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Best Counties for Retirement in South Carolina 2026

46 counties ranked by health care, safety, tax burden, and affordability.

Top 5 Retirement Counties in South Carolina

1McCormick County
59.4
2Edgefield County
59
3Pickens County
50.4
4Dorchester County
48.5
5Saluda County
50.1

All 46 Retirement-Ranked Counties in South Carolina

RankCountyPersona ScoreOverall Score
1McCormick County, SC6159.4
2Edgefield County, SC5959
3Pickens County, SC5650.4
4Dorchester County, SC5548.5
5Saluda County, SC5450.1
6Beaufort County, SC5145.4
7Charleston County, SC5043.4
8Abbeville County, SC4951
9York County, SC4844.5
10Oconee County, SC4848
11Lancaster County, SC4844.8
12Greenville County, SC4640.8
13Berkeley County, SC4335
14Lexington County, SC4338.3
15Kershaw County, SC4342.5
16Cherokee County, SC4244.8
17Aiken County, SC4244.5
18Georgetown County, SC4241.8
19Calhoun County, SC4247.8
20Laurens County, SC4143.8
21Anderson County, SC4140.9
22Horry County, SC4139.4
23Chesterfield County, SC4143.2
24Spartanburg County, SC4040.3
25Newberry County, SC4043.4
26Richland County, SC3936.7
27Marion County, SC3946.2
28Darlington County, SC3944.9
29Florence County, SC3839.5
30Greenwood County, SC3839
31Sumter County, SC3735.2
32Clarendon County, SC3742.7
33Chester County, SC3740.3
34Union County, SC3638.6
35Fairfield County, SC3645.3
36Jasper County, SC3634.6
37Williamsburg County, SC3539.3
38Lee County, SC3543.9
39Dillon County, SC3540.3
40Marlboro County, SC3439.8
41Orangeburg County, SC3336.4
42Barnwell County, SC3239.8
43Allendale County, SC3243.9
44Hampton County, SC3039.2
45Colleton County, SC3031.7
46Bamberg County, SC3039.5

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best county for retirement in South Carolina?

Based on our analysis of health care access, safety, property taxes, and cost of living, McCormick County ranks as the top retirement county in South Carolina with a retirement score of 61.

How many counties in South Carolina are ranked for retirement?

We rank 46 counties in South Carolina for retirement suitability, scoring each on health care access (35%), safety (30%), property tax (20%), and cost of living (15%).

Also Browse South Carolina Counties For

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Retirement Rankings by State

AlabamaAlaskaArizonaArkansasCaliforniaColoradoConnecticutDelawareDistrict of ColumbiaFloridaGeorgiaHawaiiIdahoIllinoisIndianaIowaKansasKentuckyLouisianaMaineMarylandMassachusettsMichiganMinnesotaMississippiMissouriMontanaNebraskaNevadaNew HampshireNew JerseyNew MexicoNew YorkNorth CarolinaNorth DakotaOhioOklahomaOregonPennsylvaniaRhode IslandSouth DakotaTennesseeTexasUtahVermontVirginiaWashingtonWest VirginiaWisconsinWyoming

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