Things You Must Know Before Moving To South Carolina

TABLES OF CONTENTS

1. Guide For Moving To South Carolina
2. Top Places To Live In South Carolina
3. Cost Of Living In South Carolina
4. Climate In South Carolina
5. Employment In South Carolina
6. Taxes In South Carolina
7. Education In South Carolina
8. Healthcare In South Carolina
9. Highlights In South Carolina
10. In Conclusion

1) Guide For Moving To South Carolina

   South Carolina is located on the southeastern coast of the US. With stunning beauty, history, and life, South Carolina, also known as the Palmetto State, has warm weather year-round, and living here permanently is reasonably priced. Not only does the Palmetto State have a luxurious coastline, but it also offers many job opportunities as well as quality healthcare and education making it the perfect place to work, live, and retire. With its bountiful southern hospitality, South Carolina's population as of 2023 supports 5.15 million lives.

    No matter where you plan to go, moving to a new area has its challenges specifically without having any prior knowledge of where you’re going. But here we have created a fully developed guide to explain everything you need to know about moving to South Carolina. Once you have an idea of our beautiful state, you’ll have all you need to make your decision about making this your new home.

2) Top Places To Live In South Carolina

FIVE FORKS  pop. 17,700 
    Five Forks is a census-designated area within the town of Simpsonville and is known for its beautiful homes, warm weather, and friendly community. This area is considered one of the best places in South Carolina because of the tight-knit community, easy commute throughout the city, and clean neighborhoods. With the great school districts and almost everyone owning their own home, it’s the perfect place to look into as a home for retiring and raising a family.

AIKEN  pop. 32,000 
   Aiken is a town formerly known as a winter colony during the late 19th century. It holds a rich history, Southern charm, and a quiet, community feeling. Aiken is known for its many outdoor activities, especially its equestrianism.  There are also many places to visit such as exciting shops and shopping outlets, numerous restaurants, and many cultural centers, such as the Aiken Symphony Guild and Aiken Civic Ballet. Aiken is the perfect place if you are looking for a home with intriguing sites.

SPARTANBURG  pop. 37,900 
   Spartanburg is a city located in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. It’s a combination of a quiet community and an economic hub. There are great outdoor activities and affordable housing to fit your needs. Spartanburg also has fantastic school districts as well as many activities perfect for your children. If you would love to work in an exciting environment, Spartanburg is the best place to call home.

GREENVILLE  pop. 70,700 
   Greenville is a large and lively place perfect for young professionals. Although most residents rent their homes, the city is plentiful with activities, nature spots, and thrilling festivals to attend. Furthermore, there are many wonderful restaurants and business districts that always offer great job opportunities. If you want a home with an exciting lifestyle and Southern hospitality, Greenville is perfect for you and your family.

COLUMBIA  pop. 136,600 
   Columbia is not only the capital of South Carolina, but a hub of exciting outdoor activities, and lovely weather. With it being a college town, Columbia attracts many young professionals searching for great job opportunities and affordable living. With the city’s average age of 30 years and younger, you’ll find many thrilling activities entertainment, food, festivals, and nightlife. If you’d like a home full of youthful spirits and excitement, Columbia is the perfect city for you.

3) Cost Of Living In South Carolina

   South Carolina gives an affordable cost of living, making it the perfect state for young professionals or people looking to retire. The national living cost is measured by an index of 100. Any state that scores below 100 has more of an affordable cost of living, meanwhile, any state that scores above 100 is more expensive. South Carolina’s current living cost index is 82.1.

   Living in South Carolina is more affordable to live in than the national average. Items including utilities, groceries, transportation, etc. are cheaper. With low taxes, the most affordable item is housing with an average home price of $273,977 or an average monthly rent price of $941 (1 bd apt Spartanburg). Some of the cheapest cities to live in South Carolina are Dillon, Bennettsville, Laurens, Fountain Inn, and Mauldin.

4) Climate In South Carolina

    South Carolina is known for its great year-round weather. The state is depicted as a humid subtropical climate with low winters and blazing hot summers. During the summer, temperatures can reach as high as 90°F(32°C) and in the winter, it drops to as low as 37°F(3°C). The Upstate area may get colder while lower areas get warmer. As for precipitation, South Carolinians usually experience no more than 4 inches of rain. Some of the Northern parts of the state can even expect a small amount of snowfall during the winter. In the end, South Carolina always maintains beautiful weather for the perfect outdoor activities and living.

   Though South Carolina hardly ever experiences natural disasters, the state is still liable to rare events of floods, tornadoes, hurricanes, storms, and wildfires. But due to the low chances of such disasters, residents hardly worry about it and are still prepared for anything that comes their way.

5) Employment In South Carolina

    South Carolina is a thriving state of industry and packed with many different job opportunities. The economy and job market have continued to grow over the past years with an unemployment rate as low as 3.3%. South Carolina is a state consisting of many historical sites with coastal towns, tourist attractions, and immaculate beaches. There are plenty of job opportunities in such places if you’re interested in working with tourism, museums, and many more.

    South Carolina is home to many global businesses, such as Hilton, Samsung, Bosch, Marriott, and many more. Along with these companies, they also consist of numerous industries. Some of the main ones are Aerospace, Agribusiness, Automotive, Advanced Manufacturing, and Advanced Materials. If you are new to the career world and looking for jobs with great pay, the top employers in South Carolina are BMW, Michelin, InterTech Group, Sonoco, KEMET Electronics, Cryovac, and more.

6) Taxes In South Carolina

    When trying to decide if you’d like to move to South Carolina, it’s important to consider your taxes as well. In South Carolina, residents have sales taxes, property taxes, and state income taxes. You should also check to see if you are eligible to receive any retirement income and tax social security benefits. One item that appeals to retirees is the Homestead Exemption, you get a complete exemption from the first $50,000 of the fair market value of your legal residence if you are over age 65, totally and permanently disabled, or legally blind.

    As for the state income tax, South Carolina’s’ progressive tax is up to 7.75%, however, depending on your tax bracket and income, you could be different. For example, if your household income is over $53,000, you would most likely pay around $2,000 in income taxes.

    If you would like to purchase property in South Carolina, the state does have low property taxes. In truth, South Carolina has some of the lowest property taxes in the United States. Average property taxes are only 0.52%, while the national average is 1.1%. So, if purchasing a house for a median price of $162,000, you may only have to pay $1,050 in taxes. When it comes to sales taxes, South Carolina state sales tax is 6% overall and most counties can assess another 1% in local taxes. The state also has a progressive income tax along with some of the lowest gas taxes in the country. The overall total sales tax in South Carolina ranks top 20 in the United States.

7) Education In South Carolina

    If you have children, it is very important to consider the quality of education in the area you plan to move to. However, when it comes to South Carolina, there are still areas for continuing development. When looking at the rankings of US education, the state is ranked at #42 out of all 50 states. With Pre-K to 12th-grade education ranking at #42 and higher education ranking at #45. So, when moving to South Carolina, consider thinking about moving your child to these school systems with higher rankings.

   Nevertheless, state ratings are not the only thing to consider when looking for the right education. South Carolina does have plenty of great high-quality school districts and colleges. The top 5 best school districts in the state are:
  1. Fort Mill School District
  2. Lexington-Richland School District No. 5
  3. Lexington-Richland School District No. 1
  4. Clover School District
  5. Spartanburg County School District No. 1

When it comes to higher, the top 5 best colleges in South Carolina are:
  1. Clemson University
  2. University of South Carolina
  3. Furman University
  4. Bob Jones University
  5. Columbia International University

8) Healthcare In South Carolina

    When moving to South Carolina, you also must consider what type of healthcare you may receive when you need it. When viewing the overall state rankings, South Carolina’s healthcare ranks at #34 out of all 50 states. So, it may not rank as the best, but it doesn’t mean it’s the worst ranked. For specific healthcare rankings, South Carolina ranks at #35 for healthcare access, #38 for public health, and #26 for healthcare quality. Even though it seems that while the quality of services offered is high, most residents may not have much access to them, which is why 16.1% of South Carolina residents are uninsured. Also, with public health ranked low, it explains why 35.4% of residents suffer from obesity.

    But if you still plan to live in South Carolina, it would be good to pursue enrolling in a healthcare plan fit for you. The state’s official health insurance opens for enrollment from November to January each year. It’s better to enroll during this time because you could receive a few premium subsidies. It is still possible to enroll outside of the November to January period, however, you may have to pay a higher premium. South Carolina’s available plans are Bronze, Silver, and Gold along with the premiums. These plans vary depending on age, number of children younger than 15 years, civil status, and any current prescription medicine or medical condition. For example, if you are 35 years old and married with 2 children, your premiums could range from $860 to $1,400. A similar plan can be if someone is 65 years old, prices could increase from $1,200 to $2,020. Though these plans can be expensive and are still increasing to around 3%, you can still take advantage of qualifying Medicare and Medicaid.

9) Highlights In South Carolina

    The culture of South Carolina is based on simple Southern lifestyles. Although life moves slower here than in more wealthy states, such as New York or California, that doesn’t mean there aren’t activities available. South Carolina offers a great variety of attractions, activities, and wonderful food. For the people interested in history, visit the many historical sites located throughout the state. Such as colonial history, museums, national monuments, and post-civil war reconstructions. South Carolina also offers many beautiful nature sites, hiking trails, and other luscious green areas.

    For sports fans, enjoy statewide college football and world-class golf courses. Speaking of golf, visit Kiawah Island and its spectacular golf courses. Remember to visit our beautiful and famous coastal town of Myrtle Beach. Here you’ll find luscious beaches, exciting activities, and countless shopping areas. Don’t miss out on beautiful Southern gardens, such as Congaree National Park, South Carolina Botanical Gardens, Folly Beach, and many more treasured lands and parks. The food includes some of the most flavorful dishes with different mixes of culture, such as Fried Chicken, Shrimp & Grits, Peach Cobbler, and loads of sweet tea.

10) In Conclusion

    South Carolina is an incredible state with wonderful weather, a thriving economy, and exciting outdoors. With affordable housing and a wide variety of job and educational opportunities, South Carolina is the perfect new place to call home.