South Carolina’s Best Places to Retire 2011
on November 2nd, 2011 at 9:00 am
Folly Beach is just one of the beautiful Charleston area beaches; image by ©Cian
There are a lot of “Top Places to Retire” lists out there, and many of those 2011 lists highlight places in South Carolina. The best places in the state for active adults make the lists because of they offer bountiful cultural activities, natural areas with breathtaking views, wonderful places to live, a relatively low cost of living — perhaps most desirable of all, warm weather. Read on for a cumulative explanation of the top places for retirees in South Carolina.
Columbia, South Carolina’s capital city, made an appearance on CNN Money’s 2011 list of 25 Best Places to Retire, which came out in September. The publication liked Columbia for its Southern hospitality, its big-city amenities and its mild weather. Located in Richland County, Columbia has three golf courses, a 12-mile greenway and numerous city, county, state and national parks. Columbia’s three rivers — the Saluda, the Congaree and the Broad — provide numerous recreational opportunities, including fishing, boating and other water sports.
Beaufort, SC, just down Highway 17 from Charleston, made it to the Wall Street Journal’s Top 10 Places to Retire list. Noted for the numerous awards it takes, Beaufort has claimed the Best Small Southern Town, Best Fishing Town and Small Town Arts titles. The large selection of nearby golf courses is another perk and so are the quaint festivals and Caribbean-like sea island atmosphere.
Kiplinger rates the entire state of South Carolina as tax-friendly for retirees because of its 3–7% income tax range, relatively low property taxes, exemption of taxes on social security income and up to $15,000 retirement income deduction. There are also no inheritance or estate taxes levied by South Carolina.
TopRetirements.com includes eight places in South Carolina in its Top 100 List: Beaufort (No. 8), Myrtle Beach (No. 25), Bluffton (No. 28), Summerville (No. 32), Clemson (No. 64), Charleston (No. 65), Hilton Head (No. 74).
Forbes looked at cities with a population over 100,000 that offered low taxes, affordable cost of living, good weather, favorable driving conditions, a wide availability of doctors, low crime rates and opportunities for an active retirement, such as volunteering and fitness opportunities. Charleston, SC, landed on Forbes’ list, but really, that’s no surprise. With the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) in the heart of downtown and many graduating doctors sticking around the area to start their own practices, ongoing road improvements, the lively Lowcountry Seniors Center and numerous beaches, Charleston is — of course — our number-one retirement-spot pick.
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