Emerging into the Future

South Carolina is home to historic cities, fabulous beaches, and even mountain areas. The explosion of residents to all of these areas is unprecented thanks to a healthy tax structures and a great climate.

0.55%

Effective state property tax rate, 6th lowest in the nation

7%

Top state income tax rate

Social Security and military retirement pay are exempt

Cost of living: More than 12% below the national average

South Carolina has a well-deserved reputation as a top-tier retirement destination. Still, an increasing number of younger workers and their families are also among new residents in the state’s many multi-generational communities.

Recent statistical summaries rank South Carolina as the 9th fastest-growing state by population. In terms of business growth during the same period, South Carolina ranks third in the nation, with noteworthy increases in the manufacturing, real estate, health care, and professional services sectors.

Climate

The Upstate region of South Carolina is in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, so a few light snowfall events in winter are not unexpected. Spring and summer days are generally cooler and dryer than in the rest of the state, with beautiful highland colors on display in the fall. The Midlands and Coastal areas can be warm and humid from May through mid-September, with comfortable daytime temperatures during the balance of the year and very few frosty winter nights.

"I tell people it’s like when you go to college. Everyone there is from somewhere else and is eager to meet new people. It’s really nice to see new people who step right into living here and being a part of Hampton Hall. This is a very friendly neighborhood. At bocce the other night, we laughed at the waves people have. There’s the ‘Hey, I don’t know you, but I’m waving anyway,’ and then there’s the ‘Hey, I know you with the bigger wrist wave.’

My husband I have moved about 10 to 12 times over the years for our careers, but nothing comes close to this. We are always saying, ‘I can’t believe we live here. I can’t believe we live in paradise.’ If you were to come and visit Hampton Hall, the first thing you would fall in love with is the beauty. When you come into the neighborhood, you come over the bridge with a breathtaking view of the golf course. To prepare for an upcoming game night, I’ve been at different events getting people to fill out surveys about what they like about Hampton Hall. Almost 70% responded with ‘the people,’ the rest were split between ‘the beauty’ and ‘the amenities,’ and a few people summed it up best with ‘everything.’”

Jill Friedman, Hampton Hall, Bluffton, SC

Lakes and Rivers

The Midlands region has four of the South’s largest man-made lakes—Moultrie, Marion, Murray, and Thurmond—covering nearly 300,000 total acres for boating and fishing for record-size bream and catfish. The Upstate lakes of Keowee, Jocassee, and Hartwell are smaller reservoirs but equally renowned for their bass- and trout-fishing spots. These clean freshwater bodies have countless forested coves to be explored by paddlers, who can also glide for 66 unobstructed miles on the Edisto River Canoe and Kayak Trail in the Lowcountry.

Hiker's Heaven

South Carolina is a walker’s paradise in every season, starting with the unique urban trails in the downtown areas of both Greenville and Charleston. Columbia has its network of riverside paths for shady strolling, plus a 2.4-mile elevated boardwalk through the primeval forests in nearby Congaree National Park. More vigorous hikers can rise to the challenge of the Upstate’s 77-mile Foothills Trail with its inclines and waterfalls or choose one of the 26 separate passages on the 500-mile Palmetto Trail that runs from mountain peaks to the Atlantic shoreline.

Golf Destination

South Carolina is home to more than 350 golf courses that are open for play year round. Many of those are resort and semi-private layouts, including 80+ in the Grand Strand region with award-winners like Tidewater, Caledonia, and TPC Myrtle Beach. Down the coast in The Lowcountry are famous championship hosts like Kiawah Island’s Ocean Course and Sea Pines‘ Harbour Town Golf Links on Hilton Head Island. That seaside region also features luxury private golf communities set along wetlands and tidal estuaries, while their Upstate counterparts offer highland layouts overlooking scenic freshwater lakes.

South Carolina Coast

HILTON HEAD/ BLUFFTON

Sparkling Gems of the Lowcountry

Hilton Head Island and Bluffton are neighboring Lowcountry communities with their own distinctive styles. “The Island” has been a world-class vacation destination for more than 50 years, with big-name luxury resorts set along its 12-mile oceanfront. In addition to top-flight golf courses and racquetsports clubs, local cultural attractions include the Arts Center of Coastal Carolina. The Hilton Head-Bluffton area also boasts some of the South’s finest master-planned retirement and residential communities, while Old Town Bluffton has preserved its unique character with casual cafes, art galleries, and boutique shops.