2019 Best Places for Young Professionals in South CarolinaAbout this List

Greenville

• Town in South Carolina
• 190 reviews

Nearby Resident: Greenville, SC is a beautiful city where you can find many activities to do with friends and family. There are many kid-friendly activities and also nightlife businesses. If you live an active lifestyle, Greenville is the place for you. You can find the Swamp Rabbit Trail where you can ride your bike, run, walk, take your kids to the playground, and play with your furry friends! The views in Greenville are breathtaking. Come to Greenville and enjoy family-friendly time in the outdoors!
Read 190 Reviews

• A

• A-

• A+

• 64,061 Population

Charleston

• City in South Carolina
• 574 reviews

Current Resident: Charleston is a beautiful place to live! Great food, great shopping, and great people. Charleston does a wonderful job of displaying "southern hospitality". Although housing is expensive is most areas, especially downtown Charleston, I've noticed that there are plenty of job opportunities and tons of upcoming neighborhoods. Charleston has some of the best public schools in the state, including Academic Magnet High School (#1 in SC) and Charleston County School of the Arts (#4), one of which I have attended.
Read 574 Reviews

• A

• B

• A+

• 131,204 Population

Cayce

• Suburb of Columbia, SC
• 40 reviews

Current Resident: Living in Cayce has been a great mixture of having my own personal space in the suburbs, while being less than 10 minutes from downtown without having to travel on the highway. I have had nothing but positive things to say about living in Cayce--the area is growing!
Read 40 Reviews

• A-

• B

• A

• 13,668 Population

Mauldin

• Town in South Carolina
• 78 reviews

Current Resident: I have previously lived in four cities throughout the country, and by far, Mauldin is my favorite city I have lived in. Mauldin provides a hospitable and welcoming community with the aspects of a big city. The city provides plenty of community involvement through the Cultural Center along with the high school's involvement in the community. Along with the culture, Mauldin also houses numerous restaurants and stores that do not only provide quality options but serve as community hubs. Mauldin is located right outside of Greenville, one of the most up and coming cities in the south. Not only does Mauldin's close connection with Greenville makes it a great place to live but the location relative to nature is also superb. Within an hour there are the mountains and within three hours the ocean. Given this, Mauldin is a great city due to its community, businesses, and location.
Read 78 Reviews

• A

• A-

• A

• 24,813 Population

Mount Pleasant

• Town in South Carolina
• 106 reviews

Current Resident: Mount Pleasant is a growing community outside of Charleston SC that offers excellent schools, arts and community events and provides a safe environment in which to raise a family or retire. The community is beatutiful and has access to other towns that allows one to explore the South Carolina coast with ease. The growth of the community is increasing year over year and this is somewhat distressing as the small town feel has decreased over the last 10 to 15 years. Additionally, the expansion of homes in the area has diminished the natural beauty of the area as more and more tree lined roads have been cleared to add housing communities
Read 106 Reviews

• A+

• A+

• A

• 80,661 Population

Surfside Beach

• Town in South Carolina
• 15 reviews

Current Resident: Surfside Beach is a beautiful little town a short drive south of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. It has mostly local businesses and plenty activities for visiting families. I'd recommend it for families with kids! With less traffic on the residential streets, close proximity to beach accesses & family environment its the perfect fit for most families. It has plenty of rental houses so coming with another family or group would help keep the costs low if you're trying to vacation here instead.
Read 15 Reviews

• B+

• A

• A

• 4,232 Population

Seven Oaks

• Suburb of Columbia, SC
• 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

• A+

• A-

• A

• 15,631 Population

Columbia

• City in South Carolina
• 469 reviews

Current Resident: I have lived in Columbia all of my life! Columbia has beautiful parks and very nice walking/bike trails. There are lots of eateries, catering to all manner of taste buds. There are many activities for children such as EdVenture and Frankie’s Fun Park. For a quick getaway, one can travel only an hour and a half to Charlotte, NC. While the cost of living is low in Columbia, I would like to see a change in salaries in Columbia. Columbia has a lot to offer.
Read 469 Reviews

• A

• B

• A

• 132,236 Population

Clemson

• Town in South Carolina
• 76 reviews

Current Resident: I love Clemson! The people are excellent people and it is the perfect college town. It is quite small, but I like it that way. It’s very easy to get to know your way around. I also enjoy attending football games!
Read 76 Reviews

• A

• A

• A

• 15,375 Population

Isle of Palms

• Town in South Carolina
• 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

• A

• A+

• A

• 4,333 Population

Forest Acres

• Suburb of Columbia, SC
• 6 reviews

Current Resident: Forest Acres is close to everything, and is a wonderful place to live. Has a wonderful balance of residential and commerical life. Forest Acres connects the City of Columbia to other areas of the state. Public schools in Forest Acres are ranked very high nationally and the police department is amazing.
Read 6 Reviews

• A+

• B+

• A

• 10,466 Population

Wade Hampton

• Town in South Carolina
• 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

• A

• A-

• A

• 20,213 Population

Sans Souci

• Town in South Carolina

• A-

• A-

• A

• 9,187 Population

Socastee

• Town in South Carolina
• 32 reviews

Current Resident: We love living in the Socastee area in Myrtle Beach, SC. We bought our home over a year ago and we’ve loved it. Our home backs up to a creek that leads to the waterway. It is very peaceful and quiet in our cul-de-sac and we have great neighbors. We are very happy with our location choice!
Read 32 Reviews

• B+

• A

• A

• 23,567 Population

Folly Beach

• Town in South Carolina
• 5 reviews

Current Resident: Folly Beach is a beautiful area with welcoming people. The scenery is gorgeous, the beach is clean and plastic-free, and the dining options are varied to meet most tastes and budgets. Traffic in the summer months is horrendous, no joke. I would advise tourists to try visiting one of the MANY other beaches available throughout the lowcountry during these months when traffic to Folly is at a standstill... it's a great beach but I'm not sure that it's quite THAT good, haha!
Read 5 Reviews

• A

• B+

• A

• 2,712 Population

Hilton Head Island

• Town in South Carolina
• 37 reviews

Current Resident: Hilton Head Island is a beautiful Island filled with people who enjoy a casual, resort lifestyle. Enjoy almost year-round sunshine, beautiful beaches, and even ride your bicycle along the sandy shore. Beaches and many of the area's local attractions are dog-friendly so leash up Fido and head for the outdoors! There are also dozens of restaurants to try with new offerings frequently popping up.
Read 37 Reviews

• A

• A-

• A

• 39,666 Population

Lexington

• Suburb of Columbia, SC
• 93 reviews

Current Resident: Lexington, SC has a great school system and is growing rapidly! There are new neighborhoods popping up and much new business growth in the area. The only downfall to the area is the traffic in downtown Lexington. If you have been here a while you can navigate around the traffic. However, Town council is keeping this on the agenda to better. Come to Lexington for live, education of your children and a great economy!
Read 93 Reviews

• A

• A

• A-

• 20,653 Population

Irmo

• Suburb of Columbia, SC
• 50 reviews

Current Resident: Irmo is a seemingly pleasant town on the outskirts of Columbia, defining the suburbs to the T! The schools in Irmo are a part of Lexington/Richland District 5 which is one of the most distinguished in the state of SC; competitive in rigorous academics, sports, and the arts. Lake Murray is a huge part of Irmo's culture always circling with charity's, water sports, & an up and coming music scene! Irmo's small town charm appeals to many while also having it's own nightlife with a major mall, multitude of dive bars/billiards hall, and growing shopping centers. Irmo PD is always roaming town to keep this beautiful town safe in comparison to other parts of SC. The close proximity of the downtown area, as well as other neighboring cities with no more than a 45 minute commute max. Irmo is n ideal place to live to be close to the city and a skip away to the country, lake, and Georgia & North Carolina making it a more desirable upper-class section of Columbia.
Read 50 Reviews

• A+

• A

• A-

• 11,950 Population

Myrtle Beach

• Town in South Carolina
• 182 reviews

Current Resident: I’d give Myrtle 5 stars but it’s not for everyone. However I’ve lived here 10 years and have enjoyed it. People need to realize crime is everywhere, and Myrtle just keeps growing. Crime is expected to rise. With that said I have never felt unsafe in Myrtle, that’s because I know the areas to avoid like any city. Myrtle Beach isn’t that small beach town people once knew (take it or leave it) I still think it’s a pretty laid back area when it comes to beach towns. Plenty of things to do for visitors and families. It’s all of what you make of it!
Read 182 Reviews

• B+

• B+

• A-

• 30,760 Population

Port Royal

• Town in South Carolina
• 10 reviews

Current Resident: I love Port Royal. As a military member who moved here recently... It has been a great experience. The town is ideally located, close to both bases (MCAS and Parris Island. There is a local little beach which is great in the summer. The town seems friendly, and the local area housing market is starting to boom, which makes it ideal for investors or military members moving temporarily.
Read 10 Reviews

• B

• C+

• A-

• 12,218 Population

Tega Cay

• Suburb in South Carolina
• 21 reviews

Current Resident: I love that the houses in the neighborhoods are uniquely designed, and there are few "cookie-cutter" neighborhoods, where all of the houses look the same. I love having more space between different houses so that my family and I have some privacy. The people are incredibly welcoming, friendly, and willing to help out in any situation.
Read 21 Reviews

• A+

• A+

• A-

• 9,464 Population

Sullivan's Island

• Town in South Carolina

• A

• A+

• A-

• 2,050 Population

St. Andrews

• Suburb of Columbia, SC
• 47 reviews

Niche User: I love this area! I could be any happier. The residents are very nice and I never see any crime. It is also very quite.
Read 47 Reviews

• B

• C

• A-

• 21,977 Population

West Columbia

• Suburb of Columbia, SC
• 55 reviews

Current Resident: The community is fairly conservative, but there are enclaves of progressive spaces and folks in very close vacinity. The area offers a nationally recognized zoo -Riverbanks Zoo- as well as water front parks, and many cultural activities. The schools are very good and offer many extra activities. The beach is only about an hour and a half away to the south of us and mountains a similar distance to the north of us.
Read 55 Reviews

• B+

• B-

• A-

• 17,056 Population

Hanahan

• Town in South Carolina
• 25 reviews

Niche User: Hanahan, South Carolina is a relatively small town. However, it is just outside the city of Charleston, South Carolina; therefore, the population grows every day. It is a busy area with a lot to offer, including: employment, activities, restaurants, convenient stores, etc. It is a very big tourists area, so people from all around the United States are here every day. One down fall is the big, tourist, popular area attracts danger and conflicts. If I had the chance to live here again, I would definitely move here earlier in life and embrace the cultural diversity, opportunities, and beautiful scenery.
Read 25 Reviews

• A-

• A-

• A-

• 21,729 Population