South Carolina might be one of the smallest states in the country, but what they lack in size, they make up in some pretty great places to raise a family.
Whether the Palmetto Trees and white sandy beaches in Myrtle Beach is your family’s thing or the mountain biking and hiking trails in Greenville hits the spot, there’s a bunch of family friendly activities in South Carolina to keep your family happy, healthy, and entertained.
But, here at HomeSnacks, we know that there is way more that goes into deciding the best place to raise your family, so we thought it would be helpful to create a list of the top ten family friendly places in South Carolina for 2024. To identify the Palmetto State’s most family friendly places, we looked at the latest Census for 39 South Carolina cities with at least 10,000 residents. We looked at things that most families would find important: low crime, households with kids, schools that perform, and family friendly fun. Then we gave each place a score based on the data: we call this a cities’ SnackAbility.
And folks, we discovered a couple of pretty cool South Carolina fun family facts along the way. One, these family friendly places in South Carolina are kind of a big deal. They are constantly in the headlines for being the state’s best places to raise a family and for being some of the state’s safest.
And, two, you should probably take a look at our list below before making any life changing decisions for you family, because we don’t want your family to end up in one of South Carolina’s most dangerous places.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table
The 10 Best Cities To Raise A Family In South Carolina For 2024
If you live in the greater Columbia and Charleston area, your family has some of the best of what South Carolina offers based on our criteria. Unfortunately, there can only be one number one best place for families in this southeastern state.
So, what is the best place for families in South Carolina? According to the latest data, that would be Tega Cay.
Want to know the rest of the places that made this South Carolina list? Hit that down arrow key; and if you don’t find what you’re looking for there, head to the bottom.
More reading about South Carolina and the best places for families in the country:
- Best Places To Live In South Carolina
- Cheapest Places To Live In South Carolina
- Best Cities To Raise A Family In America
- Best States To Raise A Family In America
The 10 Best Places To Raise A Family In South Carolina For 2024
/10
Population: 12,816
Median Income: $140,172
Average Home Price: $565,388
Family Friendly Amenities Score: 30
Closest Major City: Charlotte
Households with kids: 47.2%
More on Tega Cay: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
Population: 23,665
Median Income: $78,164
Average Home Price: $289,130
Family Friendly Amenities Score: 47
Closest Major City: Augusta-Richmond County consolidated government (balance)
Households with kids: 37.1%
More on Lexington: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
Population: 26,022
Median Income: $128,125
Average Home Price: $505,522
Family Friendly Amenities Score: 46
Closest Major City: Charlotte
Households with kids: 49.5%
More on Fort Mill: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
Population: 29,375
Median Income: $99,575
Average Home Price: $494,049
Family Friendly Amenities Score: 46
Closest Major City: Augusta-Richmond County consolidated government (balance)
Households with kids: 34.7%
More on Bluffton: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
Population: 13,582
Median Income: $60,366
Average Home Price: $368,692
Family Friendly Amenities Score: 68
Closest Major City: Augusta-Richmond County consolidated government (balance)
Households with kids: 31.8%
More on Beaufort: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
Population: 32,014
Median Income: $65,712
Average Home Price: $248,666
Family Friendly Amenities Score: 81
Closest Major City: Augusta-Richmond County consolidated government (balance)
Households with kids: 21.4%
More on Aiken: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
Population: 149,960
Median Income: $83,891
Average Home Price: $530,719
Family Friendly Amenities Score: 100
Closest Major City: Augusta-Richmond County consolidated government (balance)
Households with kids: 21.0%
More on Charleston: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
Population: 74,170
Median Income: $60,807
Average Home Price: $312,290
Family Friendly Amenities Score: 75
Closest Major City: Charlotte
Households with kids: 28.1%
More on Rock Hill: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
Population: 24,425
Median Income: $85,093
Average Home Price: $235,984
Family Friendly Amenities Score: 51
Closest Major City: Augusta-Richmond County consolidated government (balance)
Households with kids: 24.4%
More on North Augusta: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
Population: 90,945
Median Income: $115,167
Average Home Price: $777,495
Family Friendly Amenities Score: 41
Closest Major City: Augusta-Richmond County consolidated government (balance)
Households with kids: 30.2%
More on Mount Pleasant: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
Methodology: How do you determine which place is best for families in South Carolina anyways?
To give you the places in South Carolina that are best for families, we must look at a handful of metrics. We want to measure the criteria people want in a family-friendly city utilizing Saturday Night Science.
After researching U.S. Census data produced for the state of South Carolina, we looked at the data for every single city in the state. We paid particular attention to:
- Crime (Both violent and property)
- Quality of local schools
- Distance to a major city without necessarily being in it
- % of households with children
- Family-friendly amenities nearby (museums, libraries, and colleges)
We then gave each city a “Family Score.”
The higher the score, the better the city is for families. We also limited our results to cities with over 10,000 people. For South Carolina, that meant a total of 39 cities.
We updated this article for 2024. This is our tenth time ranking the best cities for families in South Carolina.
Summary: The Best Places To Raise A Family In South Carolina
If you’re looking for a breakdown of cities in South Carolina ranked by criteria that most agree make a place a great spot for families, this is an accurate list.
The best places for families in South Carolina are Tega Cay, Lexington, Fort Mill, Bluffton, Beaufort, Aiken, Charleston, Rock Hill, North Augusta, and Mount Pleasant.
Here’s a look at the best cities for singles South Carolina according to the data:
- North Charleston
- Myrtle Beach
- Cayce
For more South Carolina reading, check out:
- Worst Places To Live In South Carolina
- Best Places To Live In South Carolina
- Safest Places In South Carolina
Best Places For Families In South Carolina
| Rank | City | Population | Median Income | Average Home Price | Amenities Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tega Cay, SC | 12,816 | $140,172 | $565,388 | 36 |
| 2 | Lexington, SC | 23,665 | $78,164 | $289,130 | 44 |
| 3 | Fort Mill, SC | 26,022 | $128,125 | $505,522 | 47 |
| 4 | Bluffton, SC | 29,375 | $99,575 | $494,049 | 41 |
| 5 | Beaufort, SC | 13,582 | $60,366 | $368,692 | 58 |
| 6 | Aiken, SC | 32,014 | $65,712 | $248,666 | 59 |
| 7 | Charleston, SC | 149,960 | $83,891 | $530,719 | 100 |
| 8 | Rock Hill, SC | 74,170 | $60,807 | $312,290 | 76 |
| 9 | North Augusta, SC | 24,425 | $85,093 | $235,984 | 54 |
| 10 | Mount Pleasant, SC | 90,945 | $115,167 | $777,495 | 39 |