2023 Best Places for Young Professionals in South Carolina

• Town in South Carolina

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  Rating 4.12 out of 5  267 reviews

Current Resident: There is so much to do! The downtown area is truly beautiful and Falls Park is super nice. There are so many cute little stores downtown, super nice places to grab something to eat, and tons of places to satisfy any sweet teeth. There is also so many other fun things to do outside of the downtown area, which are still nice areas, such as shopping, bowling, going to the movies, etc. One of my favorite places is the Greenridge shopping center in Greenville.... Read 267 reviews

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• Population 69,725

• City in South Carolina

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  Rating 3.91 out of 5  681 reviews

Current Resident: While I may be biased since I was born and raised here, Charleston is the true exemplification of the low country and the southern values we pride ourselves on. I simply love it here! Every aspect from fine dining to shopping to outdoor activities have their draw however, my favorite aspect is our boating community. It produces an entirely new perspective towards Charleston and is perfect for adventurous spirits and the physically active. We also have the best oysters, attract great concerts like the Lumineers, Zac Brown Band and Elton John, have a great local baseball team at Joe Riley stadium, and usually have warm humid temperatures throughout the year.... Read 681 reviews

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• Population 147,928

• Suburb in South Carolina

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  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

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• Population 17,238

• Suburb of Charleston, SC

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  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

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• Population 88,900

• Suburb in South Carolina

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  Rating 3.66 out of 5  35 reviews

Current Resident: It’s a small community with a lot of hidden gems to find. It’s getting bigger every day with new developments and other stores, offices, etc.... Read 35 reviews

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• Population 24,657

• Suburb in South Carolina

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  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

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• Population 3,937

• Suburb in South Carolina

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  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

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• Population 20,879

• Suburb of Columbia, SC

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  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

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• Population 11,581

• Suburb of Columbia, SC

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  Rating 3.68 out of 5  47 reviews

Current Resident: I love that I'm close to campus. The student apartments are very affordable and, while not perfect, provide everything that I need in order to attend school. Grocery stores and other food services are widely available. There are many events available most days and nights for entertainment and socializing. Overall, Cayce is a decent place to live.... Read 47 reviews

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• Population 13,637

• City in South Carolina

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  Rating 3.84 out of 5  669 reviews

Current Resident: Columbia is a wonderful city with lots of things to do! With the close downtown area as well as being close to the campus of one of the largest universities in the south, there are lots of different things to see and do. On Saturdays, they shut down the main street and do a farmer's market, so it is really fun to go there with friends and family! The city has lots of different nightlife opportunities from the Vista to Five Points. The City has lots of different festivals and there is always something going on. There are multiple different neighborhoods that are super safe and are zoned for great schools. Columbia also has some of the best private schools in the state.... Read 669 reviews

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• Population 137,276

• Town in South Carolina

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  Rating 3.67 out of 5  88 reviews

Current Resident: Mauldin is a small community located close to Greenville. This proximity allows for a small town feel while being located close to some of the things you might miss out on while living in a smaller community. Public transit is non-existent aside from a few bus stops so a car is a must if you live here. Bike lanes are also no where to be found, although a proposed new addition of the "Swamp Rabbit Trail" should provide some much needed biking access to local residents. Mauldin has a long way to go to become the ideal place to live, but I believe recent trends made by the local government are putting us on the right track.... Read 88 reviews

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• Population 24,735

• Suburb in South Carolina

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• Population 3,292

• Suburb of Columbia, SC

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  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

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• Population 15,561

• Suburb of Columbia, SC

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  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

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• Population 10,621

• Suburb in South Carolina

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• Population 8,421

• Town in South Carolina

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  Rating 3.88 out of 5  59 reviews

Current Resident: Hilton Head is an amazing place to be. I live here but see many tourists visting and enjoying their time. There are many different booking options like hotels, houses, apartments, and condos. The beaches are beautiful and stretch almost all the way around the island. There are many different bike rental companies here. Local businesses and restaurants are great to check out. Surge is a group that owns a bunch of different restaurants on the island and many of them are water front and have great reviews!... Read 59 reviews

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• Population 38,068

• Suburb in South Carolina

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  Rating 4.52 out of 5  21 reviews

Current Resident: The best thing about Surfside Beach, is it's people. Friendly, kind & respectful. Helped make it feel like a home. The negative, most of the town board. Not business friendly. A permit, for everything. A good business, can't afford to invest here. It's costly, when you need to renovate your last home. They really need to have people that work with you & realize that it's an improvement, to this community. If a company doesn't live in this community, they must get a new license, for each job. Very not fair, to retiree's or families. Please, find good & fair people.... Read 21 reviews

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• Population 4,155

• Suburb of Columbia, SC

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  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

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• Population 23,068

• Suburb in South Carolina

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  Rating 4.47 out of 5  17 reviews

Current Resident: Lyman is convenient to larger cities- Spartanburg and Greenville. It has a small town feel; however, has begun to grow rapidly. Traffic/housing is increasingly rapidly but the infrastructure is not able to support the steady growth. This needs to be corrected. Friendly people, safe city.... Read 17 reviews

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• Population 5,841

• Suburb in South Carolina

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  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

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• Population 12,336

• Suburb in South Carolina

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  Rating 4.15 out of 5  175 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 175 reviews

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• Population 24,069

• Suburb in South Carolina

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  Rating 4.68 out of 5  31 reviews

Current Resident: Murrells Inlet is a beautiful quaint coastal town, with southern charm. It is a tourist destination located south of Myrtle Beach. The area has grown tremendously as well as the population in my lifetime. With this growth the roads, housing,etc cannot keep up and traffic is now a huge problem. The cost of housing is unaffordable for our younger generations to continue to live here.... Read 31 reviews

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• Population 9,695

• Town in South Carolina

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  Rating 3.91 out of 5  277 reviews

Visitor: When visiting Myrtle Beach, the first thing you noticed is how the environment is, way different than your average small town. I visited Myrtle Beach in 2018 with my family as a vacation. There were many activities to do such as walk the board walk, visit the zoo, and even museums to visit. There were many people there, and they were enjoying themselves. So was I. My Family and I had our own small picnic one day staying there. We played with Frisbee's, and played charades on the beach as well. Besides all of this information, me and my family had a lot of fun here, and hope to come back sometime soon.... Read 277 reviews

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• Population 35,116

• Suburb of Columbia, SC

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  Rating 3.76 out of 5  79 reviews

Other: We are a military family and we currently live in a camper and would like to see more RV parks around the west Columbia area. This area is great! The rodeos, shopping less than 30 minutes away.... Read 79 reviews

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• Population 17,265

• Suburb in South Carolina

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  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

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• Population 23,348