#1 in SC
York County
68.6
Overall score
Open county reportState rankings
Best Counties to Live in South Carolina
Compare counties in South Carolina by overall score, affordability, economy, schools, safety, taxes, and peace & quiet. Rankings are public-data estimates for comparison and research.
#2 in SC
Abbeville County
66.4
Overall score
Open county report#3 in SC
Horry County
66.4
Overall score
Open county report#4 in SC
Dorchester County
66.3
Overall score
Open county report#5 in SC
Lexington County
63.9
Overall score
Open county reportCategory highlights
Quick entry points for common county search priorities.
All South Carolina counties
Showing 46 counties ranked by the default generated overall score.
| Rank | County | Overall | Economy | Afford. | Schools | Safety | Taxes | Peace & Quiet | Typical home | Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | York County FIPS 45091 | 68.6 | 73.3 | 50.6 | 76.3 | 74.3 | 83.1 | 59.2 | $389,727 | $89,095 |
| 2 | Abbeville County FIPS 45001 | 66.4 | 48.2 | 63.3 | 74 | 71.3 | 88.8 | 83.7 | $203,731 | $52,935 |
| 3 | Horry County FIPS 45051 | 66.4 | 59.9 | 43.7 | 66.7 | 99.7 | 93.1 | 58.1 | $316,676 | $66,880 |
| 4 | Dorchester County FIPS 45035 | 66.3 | 73.1 | 51.9 | 70 | 67.3 | 76.6 | 65.3 | $345,663 | $78,198 |
| 5 | Lexington County FIPS 45063 | 63.9 | 69.5 | 66.8 | 54.8 | 48.4 | 86.8 | 58.7 | $271,339 | $77,408 |
| 6 | Berkeley County FIPS 45015 | 63 | 79.7 | 51 | 39.8 | 67 | 87.9 | 71.4 | $368,748 | $84,358 |
| 7 | Kershaw County FIPS 45055 | 60.5 | 69.2 | 65.8 | 31.6 | 50.9 | 87.8 | 79.3 | $251,652 | $68,231 |
| 8 | Pickens County FIPS 45077 | 58.7 | 56.1 | 44.1 | 55.3 | 65.3 | 93.1 | 69.3 | $299,970 | $61,064 |
| 9 | Anderson County FIPS 45007 | 57.8 | 60.3 | 53.4 | 62 | 30.7 | 89.5 | 68.1 | $290,746 | $66,651 |
| 10 | Greenville County FIPS 45045 | 56.8 | 68.4 | 49.3 | 57.8 | 36.2 | 82.9 | 41.4 | $336,411 | $76,932 |
| 11 | Charleston County FIPS 45019 | 56.4 | 76.5 | 12 | 52.5 | 81.5 | 88.3 | 54.9 | $611,188 | $88,494 |
| 12 | Edgefield County FIPS 45037 | 56.4 | 57.4 | 63.4 | 21 | - | 93.1 | 83.4 | $267,375 | $73,029 |
| 13 | Spartanburg County FIPS 45083 | 54.9 | 58 | 55.6 | 43.4 | 44 | 82.6 | 58.5 | $276,790 | $66,234 |
| 14 | Aiken County FIPS 45003 | 53.6 | 55.7 | 68.3 | 20.7 | 37.4 | 90.1 | 77.3 | $234,751 | $70,609 |
| 15 | Oconee County FIPS 45073 | 53.1 | 55.6 | 47.7 | 40.1 | 41 | 92.3 | 78.2 | $287,576 | $62,388 |
| 16 | Saluda County FIPS 45081 | 53 | 54.7 | 59 | 9.2 | 64.7 | 90.3 | 80.2 | $211,298 | $51,009 |
| 17 | Lancaster County FIPS 45057 | 52.5 | 63.7 | 45.8 | 30.8 | 46.2 | 83.3 | 73.9 | $391,457 | $78,869 |
| 18 | Calhoun County FIPS 45017 | 52.3 | 53.7 | 70.3 | 13.1 | 34.4 | 92.8 | 85.5 | $211,151 | $58,682 |
| 19 | Newberry County FIPS 45071 | 52.3 | 52.5 | 64.3 | 16.7 | 51.7 | 79.8 | 80.9 | $219,121 | $61,780 |
| 20 | Greenwood County FIPS 45047 | 50.4 | 42.5 | 70.5 | 23.9 | 36.1 | 78.3 | 82.2 | $170,949 | $52,830 |
| 21 | Laurens County FIPS 45059 | 50 | 46.6 | 68.2 | 14.2 | 35 | 91.9 | 80.5 | $198,929 | $57,623 |
| 22 | Hampton County FIPS 45049 | 49.5 | 47.1 | 71.5 | 4.5 | 49.5 | 76.2 | 78.5 | $152,974 | $44,711 |
| 23 | Union County FIPS 45087 | 48.7 | 23.3 | 74.8 | 9.4 | 63.5 | 86.3 | 83 | $129,393 | $41,621 |
| 24 | Beaufort County FIPS 45013 | 48.6 | 72.7 | 14.5 | 40.3 | 49.5 | 82.1 | 61.9 | $546,770 | $86,573 |
| 25 | Cherokee County FIPS 45021 | 48 | 32.8 | 67.2 | 11.8 | 49.2 | 92.8 | 78.9 | $186,421 | $50,288 |
| 26 | Bamberg County FIPS 45009 | 47.3 | 25.2 | 74.3 | 8.5 | 62.4 | 74.8 | 76.8 | $127,290 | $44,370 |
| 27 | Chesterfield County FIPS 45025 | 45.9 | 35 | 67.7 | 12.8 | 26.6 | 95 | 84.1 | $173,789 | $49,235 |
| 28 | Florence County FIPS 45041 | 45.7 | 46.9 | 62.9 | 14.6 | 16.2 | 90.2 | 78.2 | $200,491 | $58,305 |
| 29 | Allendale County FIPS 45005 | 45.6 | 16.8 | 83.5 | 0.2 | 71 | 59.4 | 77.5 | $71,542 | $32,328 |
| 30 | McCormick County FIPS 45065 | 45.1 | 47.1 | 30.2 | 3.2 | 82 | 91.4 | 74.3 | $322,811 | $55,798 |
| 31 | Richland County FIPS 45079 | 45 | 53.6 | 56.7 | 25 | 19.5 | 68.9 | 51.3 | $243,519 | $63,784 |
| 32 | Georgetown County FIPS 45043 | 44.5 | 55.6 | 32.1 | 22.5 | 35.4 | 90.8 | 73.7 | $384,130 | $68,713 |
| 33 | Sumter County FIPS 45085 | 44.5 | 40.9 | 60.9 | 6.9 | 33.6 | 86.9 | 79.1 | $213,439 | $56,693 |
| 34 | Barnwell County FIPS 45011 | 44.2 | 25 | 71.7 | 4 | 46.4 | 81.4 | 82.2 | $149,829 | $46,626 |
| 35 | Lee County FIPS 45061 | 44.1 | 21.7 | 76.5 | 0.4 | 45 | 86.7 | 81.7 | $134,515 | $44,760 |
| 36 | Chester County FIPS 45023 | 43.8 | 39.7 | 63.1 | 4.7 | 29.9 | 85.9 | 81 | $212,488 | $52,458 |
| 37 | Clarendon County FIPS 45027 | 42.8 | 40.4 | 66.6 | 10.4 | 12.6 | 82.9 | 76 | $183,163 | $52,401 |
| 38 | Dillon County FIPS 45033 | 41.8 | 21.7 | 81.6 | 7.4 | 9.8 | 89.8 | 81.8 | $109,966 | $46,605 |
| 39 | Marion County FIPS 45067 | 41.4 | 21.3 | 63.7 | 1.4 | 43.2 | 93.6 | 81 | $137,378 | $36,301 |
| 40 | Darlington County FIPS 45031 | 40.9 | 33.6 | 67.6 | 10.9 | 2.9 | 89.1 | 82.5 | $165,455 | $48,581 |
| 41 | Fairfield County FIPS 45039 | 40.9 | 42.8 | 61.4 | 4.6 | 8 | 86.6 | 80.4 | $188,559 | $47,885 |
| 42 | Williamsburg County FIPS 45089 | 40.8 | 20.4 | 80.7 | 2 | 19.7 | 82.1 | 79.8 | $130,757 | $46,213 |
| 43 | Marlboro County FIPS 45069 | 39.3 | 13 | 81.6 | 1.7 | 22.6 | 79 | 81 | $83,302 | $34,301 |
| 44 | Jasper County FIPS 45053 | 38.9 | 62.4 | 28.9 | 0.5 | 27 | 77.3 | 83.1 | $401,192 | $65,613 |
| 45 | Colleton County FIPS 45029 | 38.4 | 47.8 | 46.2 | 3.7 | 9.6 | 88.3 | 77 | $251,055 | $51,114 |
| 46 | Orangeburg County FIPS 45075 | 36.6 | 28 | 64.1 | 2.4 | 6.3 | 83.9 | 76 | $160,249 | $45,675 |