For people looking to find a home to raise a family in, choosing a county is an important decision. Most families place affordable homes, safe neighborhoods, a quality school system, and family-friendly activities at the top of their wish lists.
Stacker compiled a list of the best counties to raise a family in South Carolina using 2025 data from Niche. Niche ranks counties based on a variety of factors including cost of living, schools, health care, recreation, and weather.
The list features counties that boast some of the top schools and fun, family-friendly activities for every season. Keep reading to explore the best counties to raise a family. Maybe you'll find one that suits your brood.
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- Niche grades: good for families (B), public schools (C+), cost of living (B), weather (B+), outdoor activities (A-)
- Population: 64,200
- Median household income: $66,734
- Median home value: $262,300
- Top places to live: Murrells Inlet (A-), Georgetown (B), Andrews (B-)
- Niche grades: good for families (B), public schools (C+), cost of living (A), weather (B+), outdoor activities (B+)
- Population: 43,575
- Median household income: $47,620
- Median home value: $101,400
- Top places to live: Pageland (B-), Cheraw (C+), McBee (A-)
- Niche grades: good for families (B), public schools (B), cost of living (A-), weather (B+), outdoor activities (B)
- Population: 62,754
- Median household income: $47,419
- Median home value: $141,400
- Top places to live: North Hartsville (A), Hartsville (B+), Darlington (C-)
- Niche grades: good for families (B+), public schools (B), cost of living (A), weather (B+), outdoor activities (C+)
- Population: 18,958
- Median household income: $52,957
- Median home value: $123,200
- Top places to live: Saluda (B+), Ridge Spring (B+), Ward (B-)
- Niche grades: good for families (B+), public schools (B-), cost of living (B-), weather (B+), outdoor activities (B)
- Population: 238,723
- Median household income: $82,327
- Median home value: $280,300
- Top places to live: Hanahan (A-), Goose Creek (A-), Ladson (B+)
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- Niche grades: good for families (B+), public schools (A-), cost of living (B), weather (B+), outdoor activities (A)
- Population: 368,937
- Median household income: $64,623
- Median home value: $260,500
- Top places to live: Socastee (A-), Surfside Beach (A-), Red Hill (A-)
- Niche grades: good for families (A-), public schools (B), cost of living (A-), weather (B+), outdoor activities (B+)
- Population: 38,121
- Median household income: $59,670
- Median home value: $158,200
- Top places to live: Newberry (B+), Little Mountain (A-), Silverstreet (B+)
- Niche grades: good for families (A-), public schools (B), cost of living (B+), weather (B+), outdoor activities (B+)
- Population: 69,329
- Median household income: $50,635
- Median home value: $166,400
- Top places to live: Greenwood (B), Ninety Six (B+), Promised Land (B)
- Niche grades: good for families (A-), public schools (B+), cost of living (A), weather (B+), outdoor activities (B+)
- Population: 24,352
- Median household income: $52,112
- Median home value: $147,200
- Top places to live: Abbeville (B), Due West (A), Donalds (B+)
- Niche grades: good for families (A-), public schools (B), cost of living (A-), weather (B+), outdoor activities (B+)
- Population: 136,921
- Median household income: $56,650
- Median home value: $165,500
- Top places to live: Florence (A-), Lake City (C+), Timmonsville (C)
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- Niche grades: good for families (A-), public schools (B), cost of living (B+), weather (B+), outdoor activities (B+)
- Population: 100,905
- Median household income: $74,751
- Median home value: $298,100
- Top places to live: Elgin (B-), Springdale (B-), Lancaster (C)
- Niche grades: good for families (A-), public schools (A-), cost of living (A-), weather (B), outdoor activities (B+)
- Population: 67,904
- Median household income: $55,517
- Median home value: $153,500
- Top places to live: Joanna (B), Clinton (B), Laurens (B-)
- Niche grades: good for families (A-), public schools (B-), cost of living (A-), weather (B+), outdoor activities (B+)
- Population: 171,949
- Median household income: $67,940
- Median home value: $199,500
- Top places to live: North Augusta (A), Aiken (A-), Belvedere (B+)
- Niche grades: good for families (A-), public schools (B+), cost of living (A-), weather (B+), outdoor activities (B+)
- Population: 66,924
- Median household income: $64,343
- Median home value: $191,900
- Top places to live: Lugoff (A-), Camden (B+), Elgin (B+)
- Niche grades: good for families (A-), public schools (A-), cost of living (A-), weather (B), outdoor activities (A)
- Population: 79,566
- Median household income: $60,193
- Median home value: $217,200
- Top places to live: Seneca (A-), Walhalla (B), Utica (B)
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- Niche grades: good for families (A), public schools (A-), cost of living (B+), weather (B), outdoor activities (A)
- Population: 132,604
- Median household income: $59,411
- Median home value: $216,000
- Top places to live: Central (A+), Clemson (A), Easley (A-)
- Niche grades: good for families (A), public schools (B), cost of living (B), weather (B+), outdoor activities (A-)
- Population: 418,725
- Median household income: $61,699
- Median home value: $224,200
- Top places to live: Forest Acres (A+), Irmo (A), Columbia (A)
- Niche grades: good for families (A), public schools (A), cost of living (C+), weather (A-), outdoor activities (A)
- Population: 192,123
- Median household income: $84,819
- Median home value: $407,600
- Top places to live: Hilton Head Island (A), Bluffton (A-), Beaufort (B+)
- Niche grades: good for families (A), public schools (A), cost of living (B-), weather (B+), outdoor activities (B+)
- Population: 164,322
- Median household income: $76,896
- Median home value: $294,400
- Top places to live: North Charleston (B), Reevesville (A-), Ridgeville (B-)
- Niche grades: good for families (A), public schools (B+), cost of living (B+), weather (B+), outdoor activities (A-)
- Population: 300,370
- Median household income: $75,014
- Median home value: $217,700
- Top places to live: Lexington (A+), Oak Grove (A), Seven Oaks (A)
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- Niche grades: good for families (A), public schools (A), cost of living (B+), weather (B), outdoor activities (B+)
- Population: 338,096
- Median household income: $64,195
- Median home value: $216,000
- Top places to live: Reidville (A), Boiling Springs (A), Duncan (A-)
- Niche grades: good for families (A), public schools (A), cost of living (B+), weather (B), outdoor activities (A-)
- Population: 207,218
- Median household income: $64,683
- Median home value: $212,500
- Top places to live: Pendleton (A+), Powdersville (A), Northlake (A)
- Niche grades: good for families (A), public schools (A-), cost of living (C+), weather (B+), outdoor activities (A)
- Population: 414,711
- Median household income: $84,320
- Median home value: $450,800
- Top places to live: Mount Pleasant (A+), Sullivan's Island (A), Charleston (A)
- Niche grades: good for families (A), public schools (A-), cost of living (B), weather (B+), outdoor activities (A-)
- Population: 288,559
- Median household income: $83,060
- Median home value: $322,700
- Top places to live: Tega Cay (A+), Fort Mill (A+), Riverview (A)
- Niche grades: good for families (A+), public schools (A), cost of living (B), weather (B), outdoor activities (A)
- Population: 537,575
- Median household income: $74,624
- Median home value: $273,900
- Top places to live: Five Forks (A+), Taylors (A), Wade Hampton (A)
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