consider if you’re looking to leave near the Beach. Myrtle Beach is a popular tourist location, and has approximately a 60 mile stretch of beach nearby, known as “Grand Strand“. Myrtle Beach is a popular vacation resort style city in South Carolina, and offers beachfront boardwalk, golf courses, mini-golf, restaurants, and fun things to do with the family.

Myrtle Beach is also the location of the Family Kingdom Amusement Park, and one of the tallest Ferris wheels in the country. If you’re looking for a City to live on on the beach, with a lot of stuff do do, then Myrtle Beach might be the right area for you.

Isle of Palms

Isle of Palms is a city on an island neighboring Sullivan’s Island and Mount Pleasant.  Isle of Palms offers housing opportunities to be on or near the beach.  Isle of Palms is not far from amenities in Mount Pleasant, and also has many restaurants and shops to eat at on the island. 

Isle of Palms Has Beach houses, beachfront townhomes, and beachfront condos for sale in this area, and also has a county park that is located on the Beach (Isle of Palms County Park), and the beach at Sullivan’s Island is also nearby. Isle of Palms also has a Gated/Golf Community called “Wild Dunes“. Isle of Palms is a very nice beachfront community in the Charleston area if you’re willing to live a little further away from the Charleston Peninsula. Isle of Palms is a place to consider living if you’re looking to live close to the beach with amenities nearby.

Greenville

Greenville, SC is city located close the Blue Ridge Mountains, near the borders of North Carolina and Georgia and has cooler weather than coastal SC Cities due to its location. Greenville is located in between Atlanta, SC and Charlotte, NC, and is approximately a 2-2/12 hour drive away from both cities. on Interstate 85, making it a good location if you want to live near big Cities.

Popular things to do in Greenville, SC include: Falls Park on the Reedy, Paris Mountain State Park, Greenville County Museum of Art, GHS Swamp Rabbit Trail. Greenville, SC has cooler weather than areas closer to the coast in South Carolina. Greenville also has multiple universities in the area, including: Furman University, Bob Jones, and is about a 40 minute drive to Clemson University, which has had the best College Football team in the nation, the Clemson Tigers, the past few years.

Edisto Beach

Free things to do Charleston SC
Botany Bay- Edisto Island

Edisto Beach is located in Colleton County, South Carolina, and is a good option for people who would like to live near the beach, at a more affordable price than other beaches that are closer to Charleston. Edisto Beach is a small town located at the south end of Edisto Island, with nice restaurants, a campground, and multiple public beach access locations. Edisto Island is less populated than other islands closer to Charleston (Johns Island, James Island), and may be a good option for you if you’re looking for a rural area to live in South Carolina.

The Botany Bay Plantation Heritage Preserve and Wildlife management area is a fun place to visit on Edisto Island, near Edisto Beach. Botany Bay is a 3,363 acre Wildlife Management Area (WMA) located in Charleston County, and has historic plantations, a nice beach area, and is open for hunting certain times of the year.

Edisto Beach Homes for Sale

James Island

James Island South Carolina
James Island- Melton Peter Demetre Park

Estimated Drive Time to Downtown Charleston: 5-25 Minutes– Depending on Traffic and Location

James Island is a great place to move if you would like to be close to downtown Charleston, and also close to the beach!  If you would like to know if James Island is the right place for you, ready my Pros and Cons of living on James Island. James Island is a large Island close to Downtown Charleston, and is a quick drive to the Peninsula.  James Island connects to John’s Island, West Ashley, and Downtown Charleston (James Island Connector), and is close to Folly Beach! 

James Island is bordered by Charleston Harbor, Stono River, Folly River, and has multiple creeks running through it. James Island has many homes with a Marshview, on a tidal creek, and other waterfront properties.

James Island Offers many amenities, 2 Golf Courses, and has plenty of places to shop and eat.  James Island County Park is an amazing park that is a great place to go fishing, crabbing, and to bring the family!  Is also host the Holiday “Festival of Lights”, which is a must-see during the holiday season!

Folly Beach

Folly Beach, SC
Morris Island Lighthouse- View from Folly Beach

Estimated Drive Time to Downtown Charleston: 20-30 Minutes– Depending on Traffic and Location

Folly Beach is a city on Folly Island in Charleston County, South Carolina.  Folly Beach is a popular tourist destination, and offers many souvenir shops, Surf Shops, and places to eat. The Folly Beach Pier is currently being replaced, and has an estimated opening date of 2023.

Folly Beach offers Beach Houses, Beachfront Property, and Beachfront Condos. There are also more affordable homes that are located in the City of Folly Beach, but not directly on the beach. If you purchase/rent a home anywhere on Folly Beach, you will be just a few minutes away from the beach, since there are multiple locations along the island to access the beach.

Folly Beach gets crowded during tourist season. This is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the area. Folly Beach is a beautiful location that is not too far from downtown Charleston. If you’re in the area, I highly recommend that you go see the Morris Island Lighthouse!

Sullivan’s Island

Sullivan's Island SC Beach
Sullivan’s Island Beach

Estimated Drive Time to Downtown Charleston: 15-30 Minutes– Depending on Traffic and Location

Sullivan’s Island is a town bordered by Mount Pleasant and the Isle of Palms near Charleston, and is one of the most expensive locations to live in the area.  Sullivan’s Island is home to historic Fort Moultrie, many good restaurants, and has a very nice beach that is open to the public.

Sullivans Island is a very nice location, and I recommend that you visit the town and the beach if you get a chance. This is one of my favorite beaches in the area, and does not seem to get as crowded as the other beaches. Fort Moultrie is a very historically significant location that I recommend visiting on Sullivan’s Island, and you can access the beach right next to the fort.

Conclusion

If you have made it this far, thank you for reading my post about the best cities to live in South Carolina! If you have any questions about the best areas to live in South Carolina, the best areas to live in South Carolina for Families, best areas to live in South Carolina near the beach, best towns to live in South Carolina, or any other questions about moving to South Carolina, contact me! Let me know if there are any pros and cons of living in South Carolina that I missed.