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
62.8
baseline 59
2McCormick County
61.6
baseline 59.4
3Saluda County
54.8
baseline 50.1
4Pickens County
54.4
baseline 50.4
5Abbeville County
52.6
baseline 51

All 46 Retirement-Ranked Counties in South Carolina

RankCountyCounty Fit Scorebaseline CountyScoreDelta
1Edgefield County, SC62.859+3.8
2McCormick County, SC61.659.4+2.2
3Saluda County, SC54.850.1+4.7
4Pickens County, SC54.450.4+4
5Abbeville County, SC52.651+1.6
6Calhoun County, SC51.247.8+3.4
7Oconee County, SC49.448+1.4
8Lancaster County, SC49.344.8+4.5
9Dorchester County, SC48.348.5-0.2
10Kershaw County, SC4742.5+4.5
11Cherokee County, SC46.444.8+1.6
12Chester County, SC46.240.3+5.9
13Lee County, SC46.143.9+2.2
14York County, SC4644.5+1.5
15Beaufort County, SC45.845.5+0.3
16Marion County, SC45.846.2-0.4
17Charleston County, SC45.643.4+2.2
18Laurens County, SC45.643.8+1.8
19Greenville County, SC4540.8+4.2
20Darlington County, SC44.744.9-0.2
21Fairfield County, SC4445.3-1.3
22Marlboro County, SC4439.8+4.2
23Newberry County, SC4443.4+0.6
24Chesterfield County, SC43.743.2+0.5
25Clarendon County, SC43.542.6+0.9
26Anderson County, SC43.340.9+2.4
27Allendale County, SC43.243.9-0.7
28Aiken County, SC42.744.5-1.8
29Dillon County, SC42.340.3+2
30Greenwood County, SC42.239+3.2
31Barnwell County, SC42.139.8+2.3
32Georgetown County, SC41.741.8-0.1
33Florence County, SC41.639.5+2.1
34Horry County, SC41.539.4+2.1
35Lexington County, SC41.538.3+3.2
36Spartanburg County, SC41.340.3+1
37Union County, SC40.938.6+2.3
38Sumter County, SC40.235.2+5
39Berkeley County, SC39.835.1+4.7
40Jasper County, SC38.734.6+4.1
41Orangeburg County, SC38.736.4+2.3
42Hampton County, SC37.939.2-1.3
43Richland County, SC37.936.7+1.2
44Bamberg County, SC37.239.5-2.3
45Williamsburg County, SC37.139.3-2.2
46Colleton County, SC33.631.7+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 62.8. 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.