South Carolina Living Report — October 09, 2026

For anyone tired of soaring costs in traditional hubs, South Carolina offers a compelling alternative. The Palmetto State, home to approximately 5.14 million residents, has quietly become one of the most popular destinations for domestic migration, drawing families, retirees, and remote workers alike with its combination of low housing costs, mild winters, and a slower pace of life.

Housing remains the biggest draw. The median home value sits at $216,200 — well below the national average — while a one-bedroom apartment rents for a median of $1,065 per month. To put that in perspective, a household earning the state’s median income of $63,623 per year (about $5,302 monthly) would spend roughly 20% of gross income on that typical one-bedroom. That’s well under the 30% threshold that financial experts consider cost-burdened, giving newcomers breathing room that is increasingly rare elsewhere. Even with the state’s poverty rate of 14% — slightly above the national figure — housing affordability offers a valuable buffer for lower-income households.

The job market has strengthened considerably. With an unemployment rate of 4.3% as of August 2026, South Carolina’s economy is humming, supported by robust manufacturing, logistics, and a growing tech sector in cities like Charleston and Greenville. The median age of 40.0 skews slightly younger than many Southeastern retirement states, signaling a healthy mix of working-age professionals alongside the state’s well-known retiree community. Remote workers have also flocked here, drawn by the low cost of living and the absence of state taxation on Social Security benefits — a major perk for those with portable incomes.

Quality of life is deeply tied to geography. From the vibrant, historic streets of Charleston to the quieter beach towns of Hilton Head and the foothills of the Blue Ridge near Greenville, the state’s diversity is remarkable. Finklick tracks 207 cities across South Carolina, meaning there is a community to match nearly

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Browse utility costs, housing data, Census demographics, and climate data for all 207 tracked cities in South Carolina.

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Data: US Census Bureau ACS 2022, BLS. Updated October 09, 2026.

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