Moving to South Carolina
New residents have 45 days to get a South Carolina driver license and must register a car within 45 days. Prices are 6.3% below the U.S. average, and a single filer earning $100,000 pays about $4,244 in South Carolina income tax. 99,779 households moved here from other states in 2022–2023, most often from North Carolina and Florida.
New resident checklist for South Carolina
Driver license
Within 45 days of moving; surrender out-of-state license, pass a vision test, 8-year license $25. Bring proof of identity, your Social Security number and two proofs of your South Carolina address.
Vehicle title and registration
Pay county vehicle property tax first, then title/register at SCDMV; late-registration penalties start at day 46. No state safety or emissions inspection. Switch your auto insurance to a South Carolina policy.
Taxes or fees on a car you bring: One-time $250 Infrastructure Maintenance Fee per vehicle previously registered in another state (instead of the 5% fee, capped at $500, on purchases), plus county property tax. SCDMV puts the total at about $305 for a typical car ($250 fee, $15 title and $40 registration).
Annual registration: Biennial: $40 for most passenger cars ($38 at age 64, $36 at 65+/disabled), plus annual county vehicle property tax based on value.
Extra yearly fee for an electric vehicle: $60.
Establishing residency
Applies once you move to South Carolina permanently; proof of SC address required. Residency also decides where you pay income tax in the year you move; see taxes the year you move.
Your first-month checklist in South Carolina
- Register to vote at your new address.
- Update your address with the IRS (Form 8822), your employer and your bank.
- Make sure your employer withholds South Carolina income tax from your move date.
- Set up utilities and get renters or homeowners insurance. Owners with a mortgage here paid a median $1,394 a year for homeowners insurance in 2024 (Census ACS); premiums have risen in most states since, so get quotes.
- Keep your lease or closing papers and your license date as proof of when you became a resident.
Still planning the move itself? The moving out of state checklist covers the weeks before you go, and the moving timeline turns your move date into dated deadlines. Our guide to moving with pets covers vet records, travel and local pet rules. Shipping a car? See shipping a car to another state, or take the Where should I move? quiz.
Official site: scdmvonline.com. Sources: scdmvonline.com (2), scdmvonline.com (3), scdmvonline.com (4). Reviewed 2026-09-25. Rules and fees change; confirm with the South Carolina motor vehicle agency before you go.
Compare your move to South Carolina
Pick the state you're leaving and your salary to see your take-home pay, rent and the salary that keeps your buying power the same in South Carolina.
Equal salary in SC: $74,700
To keep the same lifestyle, you need about $74,700 in South Carolina to match $75,000 in North Carolina ($300 less), after 2026 taxes and local prices.
Single filer, W-2 salary, standard deduction.
These changes cover taxes, housing and electricity. Food, transport, healthcare, other spending and one-time moving costs are excluded. They are not total savings. State medians may differ from your neighborhood and current quotes.
| Tax on $75,000 | North Carolina | South Carolina |
|---|---|---|
| Federal income tax | $7,670 | $7,670 |
| Social Security + Medicare | $5,738 | $5,738 |
| State income tax | $2,484 | $2,657 |
| State payroll programs (UI, disability, paid leave, transit) | $0 | $0 |
| Take-home pay | $59,109 | $58,935 |
Full reports for the most common moves to South Carolina: North Carolina to South Carolina, Florida to South Carolina, Georgia to South Carolina, New York to South Carolina, Virginia to South Carolina and Pennsylvania to South Carolina.
Living in South Carolina: costs, taxes and risk
Of the 51 (the 50 states and D.C.), South Carolina is in the best 10 for property tax rate, and not in the worst 10 on any.
- Median rent
- $1,272/mo U.S. $1,487
- Cost to own the median home
- $1,814/mo U.S. $2,298
- Take-home on $100,000
- $74,936 $143 less than in the median state
- Property tax (effective)
- 0.45% median $1,337/yr
- FEMA risk score
- 87.1 of 100 Among the highest of U.S. counties
- Moved in from other states
- 99,779 households, IRS 2022–2023
Pros and cons of living in South Carolina
How South Carolina ranks among all 51 (the 50 states and D.C.) on 11 measures of costs, taxes, risk and income. Top 10 means among the 10 best for someone moving in, Bottom 10 among the 10 worst.
Where South Carolina ranks best
- Top 10 Lowest property tax rate: 0.45% of home value a year, tied with 1 other state for 5th lowest.
Where South Carolina ranks worst
South Carolina is not in the worst 10 on any of these measures. Its weakest is household income, 13th lowest of 51.
Measures: state income tax, overall prices, rent, cost to own a home, property tax rate, homeowners insurance, electric bills, car insurance, health premiums, natural hazard risk, household income. State income tax is for a single filer earning $100,000 under 2026 rules, including the average county income tax in Indiana and Maryland. Ties share a rank.
Where new South Carolina residents come from
In the latest IRS migration data (2022–2023), 99,779 households filed their taxes in South Carolina after filing in another state the year before. North Carolina sent the most, 18,026 households (18% of the total). South Carolina gained a net 29,214 households from other states that year.
Five-year trend
Moves to South Carolina from other states peaked in 2021–22 at 101,296 households, then held roughly steady to 99,779 in 2022–23, up 26% from 2018–19. South Carolina gained households from other states on net in all five years.
IRS SOI state-to-state migration files, tax years 2018–19 to 2022–23. Net gain or loss by year: 2018–19 +19,456, 2019–20 +24,917, 2020–21 +29,981, 2021–22 +32,927, 2022–23 +29,214.
Cost of living in South Carolina vs the U.S.
Overall prices in South Carolina are 6.3% below the U.S. average, 19th cheapest of 51. The widest gap is in housing (80.5), 19% below the U.S. level.
The vertical line marks the U.S. average (100). BEA Regional Price Parities 2024.
- Average electric bill
- $150/mo U.S. $142
- Car insurance, per car
- $1,367/yr U.S. $1,282
- Health plan, age 40
- $564/mo U.S. $625
EIA 2024 average residential bills, NAIC 2023 average auto insurance expenditure, KFF 2026 benchmark silver Marketplace premium before subsidies.
Taxes in South Carolina: take-home pay at three incomes
South Carolina taxes wages. Here is what a single filer keeps after 2026 federal and state taxes, compared with the middle of all 51.
| Salary | SC income tax | Take-home | vs. median state |
|---|---|---|---|
| $50,000 | $1,000 | $41,355 | +$577 |
| $100,000 | $4,244 | $74,936 | -$143 |
| $150,000 | $6,849 | $106,942 | -$645 |
Single filer, 2026 tax rules, standard deduction. Take-home is after federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare and South Carolina income taxes. "vs. median state" is the difference from the median take-home of all 51 at the same salary. For married filing jointly, change the filing status in the calculator above.
The statewide sales tax rate is 6% before any local sales taxes. Homeowners pay a median $1,337 a year in property tax, 0.45% of the median home value (property tax by county). Retiring? See how South Carolina taxes Social Security and pensions. Moving mid-year? Read about taxes the year you move.
Cities in South Carolina: where a paycheck goes furthest
Of the 6 South Carolina metro areas we cover, Spartanburg is the best value: about $70,600 there buys what $75,000 buys in an average-priced area with no state income tax. Charleston takes the most, $80,100.
| Metro area | Salary to match $75k | Price level | Median rent | Median home |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spartanburg | $70,600 | 91.1 | $1,139 | $257,800 |
| Greenville | $72,700 | 93.3 | $1,236 | $300,400 |
| Myrtle Beach | $73,000 | 93.6 | $1,433 | $325,300 |
| Columbia | $73,100 | 93.7 | $1,257 | $270,400 |
| Hilton Head Island | $77,200 | 98.0 | $1,903 | $511,100 |
| Charleston | $80,100 | 101.0 | $1,714 | $430,300 |
Salary to match $75k: the pay that leaves the same after-tax, price-adjusted income as $75,000 in an area at U.S. average prices with no state income tax, single filer, including the principal city's own income tax where it has one. BEA 2024 price levels (U.S. = 100) and Census ACS 2024 rent and home values for each metro area.
Parts of South Carolina also belong to the Charlotte and Augusta metro areas, which are centered outside South Carolina.
Housing and home insurance in South Carolina
| Measure | South Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|
| Median rent (monthly) | $1,272 | $1,487 |
| Median home value | $299,500 | $360,600 |
| Monthly cost to own the median home (20% down) | $1,814 | $2,298 |
| Income needed to buy the median home | $77,726 | $98,486 |
| Median property tax (yearly) | $1,337 | $3,211 |
| Homeowners insurance (yearly median, homes with a mortgage) | $1,394 | $1,450 |
Census ACS 2024 rent, home value and property tax, and ACS 2024 homeowners insurance. Cost to own: principal and interest at the Freddie Mac 30-year average (6.95%) with 20% down, plus the median property tax and the median homeowners insurance paid by owners with a mortgage. Premiums have risen since 2024, especially in high-risk areas, so get quotes. See buying a home in South Carolina for other down payments.
Natural disaster risk in South Carolina
South Carolina's population-weighted score on FEMA's National Risk Index is 87.1 of 100, among the highest of U.S. counties and 35th safest of 51. Expected losses from natural hazards average about $584 per resident a year, and about 23% of residents live in counties FEMA rates relatively high or very high.
The vertical line marks the middle of U.S. counties (50).
See disaster risk for every South Carolina county and how to check a home's risk before you move.
Frequently asked questions
Where do people moving to South Carolina come from?
In IRS migration data for 2022–2023, 99,779 households moved to South Carolina from other states. The most came from North Carolina (18,026 households), Florida (9,651) and Georgia (9,309).
What are the pros and cons of living in South Carolina?
Where South Carolina ranks best among the 50 states and D.C.: lowest property tax rate, tied with 1 other state for 5th lowest. It is not in the worst 10 on any of them; its weakest is household income, 13th lowest of 51.
Is South Carolina expensive to live in?
Overall prices in South Carolina are 6.3% below the U.S. average (BEA price level 93.7, 2024), 19th cheapest of 51. Median rent is $1,272 a month and the median home is worth $299,500.
How long do I have to get a South Carolina driver license after moving?
45 days after becoming a resident. Within 45 days of moving; surrender out-of-state license, pass a vision test, 8-year license $25.
How long do I have to register my car in South Carolina?
45 days. Pay county vehicle property tax first, then title/register at SCDMV; late-registration penalties start at day 46. No state safety or emissions inspection.
Do new residents pay tax on a car brought to South Carolina?
One-time $250 Infrastructure Maintenance Fee per vehicle previously registered in another state (instead of the 5% fee, capped at $500, on purchases), plus county property tax. SCDMV puts the total at about $305 for a typical car ($250 fee, $15 title and $40 registration).
What makes me a South Carolina resident?
Applies once you move to South Carolina permanently; proof of SC address required.