Best Places to Live in South Carolina

One of the original 13 colonies, South Carolina is as historical as is it wonderful. With natural features spanning from mountains to beaches, and every area having its own specialties and amenities, the best places to live in South Carolina offer a variety of lifestyle choices. 

With 30 years of building excellence behind us, DRB Homes builds exceptional homes in South Carolina. We work with highly regarded vendors to ensure that each new home we construct is as flawless as the previous one. Our homes are packed with all the latest features, finishes, and technologies that new homeowners desire.

And with our knowledge, we also know the places in South Carolina where homeowners want their homes. So, come with us on a tour and discover some of the best places to live in South Carolina. 

Mount Pleasant

Twelve miles away from the Charleston International Airport, Mount Pleasant rests next to the Wando River, Cooper River, and Charleston Harbor. This Lowcountry town is just over the bridge from Charleston, yet feels like a world apart. 

Time slows a bit in Mount Pleasant, to a less-touristy sort of pace. But don’t think that means not a lot to do here. Six golf courses, two beaches, and multiple parks help you enjoy the great outdoors. A wide variety of historic destinations also await you here, from plantations to museums, including the Patriots Point Naval and Maritime Museum where you can experience a WWII-era aircraft carrier, Cold War-era submarine, a flight simulator, a chilling Vietnam War recreation, and so much more. 

Living in Mount Pleasant also means you’re never far from fresh seafood, French cuisine, and a wide range of specialized local favorites. You’re also in the middle of some amazing boutique shops featuring everything from high fashion to handmade artisanal products. Mount Pleasant is not just a fantastic place to live, but also a mindset and way of life. 

Columbia

The state capital of South Carolina, Columbia offers everything you’d expect in a big city and then some! Enjoy a day immersed in creativity in the world-class Columbia Museum of Art, spend it on one of the many nearby golf courses, or chat with the animals (and zipline!) at the Riverbanks Zoo & Garden. 

Explore Sesqui—what locals call Sesquicentennial State Park—for more adventures than you could ever desire. Here, in the middle of urban Columbia, you can enjoy 1419 acres of parkland, a 30-acre lake for paddling and fishing, 78 campsites with electric and water hookups, 12 miles of hiking and biking trails, a unique 26-sprayer splash pad, and dog park where your furry family members can run free.

And savor the rich foodie culture and nightlife of this happening city—especially in the flourishing Vista district. One place to make sure to visit is Kaminsky’s Dessert Café. This local favorite serves delicious desserts, coffees, milkshakes, and adult versions of all of the above. You haven’t lived until you’ve tried the decadent Wake Up Call: a milkshake with vanilla ice cream, double espresso vodka, Irish cream liqueur, and cold coffee extract. It’s the flavor of the city in a cup!

Hilton Head Island

Hilton Head Island can best be described as luxury on the Atlantic Ocean. Travel the 60+ miles of trails around the island and visit every special feature that makes this resort island a vacation destination for so many. 

When you’re not busy relaxing on the 12 miles of white-sand beaches, perhaps you’ll be enjoying one of the many pro-designed golf courses for which Hilton Head Island is known, including Harbour Town Golf Links, Oyster Reef Golf Club, and Pirate’s Island Adventure Golf (mini golf at its best).

But Hilton Head isn’t just a place to play, there’s also some important history preserved here which you can learn all about it at the Coastal Discovery Museum. And we mustn’t forget all the fantastic places to eat here. Enjoy the seasonal menu and local ingredients masterfully brought together in the dishes at Lucky Rooster Kitchen & Bar. Become a local when you dine at the Sea Shack, an award-winning restaurant that doesn’t do anything fancy, but does do everything delicious! There’s also Up the Creek Pub & Grill where you can delight in their famous Creek burger as you overlook the water, marshes, and boats coming in and out of the Broad Creek Marina. 

Greenville

Upstate in South Carolina, in the heart of Upcountry, is the area’s cultural and entertainment center of Greenville. Once known as the “Textile Center of the World,” industry and innovation have been the keys to Greenville’s prosperous past. Now home to over 650+ manufacturers, 40 Fortune 500 companies, and 100 headquarters (including the North American headquarters for Michelin), Greenville continues to grow and shine.

And when you’re not at work, there will be so much for you to explore and enjoy. Downtown Greenville is home to the 14-acre Greenville Zoo, the prestigious Centre Stage, Fluor Field and our very own MILB Greenville Drive, The Children’s Museum of the Upstate (one of the largest children’s museums in the country), Falls Park on the Reedy right in Downtown, the Greenville County Museum of Art, and so much more!

With over 100 restaurants in Downtown and over 1,000 throughout the county, Greenville is a paradise for those who love a good meal. From Southern specialties to the eclectically modern, there’s always a place to satisfy your taste! And these delectable meals can be served anywhere from a historic mill to an absolutely mad indoor venue with mini golf, curling, axe throwing, and more (we’re looking at you, Group Therapy Pub & Playground). If you can’t decide what to do, head to Gather GVL, a family- and pet-friendly food hall in the middle of Downtown (right next to Fluor Field). 

DRB Homes is proud to build new construction homes throughout Greenville. Whether you’re searching for a townhome or single family home, we have options that will provide the perfect home base (with floor plans up to 5,904 Sq. Ft.) to your extraordinary life in Greenville and beyond. 

Spartanburg

On the other side of South Carolina, in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, Spartanburg champions the state’s history, agriculture, arts, and culture. This peaceful paradise promises a calmer life with quaint streets, world-class art galleries, music venues, museums, and breathtaking vistas at every turn. 

Spartanburg, though small, has a palate that stretches the globe. Full of international fare, you’ll easily be able to find classic Southern food, but also a lot of Caribbean flavor and German dishes. From Fr8yard's open-air biergarten to the traditional Southern cooking at Wade’s Restaurant to the fine dining at The Kennedy, you’ll always be full and happy living here.

Once you’re well fed, head outdoors and explore the natural wonder of the area. Visit Hatcher Garden and wander through 13 acres of woodland preserve, view over 10,000 varieties of trees and shrubs, and be amazed at the 30+ species of local woodland flowers. Also, spend the day at Croft State Park, where you can experience over 7,000 acres of rolling hills and wooded areas through 20+ miles of hiking and biking trails. With all this natural beauty, it’s no wonder Spartanburg is the summer home of the Carolina Panthers!

From townhomes to single family homes, DRB Homes builds throughout Spartanburg. With so many homes to choose from in such fantastic communities, it will be easy for any size family to find the perfect home for their lifestyle. 

Charleston

The romantic port city of Charleston has been making history since it was founded in 1670. Imagine a horse-drawn carriage ride over cobblestone streets by the ocean passing pastel antebellum houses and you’ll have an idea of what makes this city so popular and special. 

Charleston invites you to visit with its beautiful beaches, iconic shopping, picturesque golf courses, and famous dining in the elegant French Quarter and Battery districts. And then it rewards you for staying here with all of the above and more! Once you live in this wonderful area, you’ll be enjoying the postcard-worthy sunsets seen from Brittlebank Park, strolls in the peaceful shade of the Gateway Walk, and all the military reviews and parades at The Citadel, the famed military college. 

Travel out to Johns Island and see, possibly, Charleston’s oldest resident: the 300–400-year-old Angel Oak tree. And then keep going until you get to Bowen’s Island, where locals go for the freshest oysters and best seafood around.

DRB Homes proudly builds new construction homes in the fabulous Charleston area. Our homes give you the space and features you desire, the rooms and finishes you crave, and the special touches that let you know you’re right at home. 

Clemson

Clemson is home to Clemson University, naturally—a fact that fills all Clemson residents with pride. And though this is a major plus in Clemson’s column, it’s not the only reason to live here. With views of the Blue Ridge Mountains from almost anywhere in town, you’ll always be aware of the beauty of the nature that surrounds you. 

Visit one of the many parks to really see the true Clemson. Nearby Lake Keowee is ready for you to enjoy its 18,372 acres of boating and fishing bliss. Stroll in amazement through the 295-acre botanical sanctuary of the South Carolina Botanical Garden. Explore a collection of over 10,000 minerals, rocks, and fossils and learn the history of South Carolina from, literally, the ground up at the Bob Cambell Geology Museum. 

Living here means Clemson’s Walker Course is right at hand whenever you want to play a round of golf. This award-winning public golf course is on many “best of” lists, and it’s easy to see why! And once you’ve worked up a hunger, head to one of the many fantastic places to dine around town. From Palmetto’s Smokehouse & Oyster Bar to Nami Asian Bistro to the fine dining Calhoun Corners, Clemson has many places to make your mouth happy.

And DRB Homes has many places near Clemson to call home, including the luxury single family homes and townhomes in The Grange (actually within the city limits of Clemson)! Our new construction homes create perfect bases from which to venture out and become a part of this amazing community. With space that will astound you and features that will surprise you, DRB Homes has the perfect new home for you in this college town that’s so much more!

Fort Mill

Fort Mill is the perfect combination of a traditional Southern town and contemporary and trendy attractions. The Fort Mill Downtown Historic District, with some buildings over 200 years old, is first to welcome you to the area. Full of boutique shopping and dining, this beautiful area will quickly win your heart. Make sure to learn all you can at the Fort Mill History Museum.

And then rocket into the future at Carowinds amusement park. Here, your family will scream through 60 thrill rides, family rides, and roller coasters. Plus, your ticket will give you access to Carolina Harbor, the largest waterpark in the Carolinas!

If Carowinds didn’t give you the thrills you were after, stop by Puckerbutt Pepper Company, where you can find all sorts of all-natural, Puckerbutt-grown pepper products, including those with the brand-new Pepper X: the current world record holder for hottest pepper! 

Living in Fort Mill means you’ll also enjoy the annual South Carolina Strawberry Festival. Live music, rides, food trucks, and all sorts of other entertainment celebrate that little berry shaped like a heart. You’ll also discover all the delicious things you can do with a simple strawberry and probably discover a new favorite dessert!

Also dear to your heart in Fort Mill will be your new home from DRB Homes. Coming soon, we’re offering amazing townhomes in an exceptional community. Open concept floor plans with gourmet kitchens with expansive islands will let you bring all your delicious finds at the Strawberry Festival home to make your own award-winning creations!

Summing Up the Best Places to Live in South Carolina

Our team at DRB Homes offers stunning homes that are both affordable and luxurious. We have chosen only the finest locations with qualities that will enhance your lifestyle, formed communities with world-class amenities, and built homes that provide a truly elevated living experience.

Not only do we offer beautiful looking homes, but we also build in advanced features such as smart technology and energy-efficient appliances. Our sales team is dedicated to helping you find the home of your dreams within your budget. And with our many customization options, you can truly make your new home your own.

Whether you're looking for a single family home or a townhome, DRB Homes has the perfect option for you. Don't miss out on the golden opportunity to live in one of South Carolina's most sought-after areas. Visit us today and discover why The Palmetto State is the right home for you!