The 10 best places to live in SC for 2023. Did your home make the cut?
Are you living in a good area of South Carolina and if so, how great is it?
South Carolina is full of wonderful places to live, loaded with rich history and natural splendor. And how great those places are to live in can come down to a variety of factors, from crime rates to how many parks are available.
Niche has taken up the task of compiling all that data to determine the 10 best places to live in South Carolina in 2023. Niche is an online platform that collects data on K-12 schools, colleges and communities in the U.S. to aid students and families when deciding enrollment.
All of the places in the top 10 received between A and A+ overall scores from Niche.
The ranking is based on crime, public schools, cost of living, job opportunities and local amenities from data sources including the U.S. Census, FBI, Bureau of Labor Statistics and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Below is a listing of the 10 best places to live in South Carolina and a selection of the key factors that earned them their rankings, according to Niche. For the complete list and details, click here.
#1 Tega Cay
- Overall grade: A+
- Public schools: A+
- Housing: A
- Crime and safety: B
- Cost of living: B-
Tega Cay is a planned city in York County with a population of 12,336. Living in Tega Cay offers residents a rural feel and most of the people who live their own their own homes, Niche states. The city may be best known for its beachfront parks, selection of restaurants and professional golf courses.
#2 Fort Mill
- Overall grade: A+
- Public schools: A+
- Housing: A
- Crime and safety: B-
- Cost of living: B
Fort Mill is a town in York County and a suburb of Charlotte, NC with a population of 24,069. Niche states that living in Fort Mill offers people a sparse suburban feel, with plenty of parks for families. Also, its public schools are highly rated.
#3 Forest Acres
- Overall grade: A+
- Public schools: A-
- Housing: A-
- Crime and safety: C+
- Cost of living: B+
Forest Acres is a city in Richland County, near Columbia, with a population of 10,621. Niche notes that Forest Acres has plenty of park options and that many young professionals and retirees live there.
#4 Five Forks
- Overall grade: A+
- Public schools: A-
- Housing: A-
- Crime and safety: N/A
- Cost of living: B-
Five Forks is a popular area in Simpsonville and a suburb of Greenville, with a population of 19,158. Besides offering a more rural atmosphere, while still being close to great shopping and restaurants in downtown Greenville, there are plenty of nearby annual events, such as the Upstate Harvest Moon Festival.
#5 Pendleton
- Overall grade: A+
- Public schools: A-
- Housing: A
- Crime and safety: B-
- Cost of living: A-
The town of Pendleton in Anderson County has a relatively small population of 3,447. The town offers residents a suburban rural mix feel with its quaint downtown. Many families, young professionals and retirees live there, Niche states.
#6 Irmo
- Overall grade: A
- Public schools: A+
- Housing: A
- Crime and safety: B-
- Cost of living: B+
Irmo is a town in Richland and Lexington counties with a population of 11,581. Irmo offers a suburban feel, while being about 12 miles away from downtown Columbia. Irmo is known for having a wealth of beautiful trees and parks.
#7 Clemson
- Overall grade: A
- Public schools: A
- Housing: C+
- Crime and safety: B-
- Cost of living: C+
Clemson is a city in Pickens and Anderson counties with a population of 17,238. The city is home to Clemson University and as such, offers plenty of bars and university sports. The city also boasts a good selection of parks and restaurants.
#8 Mount Pleasant
- Overall grade: A
- Public schools: A+
- Housing: B
- Crime and safety: B-
- Cost of living: C+
Mount Pleasant is considered a large suburban town of Charleston. Besides being close to historic Charleston, with its vast array of restaurants and entertainment, Mount Pleasant boasts plenty of its own history, parks and a food scene.
#9 Seven Oaks
- Overall grade: A
- Public schools: A
- Housing: A-
- Crime and safety: N/A
- Cost of living: B+
A census-designated place in Lexington County, Seven Oaks is considered a suburb of Columbia. As such, it’s within close proximity of many of the restaurants and entertainment Columbia has to offer. However, Seven Oaks also has plenty of its own restaurants and parks for residents to enjoy.
#10 Central
- Overall grade: A
- Public schools: A
- Housing: B+
- Crime and safety: B-
- Cost of living: B+
Central is a town in Pickens County with a population of 5,229 people. The Central Heritage Society has a museum that provides details on the many historic buildings and homes in the area. There is also the Central Railway Museum, the centerpiece of which is a double-decked H0 scale model railroad, which fills most of the building.
