These SC cities are growing the most, new census data shows. Here’s where & by how much
The U.S. Census Bureau recently released new estimates of population growth across the country in 2025, and overall, fewer people flowed into the nation’s major cities.
Mid-size cities were generally outpacing major cities in population growth, by percentage, across the country, the report showed.
For example, Charlotte, the nation’s 14th largest city, gained 20,731 residents between 2024 and 2025, more than any city in the country. However, among cities with a population of 20,000 or more, Charlotte was only the seventh fastest-growing city in its own metro area by percentage increase.
The fastest was Fort Mill, S.C., about 20 miles from downtown Charlotte, which grew by 6.8% to 38,673, ranking 20th nationally.
Using the data the U.S. Census Bureau provided for South Carolina, The State created three rankings on population growth for SC’s cities and towns. Here are the rankings:
SC mid-sized cities with highest-percentage growth rate (Pop. of 20,000)
The State looked through the population changes of 270 geographical areas in SC between 2024 and 2025 to find the cities with a population of at least 20,000 people that had the most population growth, by percentage.
Results show SC followed the national trend of mid-size cities outpacing larger cities in population growth.
These are the five areas that have the highest percentage of growth, plus their numbers, according to the census estimates:
#1. Greer
- Growth Rate: 7.32%
- 2024 Population: 46,595
- 2025 Population: 50,007
- Change: An additional 3,412 residents
#2. Fort Mill
- Growth Rate: 6.81%
- 2024 Population: 36,207
- 2025 Population: 38,673
- Change: An additional 2,466 residents
#3. Mauldin
- Growth Rate: 5.22%
- 2024 Population: 29,904
- 2025 Population: 31,465
- Change: An additional 1,561 residents
#4. Aiken
- Growth Rate: 3.88%
- 2024 Population: 32,544
- 2025 Population: 33,808
- Change: An additional 1,264 residents
#5. Conway
- Growth Rate: 2.84%
- 2024 Population: 29,780
- 2025 Population: 30,627
- Change: An additional 847 residents
SC areas with highest-percentage growth rate (no minimum population)
Smaller, rural towns’ populations grow a lot faster by percentage than mid-sized and larger cities because they don’t need a huge increase in population numbers to see a spike in their growth rate. Here are the towns and cities in SC that grew the fastest:
#1. Woodruff
- Growth rate: 16.83%
- 2024 population: 5,158
- 2025 population: 6,026
- Change: An additional 868 residents
#2. Hardeeville
- Growth rate: 16.08%
- 2024 population: 14,179
- 2025 population: 16,459
- Change: An additional 2,280 residents
#3. Atlantic Beach
- Growth rate: 12.38%
- 2024 population: 420
- 2025 population: 472
- Change: An additional 52 residents
#4. Moncks Corner
- Growth rate: 11.45%
- 2024 population: 18,494
- 2025 population: 20,612
- Change: An additional 2,118 residents
#5. Beaufort
- Growth rate: 8.67%
- 2024 population: 14,517
- 2025 population: 15,775
- Change: 1,258
Top 5 areas in SC by numerical growth
These areas weren’t the fastest-growing, but they had the largest population number increase between 2024 and 2025. The SC areas with the highest population increase by number are as follows:
#1. Greer
- Growth rate: 7.32%
- 2024 population: 46,595
- 2025 population: 50,007
- Change: An additional 3,412 residents
#2. Columbia
- Growth rate: 2.01%
- 2024 population: 144,133
- 2025 population: 147,035
- Change: An additional 2,902 residents
#3. North Charleston
- Growth rate: 2.13%
- 2024 population: 126,551
- 2025 population: 129,245
- Change: An additional 2,694 residents
#4. Fort Mill
- Growth rate: 6.81%
- 2024 population: 36,207
- 2025 population: 38,673
- Change: An additional 2,466 residents
#5. Hardeeville (appeared in previous list)
- Growth rate: 16.08%
- 2024 population: 14,179
- 2025 population: 16,459
- Change: An additional 2,280 residents
SC cities’ populations weren’t the fastest-growing in the country in 2025, but the Palmetto State’s housing stock was one of the country’s fastest-growing. See why here.