Best counties to retire to in South Carolina

Written by:
July 31, 2022
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Best counties to retire to in South Carolina

Buyers and sellers of real estate alike—when asked what are the three most essential considerations about a property—will nearly always reply "location, location, location." While this answer is sometimes tongue-in-cheek, it is often quite accurate, and this reply perhaps applies to retirees more than any other demographic. Settling down after a lifetime of working and perhaps raising a family calls for the perfect location: a spot where you can enjoy life with as few concerns as possible.

When seniors aged 65 years or older decide on where they want to live out their golden years, they consider very specific factors, such as the cost of living, government services, health care facilities, weather and overall climate, crime rate, outdoor recreational activities, eating establishments, cultural and entertainment opportunities, and more.

Stacker compiled a list of the best counties to retire in South Carolina using data from Niche. Niche ranks counties based on a variety of factors including cost of living, healthcare, recreation and weather. Read more about Niche's methodology here.

Location is critical as retirees determine where to spend their senior years enjoying favorite activities; however, it's a very unique decision based on a multitude of preferences and needs. Whether it be bustling downtowns or access to parks, affordable home prices or cultural amenities like museums, retirees seeking to settle in a permanent spot are sure to find a private paradise in any of these counties recommended by Niche because, in the end, there is no place like home—no matter the location.

Read on to discover the best counties to retire to in South Carolina.

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#25. Chesterfield County

- Niche grades: good for retirees (B+), cost of living (A), weather (B+), outdoor activities (B+)
- Top places to live: Pageland (B-), Cheraw (C+), Chesterfield (B)

#24. Kershaw County

- Niche grades: good for retirees (B+), cost of living (A-), weather (B+), outdoor activities (B+)
- Top places to live: Camden (A-), Lugoff (B+), Elgin (B)

#23. Spartanburg County

- Niche grades: good for retirees (B+), cost of living (B+), weather (B), outdoor activities (B+)
- Top places to live: Reidville (A), Boiling Springs (A), Duncan (A-)

#22. Bamberg County

- Niche grades: good for retirees (B+), cost of living (B+), weather (B+), outdoor activities (B)
- Top places to live: Bamberg (B-), Denmark (C), Ehrhardt (B-)

#21. Edgefield County

- Niche grades: good for retirees (B+), cost of living (A-), weather (B+), outdoor activities (C+)
- Top places to live: Murphys Estates (B-), Edgefield (B-), Trenton (B)
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#20. York County

- Niche grades: good for retirees (B+), cost of living (B), weather (B+), outdoor activities (A-)
- Top places to live: Tega Cay (A+), Riverview (A+), Fort Mill (A+)

#19. Richland County

- Niche grades: good for retirees (B+), cost of living (B), weather (B+), outdoor activities (A-)
- Top places to live: Forest Acres (A+), Irmo (A+), Blythewood (A)

#18. Greenwood County

- Niche grades: good for retirees (B+), cost of living (B+), weather (B+), outdoor activities (B+)
- Top places to live: Greenwood (B-), Ninety Six (B), Cokesbury (B)

#17. Darlington County

- Niche grades: good for retirees (B+), cost of living (A-), weather (B+), outdoor activities (B)
- Top places to live: North Hartsville (B+), Hartsville (B+), Darlington (C+)

#16. Pickens County

- Niche grades: good for retirees (B+), cost of living (B+), weather (B), outdoor activities (A)
- Top places to live: Clemson (A), Central (A-), Easley (A-)
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#15. Saluda County

- Niche grades: good for retirees (B+), cost of living (A), weather (B+), outdoor activities (C+)
- Top places to live: Saluda (C+), Monetta (B-), Ridge Spring (C+)

#14. Charleston County

- Niche grades: good for retirees (B+), cost of living (C), weather (B+), outdoor activities (A)
- Top places to live: Mount Pleasant (A+), Sullivan's Island (A), Isle of Palms (A)

#13. Clarendon County

- Niche grades: good for retirees (B+), cost of living (A-), weather (B+), outdoor activities (B+)
- Top places to live: Manning (C+), Turbeville (B), Paxville (B-)

#12. Newberry County

- Niche grades: good for retirees (A-), cost of living (B+), weather (B+), outdoor activities (B+)
- Top places to live: Newberry (B-), Little Mountain (B), Prosperity (B-)

#11. Lexington County

- Niche grades: good for retirees (A-), cost of living (B+), weather (B+), outdoor activities (A-)
- Top places to live: Seven Oaks (A+), Lexington (A), Cayce (A)
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#10. Greenville County

- Niche grades: good for retirees (A-), cost of living (B), weather (B), outdoor activities (A)
- Top places to live: Five Forks (A+), Wade Hampton (A), Greenville (A)

#9. Calhoun County

- Niche grades: good for retirees (A-), cost of living (A), weather (B+), outdoor activities (B)
- Top places to live: St. Matthews (B-)

#8. Anderson County

- Niche grades: good for retirees (A-), cost of living (B+), weather (B), outdoor activities (A-)
- Top places to live: Powdersville (A), Northlake (A), Pendleton (A-)

#7. McCormick County

- Niche grades: good for retirees (A-), cost of living (A-), weather (B+), outdoor activities (B+)
- Top places to live: McCormick (C+), Modoc (C), Parksville (C)

#6. Aiken County

- Niche grades: good for retirees (A-), cost of living (B+), weather (B+), outdoor activities (B+)
- Top places to live: North Augusta (A), Aiken (A-), Belvedere (A-)
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#5. Lancaster County

- Niche grades: good for retirees (A), cost of living (B+), weather (B+), outdoor activities (B+)
- Top places to live: Elgin (B-), Irwin (C+), Springdale (C)

#4. Oconee County

- Niche grades: good for retirees (A), cost of living (B+), weather (B), outdoor activities (A)
- Top places to live: Seneca (B+), Utica (B), Walhalla (B)

#3. Georgetown County

- Niche grades: good for retirees (A+), cost of living (B), weather (B+), outdoor activities (A-)
- Top places to live: Murrells Inlet (A-), Andrews (B-), Georgetown (C)

#2. Horry County

- Niche grades: good for retirees (A+), cost of living (B), weather (B+), outdoor activities (A)
- Top places to live: Socastee (A-), Surfside Beach (A-), Forestbrook (A-)

#1. Beaufort County

- Niche grades: good for retirees (A+), cost of living (C+), weather (A-), outdoor activities (A)
- Top places to live: Hilton Head Island (A), Bluffton (A-), Shell Point (A-)
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