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Is being in an area that's growing quickly a good thing or a bad thing?
Depends on who you ask. Some want bigger, more exciting cities like Charleston and Columbia, while others want peace and quiet like in Abbeville and Travelers Rest, thank you very much.
But today we're going to put opinions aside and just look at the cold hard facts -- over the past five years, which cities in South Carolina have the grown the fastest.
After getting knee deep in the Census's American Community Survey, we emerged with this set of cities in the Palmetto State that have people climbing over each other to get in.
These are the 10 fastest growing cities in South Carolina for 2021 according to the most recent census data:
The 10 Fastest Growing Cities In South Carolina For 2021
What's the fastest growing city in South Carolina for 2021? Based on the most recent ACS data, Hardeeville ranks as the fastest growing city in South Carolina. If you happen to be a resident of Hardeeville, you're probably not too surprised to find it on our list.
If you're surprised--and you're wondering why these places are kind of a big deal--keep reading. We'll tell you what makes each of these 10 places in South Carolina are growing like weeds.
And if you already knew these places were happening, check out the best places to live in South Carolina or the Fastest Growing States In America.
For more South Carolina state reading:
- Best Places To Live In South Carolina
- Cheapest Places To Live In South Carolina
- Most Dangerous Cities In South Carolina
The 10 Fastest Growing Cities In South Carolina For 2021
1. Hardeeville
/10
Population: 6,064
Rank Last Year: 1 (No Change)
Population 2010: 2,985
Percent Growth 103.1%
Absolute Growth: 3,079
More on Hardeeville: Homes For Sale | Data | Photos
2. Bluffton
/10
Population: 20,799
Rank Last Year: 2 (No Change)
Population 2010: 10,748
Percent Growth 93.5%
Absolute Growth: 10,051
More on Bluffton: Homes For Sale | Data | Photos
3. Fort Mill
/10
Population: 17,692
Rank Last Year: 3 (No Change)
Population 2010: 10,273
Percent Growth 72.2%
Absolute Growth: 7,419
More on Fort Mill: Homes For Sale | Data | Photos
4. Tega Cay
/10
Population: 10,412
Rank Last Year: 4 (No Change)
Population 2010: 7,014
Percent Growth 48.4%
Absolute Growth: 3,398
More on Tega Cay: Homes For Sale | Data | Photos
5. Conway
/10
Population: 23,838
Rank Last Year: 5 (No Change)
Population 2010: 16,424
Percent Growth 45.1%
Absolute Growth: 7,414
More on Conway: Homes For Sale | Data | Photos
6. Hanahan
/10
Population: 24,353
Rank Last Year: 6 (No Change)
Population 2010: 16,944
Percent Growth 43.7%
Absolute Growth: 7,409
More on Hanahan: Homes For Sale | Data | Photos
7. Moncks Corner
/10
Population: 10,743
Rank Last Year: 7 (No Change)
Population 2010: 7,508
Percent Growth 43.1%
Absolute Growth: 3,235
More on Moncks Corner: Homes For Sale | Data
8. Mount Pleasant
/10
Population: 86,982
Rank Last Year: 8 (No Change)
Population 2010: 64,208
Percent Growth 35.5%
Absolute Growth: 22,774
More on Mount Pleasant: Homes For Sale | Data | Photos
9. Summerville
/10
Population: 53,037
Rank Last Year: 10 (Up 1)
Population 2010: 40,409
Percent Growth 31.3%
Absolute Growth: 12,628
More on Summerville: Homes For Sale | Data | Photos
10. Lexington
/10
Population: 21,334
Rank Last Year: 9 (Down 1)
Population 2010: 16,410
Percent Growth 30.0%
Absolute Growth: 4,924
More on Lexington: Homes For Sale | Data | Photos
How We Measured The Fastest Growing Cities In the Palmetto State for 2021
To figure out which cities are growing the most, we simply had to look at the growth rates for cities sine the beginning of the decade, according to the American Community Survey put out by the census every year. Specifically:
- Current Population
- Population in 2010
- Growth rate from 2010 to Current (The latest available data which came out in Dec 2018)
We ranked all 64 South Carolina cities with a population over 5,000 people from highest growth rate to lowest.
The city with the highest growth rate during this time was crowned the fastest growing city in the Palmetto State.
And for those of you who are a little rusty with their statistics, you can calculate the growth rate by the following formula:
[Current Population - Population 2010] / [Population 2010]
Here's a graph of the cities in South Carolina with the largest percent increase in population:
These Places Grew Up So Fast In South Carolina, You Know?
So there you have it, the fastest growing cities in South Carolina are led by Hardeeville which has been growing at a blistering pace this decade relative to other cities and towns around the state.
It'll be interesting to see if these places can keep growing at the same rate over the next couple of years. We'll be here to let you know!
These places have been growing (or shrinking) the slowest (fastest):
- Bennettsville
- Union
- Marion
For more South Carolina reading, check out:
- Best Places To Raise A Family In South Carolina
- Safest Places In South Carolina
- Worst Places To Live In South Carolina
Detailed List Of Fastest Growing Places In South Carolina For 2021
| Rank | City | Growth |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hardeeville | 103.1% |
| 2 | Bluffton | 93.5% |
| 3 | Fort Mill | 72.2% |
| 4 | Tega Cay | 48.4% |
| 5 | Conway | 45.1% |
| 6 | Hanahan | 43.7% |
| 7 | Moncks Corner | 43.1% |
| 8 | Mount Pleasant | 35.5% |
| 9 | Summerville | 31.3% |
| 10 | Lexington | 30.0% |
