2026 ranking

Best small towns to live in South Carolina

The 25 South Carolina small towns with the best mix of affordability, safety, schools and jobs, picked from 70 real small towns of 1,000 to 15,000 people — not suburbs.

1
Calhoun Falls, SC Score 84/100
2,049 people · typical home $71k · household income $39k · 180 violent crimes per 100k · schools in the top 22% of SC · 3.0% unemployment · 12 mi to a hospital
2
Ninety Six, SC Score 77/100
2,521 people · typical home $121k · household income $55k · 383 violent crimes per 100k · schools in the top 16% of SC · 7.0% unemployment · 8 mi to a hospital
3
Kershaw, SC Score 76/100
2,259 people · typical home $168k · household income $69k · 323 violent crimes per 100k · schools in the top 32% of SC · 2.0% unemployment · 16 mi to a hospital
4
Abbeville, SC Score 74/100
4,872 people · typical home $106k · household income $41k · 329 violent crimes per 100k · schools in the top 20% of SC · 7.0% unemployment · 3 mi to a hospital
5
Great Falls, SC Score 74/100
1,690 people · typical home $60k · household income $30k · 180 violent crimes per 100k · schools in the top 65% of SC · 4.0% unemployment · 15 mi to a hospital
6
Springdale, SC Score 73/100
2,198 people · typical home $115k · household income $41k · 323 violent crimes per 100k · schools in the top 32% of SC · 3.0% unemployment · 4 mi to a hospital
7
Whitmire, SC Score 71/100
1,319 people · typical home $54k · household income $38k · 251 violent crimes per 100k · schools in the top 49% of SC · 7.0% unemployment · 13 mi to a hospital
8
Prosperity, SC Score 71/100
1,318 people · typical home $152k · household income $63k · 296 violent crimes per 100k · schools in the top 49% of SC · 4.0% unemployment · 8 mi to a hospital
9
Saluda, SC Score 71/100
3,055 people · typical home $78k · household income $43k · 203 violent crimes per 100k · schools in the top 67% of SC · 4.0% unemployment · 23 mi to a hospital
10
Ware Shoals, SC Score 70/100
2,074 people · typical home $82k · household income $37k · 331 violent crimes per 100k · schools in the top 44% of SC · 3.0% unemployment · 9 mi to a hospital
11
Elgin, SC Score 70/100
2,360 people · typical home $192k · household income $78k · 395 violent crimes per 100k · schools in the top 32% of SC · 2.0% unemployment · 6 mi to a hospital
12
Utica, SC Score 69/100
1,339 people · typical home $145k · household income $59k · 272 violent crimes per 100k · schools in the top 31% of SC · 11.0% unemployment · 5 mi to a hospital
13
Joanna, SC Score 69/100
1,306 people · typical home $129k · household income $49k · 380 violent crimes per 100k · schools in the top 45% of SC · 2.0% unemployment · 4 mi to a hospital
14
Keowee Key, SC Score 67/100
3,351 people · typical home $556k · household income $125k · 272 violent crimes per 100k · schools in the top 31% of SC · 3.0% unemployment · 5 mi to a hospital
15
Landrum, SC Score 67/100
2,620 people · typical home $215k · household income $44k · 157 violent crimes per 100k · schools in the top 20% of SC · 3.0% unemployment · 7 mi to a hospital
16
Walhalla, SC Score 66/100
4,157 people · typical home $172k · household income $36k · 134 violent crimes per 100k · schools in the top 31% of SC · 6.0% unemployment · 7 mi to a hospital
17
Westminster, SC Score 65/100
2,521 people · typical home $178k · household income $41k · 234 violent crimes per 100k · schools in the top 31% of SC · 4.0% unemployment · 11 mi to a hospital
18
East Gaffney, SC Score 65/100
2,824 people · typical home $78k · household income $25k · 256 violent crimes per 100k · schools in the top 55% of SC · 3.0% unemployment · 8 mi to a hospital
19
McCormick, SC Score 63/100
2,506 people · typical home $92k · household income $41k · 254 violent crimes per 100k · schools in the top 87% of SC · 2.0% unemployment · 17 mi to a hospital
20
East Camden, SC Score 62/100
4,194 people · typical home $183k · household income $54k · 559 violent crimes per 100k · schools in the top 32% of SC · 3.0% unemployment · 3 mi to a hospital
21
Irwin, SC Score 61/100
1,919 people · typical home $177k · household income $56k · 323 violent crimes per 100k · schools in the top 32% of SC · 9.0% unemployment · 6 mi to a hospital
22
Newberry, SC Score 61/100
10,790 people · typical home $142k · household income $51k · 531 violent crimes per 100k · schools in the top 49% of SC · 7.0% unemployment · 2 mi to a hospital
23
Johnston, SC Score 59/100
2,132 people · typical home $107k · household income $34k · 102 violent crimes per 100k · schools in the top 55% of SC · 8.0% unemployment · 18 mi to a hospital
24
Lugoff, SC Score 59/100
9,786 people · typical home $224k · household income $69k · 559 violent crimes per 100k · schools in the top 32% of SC · 2.0% unemployment · 10 mi to a hospital
25
Monarch Mill, SC Score 57/100
1,822 people · typical home $83k · household income $39k · 465 violent crimes per 100k · schools in the top 72% of SC · 9.0% unemployment · 2 mi to a hospital

How we ranked them

Every small town in South Carolina with 1,000–15,000 people that stands on its own (not part of a big metro core, by USDA rural-urban codes) and has solid Census data. Each town is scored against the others in South Carolina on: affordability (household income vs. home prices), safety (violent crime, FBI), schools (reading proficiency vs. other South Carolina districts), jobs (unemployment, half weight) and everyday access (distance to a hospital and a grocery store, quarter weight each). Missing numbers count as average.

The "best" town is different for everyone — weather, size, politics, things to do and more all matter too.

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