countyscore

Best Counties for Retirement in South Carolina 2026

46 counties ranked with the Retiree lens of the County Fit Score.

Top 5 Retirement Counties in South Carolina

1Edgefield County
65.8
baseline 63.2
2McCormick County
62.6
baseline 59.9
3Saluda County
55.7
baseline 50.5
4Pickens County
54.2
baseline 50.2
5Abbeville County
51.3
baseline 49

All 46 Retirement-Ranked Counties in South Carolina

RankCountyCounty Fit Scorebaseline CountyScoreDelta
1Edgefield County, SC65.863.2+2.6
2McCormick County, SC62.659.9+2.7
3Saluda County, SC55.750.5+5.2
4Pickens County, SC54.250.2+4
5Abbeville County, SC51.349+2.3
6Calhoun County, SC51.147.6+3.5
7Oconee County, SC49.548+1.5
8Dorchester County, SC48.448.40
9Lancaster County, SC48.444+4.4
10Chester County, SC47.742+5.7
11Kershaw County, SC46.341.9+4.4
12Cherokee County, SC45.844.1+1.7
13Laurens County, SC45.843.9+1.9
14York County, SC45.844.4+1.4
15Charleston County, SC45.743.6+2.1
16Lee County, SC45.643.5+2.1
17Beaufort County, SC45.545.1+0.4
18Marion County, SC45.245.8-0.6
19Greenville County, SC45.140.8+4.3
20Darlington County, SC44.845-0.2
21Chesterfield County, SC44.744.2+0.5
22Newberry County, SC44.544.1+0.4
23Marlboro County, SC44.340.1+4.2
24Fairfield County, SC44.245.5-1.3
25Clarendon County, SC43.442.8+0.6
26Greenwood County, SC43.440.3+3.1
27Anderson County, SC43.340.9+2.4
28Aiken County, SC42.944.8-1.9
29Allendale County, SC42.943.7-0.8
30Dillon County, SC41.740+1.7
31Georgetown County, SC41.741.9-0.2
32Lexington County, SC41.738.5+3.2
33Barnwell County, SC41.539.4+2.1
34Horry County, SC41.439.3+2.1
35Florence County, SC41.238.9+2.3
36Spartanburg County, SC41.140.2+0.9
37Sumter County, SC40.335.2+5.1
38Union County, SC40.237.9+2.3
39Berkeley County, SC4035.2+4.8
40Orangeburg County, SC38.236+2.2
41Richland County, SC37.936.8+1.1
42Jasper County, SC37.833.9+3.9
43Hampton County, SC37.438.8-1.4
44Williamsburg County, SC36.839.2-2.4
45Bamberg County, SC36.738.9-2.2
46Colleton County, SC34.632.7+1.9

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best county for retirement in South Carolina?

Based on the Retiree lens, Edgefield County ranks as the top retirement county in South Carolina with a County Fit Score of 65.8. The baseline CountyScore remains visible for context.

How many counties in South Carolina are ranked for retirement?

We rank 46 counties in South Carolina with the Retiree lens, using independent importance values for health, safety, taxes, cost, disaster risk, water, and weather.

Also Browse South Carolina Counties For

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Retirement Rankings by State

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Data: U.S. Census Bureau ACS, FBI UCR, CDC, FEMA NRI, NCES, EPA SDWIS, 2019-2023 ACS — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.