In 2020, more residents moved to South Carolina than moved out of the state, with 64% of moves being inbound.

According to the 2020 United Van Lines’ Annual National Movers Study, South Carolina ranked #2 in the United States for inbound residents with 64 percent of inbound moves.

This is not the first time South Carolina landed among the top states for relocators. The state has been among the top moving destinations for several years now. In 2019, South Carolina was one of the top spots for popular moving destinations with 61.8 percent of inbound moves. With South Carolina’s warm weather, green spaces, housing affordability, and lower taxes it is absolutely no wonder why.

According to USPS data from 2020, over 15.9 million people have moved during the pandemic. There have been nearly 16 million requests for mail forwarding in 2020.

United Van Line’s annual National Movers Study looked at customers’ migration patterns state-to-state during the course of the past year. The rankings reflect states with 250 or more United Van Lines moves. Idaho (70% inbound) tops the list followed by South Carolina (64%), Oregon (63%), South Dakota (62%), and Arizona (62%). The big cities lost the most movers during the first six months of the pandemic. The top states where people are moving out were New York (67%), Illinois (67%), Connecticut (63%), and California (59%).

South Carolina’s best places to live like Columbia, Charleston, and Greenville boast a myriad of entertainment, arts, recreational and outdoor experiences, and delicious culinary wonders, but still offer residents the opportunity to enjoy the sweet, slow pace of southern life.  The cost of living is also remarkably lower compared to the national average.

Here are the primary reasons for moving to South Carolina: