2022 Best counties to live in South Carolina

• County in South Carolina

• •
  Rating 4.38 out of 5  312 reviews

Current Resident: I love the friendly environment and small-town feel. Greenville has a lot of great restaurants, nice parks, and community events. Greenville is growing in diversity, and I would like to see it become even more diverse than it already is. Healthy living is a major theme in Greenville county. Cycling, yoga, running, kick-boxing, hiking, and many other activities are common among Greenvillians. Downtown Greenville offers a wide array of different food choices, from healthy eats to different cuisines. Greenville also hosts several different festivals and community events throughout the year, which serve as great opportunities for people to visit and learn more about Greenville. Greenville county is a very affordable place to live - the cost of living is very affordable and complementary to people with budgets of all sizes. Greenville has luxurious spas and fine dining, but also offers plenty of affordable options for those individuals who desire to spend less money. Highly Recommend!... Read 312 reviews

• grade A+

• grade A

• Population 516,126

• County in South Carolina

• •
  Rating 4.24 out of 5  132 reviews

Current Resident: Charleston County is very diverse. There are sections that are predominately white, predominately asian, predominately black. Due to this, everyone, no matter their race or ethnicity, will have a community in Charleston. The food culture reflects this perfectly. There are so many dining options to choose from! Many are locally owned and operated; this makes helping and giving back to the community easy. There is also a plethora of parks and green spaces so people can enjoy the outdoors. Athletic fields, gardens, and trails are all over CCSD so people can have easy access to nature. The beaches are also beautiful; there is space to sit and relax or enjoy a swim in the refreshing water.... Read 132 reviews

• grade A+

• grade A

• Population 407,543

• County in South Carolina

• •
  Rating 4.11 out of 5  113 reviews

Current Resident: I think Lexington, South Carolina is a great place to live and raise a family. The Town of Lexington has everything you would need. We have a great school district, Lexington County School District One, and top rated schools! We have a wide variety of stores, restaurants, pharmacies, banks, etc. We have an amphitheater off Main Street which is great for hosting markets, concerts, and other local events. There are also plenty of parks and playgrounds for children and pets. Another plus is Lake Murray. Lake Murray is perfect for all of your recreational boating and fishing needs.... Read 113 reviews

• grade A+

• grade A

• Population 295,033

• County in South Carolina

• •
  Rating 3.89 out of 5  18 reviews

Current Resident: What I like about Richland County is that the schools are awesome, especially in Richland Two. My nephews attend a school in Richland Two and they are very smart. Moreover, there are nice neighborhoods in this area. I live in Summit Hills and the neighborhood is very quiet. What I would like to see changed is the commute to work. There is a plethora of people who live on my side of town, therefore, this creates heavy traffic in the morning, especially around 8 a.m. Maybe another side road could be made on Hardscrabble Road.... Read 18 reviews

• grade A+

• grade B

• Population 414,660

• County in South Carolina

• •
  Rating 3.88 out of 5  17 reviews

Current Resident: York County is a small intimate town that is family friendly. It is perfect for a conservative country lifestyle. It is perfect for raising a family. York County is very reasonable when it comes to the cost of living, which is why the number of residents are increasing. York County is filled with historical beautiful sites like the York County Museum, Brattonsville, and McDowell Park that overlooks lake Wylie. It’s a sure place to fall in love with. If you’re located in York County that means you’re only a hop, skip, and a small drive away from Charlotte, NC. Home of the Carolina Panthers and the Charlotte Hornets. We also can’t forget about all of the luxurious restaurants and all the events that take place in Charlotte. York County is the only place you can call rural and urban at the same time. York County is beneficial to all if it’s citizens. There’s no place like York County. It’s home.... Read 17 reviews

• grade A

• grade A minus

• Population 273,887

• County in South Carolina

• •
  Rating 3.72 out of 5  54 reviews

Current Resident: I enjoy it very much. I love the excitement the community gets when certain times of the year comes. The amount of festivals and community organized events that is established is amazing. It is so nice to see the community come together to do something. Another great thing about Beaufort County is that it has tons of community service. This county loves to help out others. In addition to that they have great patriotic love. The celebrate the veterans and military service members by going to the homes for the elderly and keeping them company, or for veterans day and memorial day, present the flag for these fallen heroes.... Read 54 reviews

• grade A

• grade A minus

• Population 189,732

• County in South Carolina

• •
  Rating 4.02 out of 5  133 reviews

Current Resident: It’s a great place to live! Very family oriented and a lot of southern hospitality. Everything is relatively close and the area continues to grow with new restaurants and stores. A good place to raise a family and meet new friends that will become more like family. Usually not a lot of traffic but it considered a somewhat big city. There’s also a lot of historic places to visit. Overall I really enjoy it here!... Read 133 reviews

• grade A

• grade A

• Population 313,791

• County in South Carolina

• •
  Rating 4.33 out of 5  9 reviews

Current Resident: I love the county of Pickens! It is a nice, quiet place for people of all ages to reside. There are so many beautiful places. From the Botanical Gardens in Clemson, to the beautiful mountains and lakes. There is barely any crime where I stay so it is perfect for people with kids, and also for people with pets. I love the county of Pickens! There is always so much to do!... Read 9 reviews

• grade A

• grade A minus

• Population 125,381

• County in South Carolina

• •
  Rating 4.08 out of 5  59 reviews

Current Resident: Anderson County is a very large and diverse area. I enjoy the surrounding scenery of forests, streams, and waterfalls all a short drive from my home. I also enjoy the passion this community has to keep the town a place full of life and enjoyment for its residents. For example, a vintage arcade was recently opened down the road for me, and they have the best ice cream! Parks are always holding fun events such as musicals, ice skating, etc. Not to mention, I am a short drive from the gorgeous rural town of Clemson, and the intriguing Urban town of Greenville. Two polar opposites to explore at my fingertips! The reason I did not give Anderson County 5 stars is because with its age and great history it carries, it has many slums that were not kept at a 5 star standard. I hope Anderson County works to improve its infrastructure all around to earn 5 stars!... Read 59 reviews

• grade A

• grade A minus

• Population 200,183

• County in South Carolina

• •
  Rating 4.1 out of 5  10 reviews

Former Resident: Dorchester County is a great community full of opportunities! Public education should be #1 in the Lowcountry. A network of jobs is flowing in and all around is a great area.... Read 10 reviews

• grade A

• grade A

• Population 161,309

• County in South Carolina

• •
  Rating 4.12 out of 5  58 reviews

Current Resident: Aiken county is a great place to live with lots of things to see, experience, and do. With a community centered around horses it's an equestrian's paradise!... Read 58 reviews

• grade A

• grade B+

• Population 169,947

• County in South Carolina

• •
  Rating 3.7 out of 5  10 reviews

Current Resident: I have lived in Horry County for 14 years. When I first moved from Ohio, we lived in North Myrtle Beach. We loved North Myrtle Beach, but still the time we were looking for houses and had a hard time finding our price range. We moved to Carolina Forest. Carolina Forest is centrally located to lots of great things. Our children go to Ocean Bay Elementary. It is the top elementary school within Horry County. Carolina Forest is 15 minutes away from places like Broadway at the Beach. It also takes us about 15 minutes from the beach. We love living in Horry County and Myrtle Beach is a great place to be!... Read 10 reviews

• grade A minus

• grade A

• Population 344,186

• County in South Carolina

• •
  Rating 3.86 out of 5  14 reviews

Current Resident: Oconee County is a beautiful county with a lot of rivers and trails littered throughout. It is wonderful for people who love to be outdoors. The public schools are well known as having high expectations for their students. The nightlife scene is not something it is known for. There are beautiful homes at great prices, and it would not be hard to find a home that fits your needs. While Oconee may seem large, commute time is not something that is a hassle. This county is good for families looking to settle down.... Read 14 reviews

• grade A minus

• grade A minus

• Population 78,314

• County in South Carolina

• •
  Rating 3.38 out of 5  13 reviews

Current Resident: Berkeley country is very large so depending on which part you live in equates the quality you receive. I have lived on Daniel island and on clements ferry so I can review those parts. Daniel island is full of rich white racists, but there are some nice people. The island is very nice and safe, however it is very expensive to live there. If you have kids I would not recommend you put your kids in Daniel island school, christ our king, and bishop england because the teachers are not good, the kids are entitled so they are prone to bullying other people. Clemenths ferry is pretty average with the occasional sketchy person walking down the main road. There are a lot of nice new houses and apartments that are far away from the main road so it is safe. Also I would highly recommend having your children go to Philip Simmons elementary, middle, or high, most the teachers are fantastic and its a very friendly community.... Read 13 reviews

• grade A minus

• grade B

• Population 222,103

• County in South Carolina

• •
  Rating 3 out of 5  85 reviews

Current Resident: Most of the time there isn't much to do, but you make the most of it. You make your own fun going to football games or races etc. But I love little ole Lancaster. It's a home. Somewhere where everyone knows everyone and sometimes that's a good thing, other times, it isn't so good. But we love one another, and we are a community. We'll protect our own and stand for the flag. Thats just the Lancaster way.... Read 85 reviews

• grade A minus

• grade B

• Population 95,378

• County in South Carolina

• •
  Rating 3.74 out of 5  78 reviews

Current Resident: Florence County is a great place to live. There is so much you can do, and so much you can go see. My favorite thing about Florence county is the restaurants, there are so many unique places to eat at that you cannot find anywhere else. People in Florence county are very friendly and help you if you ever need anything. Overall it is a great community to live in!... Read 78 reviews

• grade A minus

• grade B minus

• Population 138,237

• County in South Carolina

• •
  Rating 3.76 out of 5  29 reviews

Visitor: I like the places to eat. There are some good general chains and some good ethnic places to visit around here. There are also some fun places to go to and I am happy with my college of Lander University. The old buildings are also pretty cool to look at and I think that Greenwood has a fairly nice aesthetic. I also really like the local places that you can visit like the different museums such as the Greenwood Museum and the Railroad center. There is a cool Military Museum and a neat Art Center. The amount of history with Greenwood itself such as the historical civil rights leader Benjamin Mayes and the closeness to ninety-six is pretty neat overall. I have really enjoyed my time here as someone that spends time here while I am going to college at Lander, and I have usually not had too much boredom over the weekends. The Dixie is an amazing place to go to for food, and there are also some neat theaters too whenever you want to go and get a real experience with a movie.... Read 29 reviews

• grade B+

• grade B minus

• Population 70,672

• County in South Carolina

• •
  Rating 3.67 out of 5  24 reviews

Former Resident: I have been in Kershaw county since May 1st and I am pleased to say that I love it here!. Moving from the city like to a small country side area has been a big change with its challenges yet effective. The neighborhood I live is suburban and mainly friendly. A lot of people in the area have been here for most of their lives and know their way around. It is a quite area which is a plus for me. I am able to have a walk without having the hustle and bustle of the city. Their are plenty of communities in the area as well.... Read 24 reviews

• grade B+

• grade B minus

• Population 65,926

• County in South Carolina

• •
  Rating 3.73 out of 5  15 reviews

Current Resident: This is a quiet, rural paradise... except during the NASCAR races! That's when the real fun begins. It's close to everything you could possibly need, but just far away enough to have some wide open spaces.... Read 15 reviews

• grade B+

• grade B

• Population 66,858

• County in South Carolina

• •
  Rating 4.13 out of 5  16 reviews

Current Resident: Many people see Laurens as small dirty and poor but I see it as a place of opportunity. So many great things come out of Laurens such as Robotz garage; Robotz garage is an award-winning robotic time that creates stem camps and helps to inspire the younger generation and the best part its made of kids and mentors from Laurens. It was a Robotz Garage stem camp that taught me what it means to be a female engineering. What I really love about is the sense of family and love for one another, how even in the midst of tragedy we are ready to lead a hand even when times are the darkest. It's this love that created Raiders untied an organization to promote mental health after the tragic death of two young high schoolers. We spared this program to first united a program set up to help Robotic teams world wide.... Read 16 reviews

• grade B+

• grade B

• Population 66,990

• County in South Carolina

• •
  Rating 3.27 out of 5  11 reviews

Current Resident: I have had a pretty decent experience in Newberry County as I attend Newberry College. We have great restaurants in Downtown Newberry with a very homely feel to everything. It is a small county where everyone knows everyone. The night life is also pretty lively with a lot of students out and about, while there is also bars that don't cater to students at all. The only thing I would like to see change is the police officers staking out roads to the college, just waiting for someone to be 2mph over the speed limit.... Read 11 reviews

• grade B+

• grade B

• Population 38,329

• County in South Carolina

• •
  Rating 3.75 out of 5  20 reviews

Current Resident: Georgetown County is beautiful, family friendly, and has amazing, local seafood! I'm thankful for its focus and preservation of natural habitats. That said, I would love to see more well-rounded, transparent historical information/education provided on Georgetown County's past, particularly involved its plantations, rice fields, and racial inequalities (and how we can learn and improve from those histories).... Read 20 reviews

• grade B+

• grade B minus

• Population 62,150

• County in South Carolina

• •
  Rating 3.2 out of 5  5 reviews

Current Resident: Very welcoming, small town all about tradition! You can find some of the sweetest and most considerate people here! There is not always much to do, but there are good people that will do nothing with you!... Read 5 reviews

• grade B+

• grade A minus

• Population 24,582

• County in South Carolina

• grade B+

• grade C+

• Population 14,608

• County in South Carolina

• •
  Rating 4 out of 5  4 reviews

Niche User: Edgefield County is rural area alongside the Savannah River. The scenery is nice, the people are well-mannered, and it's a pretty safe place to live.... Read 4 reviews

• grade B

• grade B

• Population 27,021