Best Cities for Families in South Carolina

Strong schools, low crime, affordable homes and family-friendly commutes.

Retirees Remote Workers Families Young Professionals Affordability All Rankings →
All United States  ·  South Carolina

How We Score

Each metric is normalized 0-100 across U.S. cities, then weighted and summed. Cities missing any metric are excluded.

Schools · 25% Safety · 20% Home Affordability · 15% Low Poverty · 10% Jobs · 10% Short Commute · 10% Education · 10%

Top 12 Families Cities in South Carolina

Ranked by composite score across 7 weighted metrics.

#1
Score 84.5
Clemson, SC
17,759 residents
Schools 5.5
Safety 162/100K
Home Affordability $359,100
#2
Score 84.1
Central, SC
5,299 residents
Schools 5.5
Safety 56/100K
Home Affordability $228,500
#3
Score 83.1
Port Royal, SC
15,047 residents
Schools 5.2
Safety 136/100K
Home Affordability $298,000
#4
Score 82.8
Lexington, SC
24,132 residents
Schools 5.5
Safety 118/100K
Home Affordability $271,200
#5
Score 81.9
Mauldin, SC
25,985 residents
Schools 5.5
Safety 226/100K
Home Affordability $242,100
#6
Score 81.9
Wellford, SC
3,432 residents
Schools 5.5
Safety 107/100K
Home Affordability $217,700
#7
Score 81.8
Pendleton, SC
3,542 residents
Schools 5.6
Safety 296/100K
Home Affordability $236,900
#8
Score 81.8
Simpsonville, SC
25,125 residents
Schools 5.5
Safety 221/100K
Home Affordability $267,500
#9
Score 81.8
Mount Pleasant, SC
92,662 residents
Schools 5.4
Safety 129/100K
Home Affordability $667,100
#10
Score 81.4
Lyman, SC
6,317 residents
Schools 5.5
Safety 203/100K
Home Affordability $239,800
#11
Score 81.4
Due West, SC
1,185 residents
Schools 6.0
Safety 0/100K
Home Affordability $178,500
#12
Score 81.3
Greer, SC
39,191 residents
Schools 5.5
Safety 348/100K
Home Affordability $264,300

Full Ranking, South Carolina

Top 50 cities. Click any city to see its full profile.

1 Clemson SC 84.5
2 Central SC 84.1
3 Port Royal SC 83.1
4 Lexington SC 82.8
5 Mauldin SC 81.9
6 Wellford SC 81.9
7 Pendleton SC 81.8
8 Simpsonville SC 81.8
9 Mount Pleasant SC 81.8
10 Lyman SC 81.4
11 Due West SC 81.4
12 Greer SC 81.3
13 Fountain Inn SC 81.3
14 Surfside Beach SC 80.9
15 Travelers Rest SC 80.5
16 Charleston SC 80.4
17 Forest Acres SC 80.4
18 Rock Hill SC 80.4
19 Summerville SC 80.2
20 North Myrtle Beach SC 80.1
21 Abbeville SC 79.8
22 Bluffton SC 79.8
23 Duncan SC 79.6
24 Easley SC 79.4
25 North Augusta SC 79
26 Greenville SC 79
27 Isle of Palms SC 78.5
28 West Columbia SC 78.4
29 South Congaree SC 78.4
30 Jackson SC 78
31 Tega Cay SC 77.7
32 Sullivan's Island SC 77.6
33 Pacolet SC 77.5
34 Liberty SC 77
35 St. George SC 76.9
36 Fort Mill SC 76.8
37 Gaston SC 76.8
38 Anderson SC 76.8
39 Westminster SC 76.3
40 Cayce SC 76.2
41 Pickens SC 75.9
42 Moncks Corner SC 75.7
43 Seneca SC 75.5
44 Williamston SC 75.1
45 York SC 75.1
46 Beaufort SC 75.1
47 Burnettown SC 74.9
48 Batesburg-Leesville SC 74.8
49 Myrtle Beach SC 74.8
50 Springdale SC 74.3

Clemson, SC tops the list with a composite score of 84.5 out of 100, followed by Central and Port Royal. SC dominates the top 12 with 12 cities, reflecting strong performance across the weighted metrics for families.

Rankings combine 7 independent metrics: Schools, Safety, Home Affordability, Low Poverty, Jobs, Short Commute, Education. Cities are weighted to reflect what matters most to families, and any city missing one or more metrics is excluded to avoid artificially inflated rankings.

Explore Other Best Cities Rankings

Best Cities for Retirees
Low crime, warm climate, affordable cost of living and strong healthcare access.
Best Cities for Remote Workers
Strong broadband, affordable rent, low traffic and existing remote-work culture.
Best Cities for Young Professionals
High incomes, educated peers, transit access and an under-35 demographic.
Most Affordable Cities
The lowest cost of living across home prices, rent, services and rent burden.

Related Single-Metric Rankings

Safest Cities → Most Affordable → Most Educated →