11 Best Places to Retire in South Carolina

Planning your retirement can be quite tedious, so we’re taking some of the burdens from you by showing you some of your best choices with this list of the 11 best places to retire in South Carolina.

South Carolina, with its long stretch of sandy beaches, warm weather, and authentic Southern charm and niceties – not to mention the golf courses, is fast becoming the top choice for many retirees and soon-to-be retirees. It is easily catching up with the other more popular choices like Florida.

For this list of the 11 best places to retire in South Carolina, we have taken suggestions from Movoto, Only In Your State, MarketWatch, and NewsMax. The cities/towns are ranked based on their senior friendliness ratings which include the following criteria: affordability, safety, availability of recreational facilities, healthcare, and proximity to important facilities (i.e. hospitals, airports, shopping malls, big name supermarkets, etc.).

Read on to find out your best choices in the Palmetto State, and complete your Carolina’s retirement list with our rankings on the 11 best places to retire in North Carolina.

 

11. Greenville

Greenville is a rising downtown community with a flair for history, the arts, culture, and a lot of bargains. The city’s best attraction would have to be its real estate which had a median home sale price of $177,000.

10. Mount Pleasant

Aptly named Mount Pleasant offers retirees a truly safe haven with only 2,028 crimes per 100,000 people. It is, in fact, one of the safest cities in the entire state. The jet-setting lot will be pleased to know that an international airport (Charleston International) is a mere 12 miles away.

9. Mauldin

Mauldin is almost always in the top lists for the best places to live in the Palmetto State, and it is just as great to be in the 11 best places to retire in South Carolina. For one, it is one of the safest towns in South Carolina, with only 2,466 crimes per 100,000 people – over 40% lower than the rest of the state. Mauldin’s small town attractions are a perfect haven for retirees looking for some downtime.

8. Goose Creek

Goose Creek is easily a more affordable choice for retirees who love to golf. Its world-class golf courses will definitely make you want to live here alongside the beautiful scenery it offers. Retirees will also sleep well at night knowing that they live in one of the safest cities in the state.

7. Summerville

A place that bears the nickname, ‘Flowerton in the Pines’, and is called ‘Summerville’ sounds like some paradise straight out of a children’s storybook. And in many ways, Summerville SC does feel like a storybook paradise. Its beautiful weather, scenery, southern charm, plus proximity to Charleston makes it a nice place to come home to.

6. Myrtle Beach

It is impossible not to find Myrtle Beach in any ‘best places to live’ or ’11 best places to retire in South Carolina’ list. Myrtle Beach is attractive for residents and tourists alike – especially for golfers. With its 218 days of sunshine, beautiful beaches, and retiree-friendly tax policies, Myrtle Beach should well be on every list of the best places to retire in the United States!

5. Hilton Head Island

Hilton Head Island should be called retiree Island – with some of the most outstanding golf courses, enviable year-round weather, low cost of living, and general safety. It isn’t hard to see why there is a growing community of retirees here – the seafood, for one, is as affordable as it is delicious.

4. Aiken

With a population less than 30,000, and a median home cost of only $90,000, this small town 130 miles off the coast is the best choice for people who want to live in a small town. The crimes are low, the friendliness is big, and the golf courses are vast. Make the entire town your neighborhood at Aiken SC!

3. Bluffton

Bluffton has more retirees per capita than any other city on our list of the 11 best places to retire in South Carolina. If that does not say something about how great retirement here is, we don’t know what would. Bluffton has all things nice said about South Carolina down to a tee: perfect weather, beautiful homes, beautiful old town scenery, and a neighborhood of people who want to relax as much as you do.

2. Beaufort

Beaufort, the second oldest town in South Carolina, is also second on our list for retirement in South Carolina. Retirees just could not help but gush about its charming Old South feel, the beautiful and well-preserved antebellum architecture, and the clean air that is perfect for enjoying the great year-round weather. It has one of the highest numbers of retirees per capita in the state.

1. Charleston

No ‘best of South Carolina’ list will ever be complete without its crowning glory and oldest city, Charleston. Charleston is every bit a retiree haven – from its safe streets to offers of adult education, top notch retiree-friendly healthcare, plus proximity to the airport not to mention the friendly costs of living. Charleston, truly deserves the top spot of the 11 best places to retire in South Carolina.