These 10 SC cities grew the fastest in 2021. See if your city made the list
South Carolina’s population continued to grow in 2021, but some cities saw far better gains than others, new U.S. Census data shows.
The U.S. Census Bureau recently released its 2021 population estimates by city, which showed gains in larger cities and losses in more rural areas.
Overall, South Carolina had a population of more than 5.19 million residents in 2021 — a 1.4% jump from the 2020 Census, the new data shows.
Columbia remained the second largest city in the state as it did last year. The city had a slight 0.16% population increase from 137,314 in 2020 to 137,541 in 2021.
“While the ranking of the largest municipalities in South Carolina remains unchanged, there are interesting changes occurring in both our biggest cities and smallest towns,” Dan Ellzey, executive director of the South Carolina Department of Employment and Workforce, said in a Tuesday press release. “Twenty-six out of 46 counties saw population increases in 2021, yet our most rural areas, particularly those in the southern and eastern parts of the state, saw gradual losses in their local populations, and many of the remaining residents consist of older adults who have retired out of the labor force.”
Bryan Grady, labor market information director for the department, said the city of Hardeeville was a particular standout for population growth last year.
“One interesting case of population growth is Hardeeville,” Grady said. “That city increased its population by one seventh in a single year and is the fastest growing municipality in the state based on percentage.”
He noted that Hardeeville benefits from its proximity to Hilton Head Island and Savannah, Ga., which makes it a convenient place to live and work.
“Census Bureau data and projections made by the S.C. Revenue and Fiscal Affairs Office reveal that Hardeeville and Jasper County will most likely have continued growth in its workforce, and possibly become a far larger piece of the state’s total population and economy in the upcoming years,” he said.
Below are lists of the 10 fastest growing and 10 fastest shrinking cities based on population count.
Fastest growing
- Bluffton 3,457
- Greer 3,068
- Fort Mill 2,736
- North Charleston 1,701
- Mount Pleasant 1,527
- Greenville 1,196
- Simpsonville 1,110
- Hardeeville 1,106
- Myrtle Beach 990
- Mauldin 890
Fastest shrinking
- Sumter -366
- Orangeburg -177
- Gaffney -134
- Spartanburg -130
- Marion -83
- Union -78
- Greenwood -76
- Dillon -70
- Hampton -66
- Bennettsville -65
These are the 10 largest South Carolina cities based on population.
- Charleston 151,612
- Columbia 137,541
- North Charleston 117,472
- Mount Pleasant 92,398
- Rock Hill 74,102
- Greenville 72,095
- Summerville 51,216
- Goose Creek 46,229
- Sumter 42,976
- Florence 39,958
This story was originally published June 1, 2022 at 5:00 AM.
