Tourists come to South Carolina for its beautiful beaches and warm weather, but what about calling it home? Every state has its own quirks that attract people to live there. Now, with more remote work, people are evaluating their living situation and determining if where they live now is the best place for them.

That brings us to whether South Carolina is a great place to live and buy a house. Living in South Carolina has its negatives as well as positives. What should you know before considering buying a home in the Palmetto State?

Let’s examine the various quality of life factors in South Carolina. This information can help you decide if it’s an excellent place to buy a home.

Is South Carolina a Good Place to Live?

South Carolina Regions

First, you need to know South Carolina isn’t just sandy beaches and salt marshes. The state breaks into three distinct regions: the Lowcountry, Midlands, and Upstate. While all of them share the common threads of southern hospitality, low cost of living, and outdoor access, the opportunities and lifestyle in all three are slightly different.

In the Lowcountry, which includes the Atlantic coast, you have the Sea Islands, Charleston, and Myrtle Beach. These are South Carolina’s major cities and the more populated parts of the state. History buffs love the classic architecture of the Lowcountry, and the Grand Strand is a hot spot for vacationing. This makes for some premium properties.

The Midlands are less dense but include the state capital, Columbia. Here, you can find rolling Piedmont hills and winding rivers, large lakes, and expansive wetlands.

Upstate South Carolina includes the Blue Ridge Mountains and Lake Country. Yes, South Carolina does have mountains! In the summertime, you can find cooler temperatures and more pleasant weather all-round. There are also manufacturing job opportunities. Find more economical cities with a balanced cost of living.

Things to Do

If you like exploring the great outdoors, South Carolina’s natural beauty will keep you busy! The outdoor activities are endless in the state: hiking, fishing, kayaking, camping, hunting, sailing, golfing, surfing…the list truly goes on, thanks to multiple national forests and 30 state parks.

The Blue Ridge Mountains provide beautiful vistas and a respite from the hot coastal areas. Outdoor adventures include whitewater rafting and kayaking, miles of hiking trails, rock climbing, boating on Lake Wylie or Lake Keowee and more. 

The 187 miles of coastline is a haven for beachgoers and surfers alike. The most popular spots are Myrtle Beach and Hilton Head Island. The latter ranks in the top 25 beaches in the US, but Kiawah Island and Sullivan’s Island aren’t far behind.

We’d be remiss if we didn’t mention the 350+ golf courses available. Golf is as much part of South Carolina culture as sweet tea. Find numerous world-class resorts and public courses across the state, but with a high concentration in the Beaufort-Hilton Head Island region.

But South Carolina isn’t all about outdoor activities! It’s a cultural hub with plenty of things to do indoors- like visiting art galleries, attending concerts at the South Carolina Symphony, or taking in an opera performance. Visit important sites in American history, including forts from the American Revolution and Civil War battlefields.

In a city like Charleston, you have a bustling culinary scene with fine-dining restaurants, craft breweries, and distilleries. Seafood is part of the state’s lifeblood, from crabs to deep-sea catches.

Job Opportunities

When it comes to finding a way to pay for it all, South Carolina’s economy is growing. Unemployment rates have been tracking under the national average. In August, they were 3.9% compared to 4.2% nationally. The state has a strong tourism sector along the coastline and a manufacturing presence in the Upstate. But its low cost of living and doing business is attracting more innovators in technology and business services.

Which Part is The Best Place to Live in SC?

That’s a tough question to answer as it really depends on what kind of lifestyle you want. The good news is South Carolina has something for everyone: coastal and mountains, cities and small towns.

For a unique experience, the Lowcountry has some of the most charming small towns in South Carolina. From Beaufort to Bluffton, these historic towns boast outdoor waterfront activities. Fishing to sailing is easy to do from these coastal cities and islands. If you want the urban lifestyle, Myrtle Beach is the place to look. Stay busy at its entertainment boardwalk with endless dining options, museums, and attractions. Charleston may not be directly oceanfront, but the peninsula city has plenty of waterfront and a beautiful, historic downtown. Its southern character charms locals and residents throughout the year. However, seaside cities up and down the coast cater to visitors who don’t want the hustle and bustle of a big city. Just check out the laidback living of Hilton Head Island, Seabrook Island, or Pawleys Island.

In the Upstate, cities like Greenville and Spartanburg are your launching point for exploring nature. These smaller but growing cities meet your day-to-day needs for amenities and entertainment. Forbes said Greenville was the state’s best place to live in 2023, partly thanks to its artsy indie vibe. These cities, plus York and Lancaster Counties, have some of the state’s best public school systems. The smaller mountain towns are quite picturesque, promising a slower pace of life and a low cost of living.

But the MidState, or Sandhills region, is no slouch for quality living. Columbia ranked second as a top place to live. South Carolina’s capital city has seen a new wave of life with its revitalized downtown area. Visit its museum attractions, dining options, and shopping. The University of South Carolina campus gives the city a lot of energy. Nearby Lake Murray is a top getaway spot and prime for fishing. Affordable Sumter, SC, cracked the list’s top 10 places to live.

How Much Money Do You Need to Live Comfortably in South Carolina?

It depends on a few factors, including where you plan on living and your lifestyle preferences. South Carolina’s historically low cost of living has started to draw more people. In fact, the state had the most population growth in 2023. But more people increases demand for goods, and in turn, prices. The cost of living in 2022 was 10.7% under the national average, based on Sperling’s Best Places Index, but dropped to 4.5% under by Q2 2024.

Still, median home prices are reporting 15% under national averages statewide. The index also notes groceries and transportation expenses as below the national average. Actual living costs depend on where you live in SC, too.

MIT’s Living Wage calculator says that for a family of two adults with two children, a living wage would be $37.61 an hour. The same family would spend $9,856 a year on food, $12,143 on housing, $15,012 on transportation, and $16,390 on annual taxes. Combined with other expenses like medical and miscellaneous costs, the required annual income would be $78,234 for a family of four as of 2022.

What Will You Spend On Housing In South Carolina?

Housing in South Carolina varies based on location but is relatively affordable overall. In the Lowcountry, you can find homes with beachfronts that cost over a million dollars. The beachfront and tourist towns will have high-rise condos, while Charleston’s historic homes are prized. In the Midlands and Upstate, find extensive acreage in the country or lakefront living. There’s also in-demand suburbs, like Mount Pleasant and Fort Mill, prized for the family-friendly atmosphere and quality school districts.

As of September 2024, year-to-date median pricing for residential homes, condos, and villas was $337,000, a 3.7% year-over-year growth rate.

Columbia ranked as one of 2023’s top housing markets based on its potential for growth. Affordability in its market, plus its metropolitan amenities, means it could see a 3.6% increase in median home prices in 2023.

Utilities cost an average of $144.73 per month in 2019, at 12.99 cents per kWh. A homeowner’s insurance policy averaged $1,165 per year for $250,000 in coverage in 2022.

As you weigh where to buy, here are some of the average housing prices across the state for the YTD as of September 2024:

• Charleston Trident, $420,000
• Greater Columbia: $272,330
• Hilton Head Island: $544,165
• Spartanburg: $289,900
• Aiken: $289,800

Is South Carolina a Tax-Friendly State?

Overall, South Carolina is tax-friendly in the US, with MoneyGeek giving it a “B” grade. The system looked at the percentage of taxes to income, which for residents came out to 8.6%.

South Carolina has a tiered individual income tax rate from 0-7% with some deductions, which can lower your taxable income amount. It’s best to look directly at the tax tables to see how much you’ll owe.

The state sales tax rate is 6%, but South Carolina allows localities to charge an additional 3%. For example, Aiken residents pay an 8% sales tax on purchased goods and services, while Charleston assesses 9%.

For retirees, South Carolina doesn’t tax social security and allows a $10,000 deduction for income from pensions, IRAs, and other qualifying accounts. Former state employees get a $15,000 deduction. South Carolina is one of five states that doesn’t impose an inheritance or estate tax either.

Is South Carolina Property Tax Too High?

Homeowners in South Carolina are responsible for paying property taxes based on the assessed value of their home and with millage rates established by the local government. The state does mandate the taxable value. For a registered primary residence, the homeowner pays taxes on 4% of the home’s value. Non-primary residences pay taxes on 6% of the assessed value.

When you look at how South Carolina stacks up compared to the other states, it actually has a very low property tax burden. Wallethub tied the state for the sixth lowest effective real estate tax rate. Most homeowners paid an average of 0.58% of their home’s value in property taxes in 2023. On a $200,000 home, that’s $1,160.

The median home value as of 2023 was $181,800, giving an annual tax burden of $$1,024.

Tax Foundation reported similar numbers, ranking South Carolina the 5th lowest with a tax burden of 0.56% and an average per capita tax of $1,271.

Of course, you can’t just look at millage rates and effective values to judge your tax burden. It will depend on the millage rates of your county and the housing value. Home values and rates aren’t consistent across the board. Chester County had the highest base millage rate in 2022, at 0.1838 mils, but Beaufort County residents had the highest median property tax at $1,319. Learn more about South Carolina’s property tax system.

What Is The Safest Place to Live?

Depending on where you choose to live in South Carolina, it can be an incredibly safe place with low crime rates in certain areas. However, most data from various reporting agencies place the state’s overall crime rates as high. Safehome reported the 2020 property crime rate was 39% higher than the US rate. However, it also noted its rate declined by 25% from 2010 to 2019.

NeighborhoodScout reports a crime rate of 33.15 per 1,000 residents, combined with violent and property crime rates. Unfortunately, FBI Crime Explorer data shows violent crime rates were higher than the national average consistently from 2020 to 2022.

The safest cities overall in South Carolina for 2022, according to SafeWise, include:

• Isle of Palms
• Mount Pleasant
• Fort Mill
• Hanahan
• Bluffton

What Are The Negatives of Living In South Carolina?

We want to say it’s all azaleas and sweet tea, but we’re taking an honest look at the state. Every place you live will have some drawbacks. For starters, South Carolina has a high overall personal tax rate. We’re talking income, sales, and property taxes combined. The overall tax burden is high, especially when you look at what other southern states charge.

In 2022, the state sales tax was 6%, while the individual income tax rate fluctuated from 0 to 7% depending on earnings. High taxes can definitely affect your bottom line if you plan to buy a home in South Carolina.

The local governments administer South Carolina property taxes, with primary homes assessed at 4% of their value. The state also charges personal property tax on vehicles and places its school board taxes on vehicles rather than homes.

You’ll also want to consider the weather. South Carolina has a humid subtropical climate. Coastal areas are prone to extreme weather like hurricanes, hail storms, and flooding. Hot and humid summer temperatures exceed well above 90F. On the flip side, South Carolina does have mild winters. The pleasant weather during January and February is a perk of southern living. Be aware that the Upstate can see snow and freezing temperatures.

There’s also one little thing you need to know about: bugs. South Carolina has plenty of them, especially mosquitos. Some locals call them the “other state bird.” Take the necessary precautions to avoid bug bites and potential infections caused by them.

But it’s not just the swarms of mosquitos. Be prepared for termites, ants, cockroaches, sand gnats, ticks, and biting black flies. Living in the south can be quite buggy.

Making South Carolina Your Home

With the right planning and research, living in South Carolina can be a great opportunity. It has a relatively lower cost of living, but research each area before making any decisions and budget your monthly expenses accordingly. The crime rates may be higher than in some parts of the US, but many parts of South Carolina have high marks for safety. And with all there is to do, the Palmetto State is an appealing choice for those looking to buy a home or settle down.

Exploring South Carolina can help you decide whether this state is right for your needs. Contact a local real estate agent to learn more about the state’s many communities and lifestyle options.

Updated September 2024