2023 Best Places to Raise a Family in South Carolina

• Suburb in South Carolina

• •
  Rating 4.31 out of 5  32 reviews

Current Resident: There is so much community stuff to do like visit the lake, hang out at the Shore Club, or enjoy other surrounding areas. We are very close to either the beach or mountains, and we aren't far from Charlotte at all!... Read 32 reviews

• grade A+

• grade A+

• grade A+

• Population 12,336

• Suburb in South Carolina

• •
  Rating 4.15 out of 5  174 reviews

Current Resident: Love this place, Cheap cost of living. low taxes, easy access to the local lake. Most people that live down here are professionals that work in Charlotte, so there is a well educated and diverse group of people here. Downtown Fort Mill is quaint but has 2 breweries and a few good restaurants. Great place to do a date night. Fort Mill frequently closes off the downtown area for festivals with live music and tons of vendors. Always a good time! Plus, we have the highest rated schools in the whole state and higher than the Charlotte Metro systems as well.... Read 174 reviews

• grade A+

• grade A+

• grade A+

• Population 24,069

• Suburb in South Carolina

• •
  Rating 4 out of 5  36 reviews

Current Resident: The people make the area a diverse tapestry of cultures and races. It is a growing area that is a suburb of Greenville, South Carolina. The real estate market caters to the needs of groups of people who want to spend millions to those with want to have a beautiful home and be affordable. The neighborhoods are safe, the area has a charm about it that lends itself to family and love.... Read 36 reviews

• grade A+

• grade A minus

• grade A+

• Population 19,158

• Suburb in South Carolina

• •
  Rating 4 out of 5  3 reviews

Current Resident: We are in the process of purchasing a new home in Reidville. We looked in many areas - Ft. Mill, Rock Hill, York, Simpsonville, Five Forks, Lyman, Duncan, Greer, Spartanburg, Greenville and decided on Reidville. There's something beautiful about the area, it has country charm, and the properties are well-kept. There is a sweat tea/coffee shop that we stopped in a few times, (excellent by the way). Ryan Homes is building a development that is supposed to have a town center attached - so a small "downtown" area is planned. I really do hope that comes to life, because there are so many new developments and not enough places to shop/eat. Please build the town center!... Read 3 reviews

• grade A

• grade A minus

• grade A

• Population 1,569

• Suburb of Columbia, SC

• •
  Rating 4.27 out of 5  11 reviews

Current Resident: I love living in forest acres, easy access to downtown and to Fort Jackson. I really enjoy living in my neighborhood. It’s a good sign you when your neighbors can enjoy an evening stroll and feel safe.... Read 11 reviews

• grade A+

• grade A minus

• grade A

• Population 10,621

• Suburb of Charleston, SC

• •
  Rating 3.99 out of 5  162 reviews

Current Resident: I have been very fortunate to grow up in Mount Pleasant. I enjoy the small community atmosphere where everyone is a neighbor. Southern hospitality is shown for sure. There are a lot of things to do whether it be fishing from the Mt Pleasant Pier in the Cooper River, walking the Arthur Ravenel Bridge from Mount Pleasant into downtown, zipping over to one of the local beaches or enjoying some of the award winning restaurants and exquisite shopping in the area. Safety is also a number one priority for the entire community. If there was one thing I would like to see addressed is the infrastructure in Mount Pleasant. With the exponential growth of people moving to the area, as well as new business openings, the Town of Mount Pleasant should continue to make improvements in that area.... Read 162 reviews

• grade A

• grade A+

• grade A

• Population 88,900

• Suburb of Columbia, SC

• •
  Rating 4.17 out of 5  83 reviews

Current Resident: Irmo, South Carolina isn't the most scenic area compared to the beach or mountains, but it's definitely home. The Columbiana Mall on Harbison is a great place to hang out with friends. Activities include but are not limited to: shopping, eating out at restaurants, and late night snack runs. We are also located by Lake Murray which offers a beautiful sunset view. Out in the suburbs, however, I'd like to see more sidewalks or biking lanes. We are heavily reliant on cars; without driving, we'd be stuck at home.... Read 83 reviews

• grade A

• grade A+

• grade A

• Population 11,581

• Suburb of Charleston, SC

• grade A

• grade A+

• grade A

• Population 2,220

• Suburb of Columbia, SC

• •
  Rating 3.26 out of 5  19 reviews

Niche User: Only complaints are that everything is spaced out just far enough so that you can't walk/bike everywhere, and that quality of living isn't consistent across the area--there are very poor places, average places, and very rich places.... Read 19 reviews

• grade A

• grade A

• grade A

• Population 15,561

• Suburb in South Carolina

• •
  Rating 3.74 out of 5  50 reviews

Niche User: I think the police presence in Greenville is better than most, but their response time for certain events (ex: car accident) aren't always the quickest.... Read 50 reviews

• grade A

• grade A minus

• grade A

• Population 20,879

• Suburb of Columbia, SC

• •
  Rating 4.08 out of 5  140 reviews

Current Resident: I moved here from San Diego, California, and I enjoy living here. The people are very friendly, and I have the best neighbors ever! I moved here as a single mom, and I feel very safe. My advice to anyone moving here is to embrace the culture of a small town. Enjoy the local farmer’s markets, and local cute little cottage style restaurants, and you will enjoy it. If you want a Sprouts, go to Carrot 14. If you want to go to Costco, you will need to drive 20 minutes to Irmo. The traffic is a little crowded at times, but they are also growing rapidly. I think the entire area is dealing with rapid growth. I’m glad I moved here when I did.... Read 140 reviews

• grade A

• grade A+

• grade A

• Population 23,068

• Suburb in South Carolina

• •
  Rating 3.93 out of 5  42 reviews

Current Resident: I have lived in Lake Wylie my entire life, and it is amazing! I live roughly twenty-five minutes from Charlotte, and there is a lot to do around us. The small businesses and restaurants in this town are phenomenal and run by amazing people. There are a lot of really nice neighborhoods, and most importantly we have our lake. It is the center of fun in Lake Wylie during the summer. Kayaking, paddle boarding, boating, tubing, jet skiing, there are just endless opportunities in this lovely little town.... Read 42 reviews

• grade A

• grade A

• grade A

• Population 13,560

• Suburb in South Carolina

• •
  Rating 3.92 out of 5  95 reviews

Current Resident: There isn't much to do unless you're going downtown, but everything closes early. If you do want to go downtown, it's very close. Taylors is relatively close to everything major in upstate South Carolina. Traffic is getting worse in the area.... Read 95 reviews

• grade A

• grade A minus

• grade A

• Population 23,348

• Suburb in South Carolina

• •
  Rating 3.9 out of 5  10 reviews

Current Resident: Pendleton is a wonderful place to live. It is full of history, past and present. John C. Calhoun's wife visited several plantations in her lifetime via horse and buggy driven by Jack Washington (Daddy Jack) who was not only her driver but a fiddler who grew up on the Calhoun Plantation as a slave and later lived there until he married Ada Arial who lived on Woodburn Plantation. They raised all their children there and my grandmother lived there after she married and had five children there. They moved into the city limits while she was pregnant with her sixth child who was born in the city limits of Pendleton. There are two historical plantations still available for the public to see for a small fee; Ashtabula Plantation and Woodburn Plantation. Fall Festival is coming to town and is being loaded with pumpkins and scarecrows everywhere.... Read 10 reviews

• grade A+

• grade A minus

• grade A

• Population 3,447

• Suburb in South Carolina

• •
  Rating 4.09 out of 5  104 reviews

Current Resident: It's a small town for sure, great for Clemson football fans. At the time of writing this review, I'm a current undergraduate student studying at Clemson University. For students, the main entertainment in these parts would be football (tailgating + going to the game) or going to the bars downtown, but for those who aren't that interested in football or nightlife, you're a bit out of luck. As a student, I have access to a lot of socials planned by campus affairs or student organizations, some on weekend nights as an alternative to nightlife. There isn't a whole lot of good food here, but there is a hole-in-the-wall taco place and a cute donut shop in Central that's about a 10 minute drive away. There's been a new ramen shop and a new Vietnamese restaurant that opened in the last few months with good food and boba which is exciting!... Read 104 reviews

• grade A

• grade A

• grade A

• Population 17,238

• Suburb in South Carolina

• •
  Rating 3.84 out of 5  58 reviews

Current Resident: I very much enjoy Central, SC for a few reasons. 1. Due to its close proximity to Clemson University, there is a huge amount of many diverse cultures ! 2. The AMAZING food! 3. Central is very well-named due to ihe fact it is indeed in the middle of everything ! However, it still maintains the perfect distance that keeps you close to everything without all the traffic. 4. Its such a SAFE city! I have only lived in Central for a little over a year and I have already seen all these examples with my own eyes. I am deeply enjoying living here and hope to continue doing so for quite awhile!... Read 58 reviews

• grade A

• grade A

• grade A

• Population 5,229

• Suburb of Columbia, SC

• •
  Rating 4.15 out of 5  71 reviews

Current Resident: Blythewood is a small town but has some excellent local options for food and fun. It is a great place to live because the people are friendly. It has grown a lot in the last 20 years but there is still a small town feel to it. There are some great options for schools both public and private. We are just far enough away from the big city of Columbia. It is convenient however to all the down town stuff to do such as art exhibits, baseball, the state fair and a wonderful zoo! My family has lived here for 17 years and raised 4 children.... Read 71 reviews

• grade A

• grade A minus

• grade A

• Population 4,543

• Suburb in South Carolina

• •
  Rating 4.5 out of 5  2 reviews

Niche User: I am glad that their are police at the school to make everyone feel better and protective because of the police... Read 2 reviews

• grade A

• grade B+

• grade A

• Population 4,092

• Suburb in South Carolina

• •
  Rating 4.12 out of 5  25 reviews

Current Resident: Powdersville is a town with nice suburbs and school districts. It's education system gets high marks often, and from educational experience, has lead their students to be successful. It's connected to Easley, a nice restaurant hub, and Greenville, one of the most friendly, clean, new cities you'll find in South Carolina. As a resident of Powdersville for many years, I found that what I enjoyed most is its suburb qualities and location near several shops and restaurants, yet still encompasses a tone of nature.... Read 25 reviews

• grade A

• grade A

• grade A

• Population 9,880

• Suburb in South Carolina

• •
  Rating 3.5 out of 5  2 reviews

• grade A

• grade A minus

• grade A

• Population 3,840

• Suburb in South Carolina

• •
  Rating 4 out of 5  3 reviews

Current Resident: Pretty much Fort Mill, SC. Close to Tega Cay. No one calls it Riverview. The Schools are great, low crime, but no night life, no food delivery services except pizza. I have no idea why. Hardly any shopping available. Rock Hill or Charlotte, NC provide closest shopping.... Read 3 reviews

• grade A minus

• grade A+

• grade A

• Population 1,989

• Suburb of Charleston, SC

• •
  Rating 4.4 out of 5  5 reviews

Current Resident: Great community! Family focused; lovely beaches; peaceful and not crowded; extremely well run city; lots of unique housing to choose from; committed city council, DPW, low property taxes, limited rules and govt, great police dept.... Read 5 reviews

• grade A

• grade A+

• grade A

• Population 4,318

• Suburb of Charleston, SC

• •
  Rating 3.73 out of 5  26 reviews

Current Resident: The real Charleston. Super close to DT. Surrounded by waterways, near a prominent beach, great dining all over, and friendly people!... Read 26 reviews

• grade A

• grade A

• grade A

• Population 11,618

• grade A minus

• grade B

• grade A minus

• Population 975

• Suburb in South Carolina

• •
  Rating 4.36 out of 5  22 reviews

Current Resident: Overall, I liked growing up in Duncan, South Carolina, for many benefits came from this small town. One example would be that my family lived right off the interstate, so there were always new businesses and restaurants being built. Local assistance was also a very admirable quality of Duncan, as the community always pitched in to help the struggling minority. If there was one change I would like to see in Duncan, it would be that the downtown portion be heavily renovated, in order to bring the community back to its former glory.... Read 22 reviews

• grade A

• grade A minus

• grade A minus

• Population 3,937