South Carolina. The Palmetto State. If you are reading this, you may be intrigued about the possibility of living in this state but may not know where the best options are.
It is a very affordable state as well, considering the average price of a house here is $68,000 less than the national average.
With that in mind, there are still more desirable places to live in South Carolina than others. Where are those places?
These are the best places to live in South Carolina.
Charleston
Let’s start with arguably the state’s most popular city and one of the best cities in South Carolina with Charleston. For history buffs, this can be an interesting destination considering Fort Sumter is here and this is technically where the Civil War started.
There is also some French influence here with the city’s own French Quarter, along with good food, comfortable temperatures in the winter, and it is a coastal city just off of the Atlantic Ocean, so there are plenty of views of the water.
Best of all, there are a lot of great houses here, such as ones offered on Jeffcookrealestate.com.
The only cons to this city are that the summers are a little humid and that it is not the cheapest city in the state, with it being 11% higher for the cost of living than the national average and $163,000 more for a house here than the state average.
Columbia
This is the capital city of South Carolina and it is also home to the University of South Carolina. With that in mind, there are more elements of a college town here such as research centers, sports venues, gardens, and parks, plus restaurants and bars.
It is also a place where college graduates in the area tend to stick around, partially because the housing is a little cheaper here. The average price of a house is about $53,000 less than the state average.
There are two main negatives to living in Columbia, with the first being like Charleston, it can get very humid in the summers.
The second negative is that the crime rate is a little higher here. Columbia has more than double the national average of property crime and violent crime is almost double the national average as well.
Most of this is just because it is a bigger city so if you do not mind urban life, it should be a good place for you.
Myrtle Beach
For those of you not from South Carolina, you may see this area of the state get promoted for tourism the most, and for good reason. The area has beautiful clean beaches along with several golf courses to play 18 holes, and a small boardwalk.
Best of all, housing is pretty affordable here considering that it is a tourist beach town, as the average price of a house is just under the state average.
As for cons, the two main ones are that you will see a lot of tourists during the peak months of the year and the crime rate is about triple the national average.
See More Places to Live in South Carolina
These are just three places to live in South Carolina but the state offers plenty of other options if none of these is the right fit for you. But, if you like warmer winters, historic towns, the coast, or golf, these just definitely fit your needs.
Do you want to know more about where to live in South Carolina? Read our Travel section.
