SC has 2 of the best cities to live in the Southeast and neither is Greenville, new ranking shows

Columbia was named by the website Livability as a top 25 city in the Southeast, calling it “one of those cities with a knack for converting tourists to residents.”

Charleston was the other South Carolina city on the list. Livability uses about 100 measures to create dozens of rankings about small to mid-sized cities, including Top 100 Best Places to Live in America.

“Whether you visited during the fall for a University of South Carolina Gamecocks football game or came for the outstanding arts and culture attractions, it’s easy to be charmed and start imagining life in Columbia,” Livability said.

It singled out Columbia’s cost of living being lower than the national average, top-rated schools and excellent hospitals.

“As the state capital and home to the state’s flagship university and Fort Jackson military base, Columbia is a bustling economic engine for South Carolina,” the website said, noting the city has a reputation as being friendly to business start-ups.

It also called out the environmental benefits, from its location at the confluence of the Saluda and Broad rivers, which merge to form the Congaree.

“For locals, this means epic tubing and kayaking,” the website said.

Congaree National Park and fishing for striped and large-mouth bass at Lake Murray are highllights.

Livability cited Columbia’s downtown events, such as the monthly First Thursdays on Main and the ease of getting around town, notably with the Soda Cap Connector transit system.

The website had to explain that Soda reference. The nickname “Soda City” came about because Columbia was once abbreviated as “Cola.”

About Charleston, the website said, as many other best of lists have, is charming, noting the steeple-studded skyline, colorful homes along Rainbow Row, cobblestone streets and a pineapple-shaped fountain at the Historic Waterfront Park.

“Welcome to town: Pineapples are a sign of hospitality, btw!” Livability says.

“You can slurp oysters by the dozen, sail the harbor and spend Saturdays at nearby beaches — Charleston truly is a place that encourages you to live out your best coastal life,” the website said.

For work, there’s life sciences, defense and logistics notably. The website called Charleston “Silicon Harbor” due to tech company expansions and locations and describes the city as a haven for entrepreneurs.

“Founded in 1670, Charleston is the oldest city in South Carolina. It’s known as the “Holy City” due to the prominence of churches and was one of the only cities in the original 13 colonies that promoted religious tolerance,” Livability said.

Things to do: golf, gardens, Gullah culture, restaurants, shopping and a truly walkable downtown.

“When it comes to food, Charleston is a mecca for Lowcountry cooking and creative twists on Southern fare, giving rise to some of the country’s best buzz-worthy restaurants,” Livability said.

North Carolina had the most cities on the list with six — Cary, Concord, Durham, Asheville, Winston-Salem and Wilmington.

The other cities on the list are:

• St. Petersburg, Florida
• Fort Lauderdale, Florida
• Orlando, Florida
• Johns Creek, Georgia
• Roswell, Georgia
• Columbia, Maryland
• Frederick, Maryland
• Virginia Beach, Virginia
• Richmond, Virginia
• Franklin, Tennessee
• Knoxville, Tennessee
• Louisville, Kentucky
• Lexington, Kentucky
• Fayetteville, Arkansas
• Little Rock, Arkansas
• Metairie, Louisiana
• Hoover, Alabama