Where to move from South Carolina
On a $70,000 salary (about the South Carolina median household income) you keep $55,749 after 2026 taxes. 18 states have lower overall prices, and the biggest gain in buying power (+10.2%) comes from moving to South Dakota.
Buying power by destination
Every state ranked for someone leaving South Carolina
The ranking starts at about South Carolina's median household income. Enter your own salary and filing status to re-rank every state for you.
At a salary of $70,000, filing single, the biggest gain in buying power (+10.2%) comes from moving to South Dakota.
| Move to | Buying power | Take-home change | Rent / mo | Equal salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Dakota | +10.2% | +$2,326 | $999 | $62,900 |
| North Dakota | +9.5% | +$2,220 | $980 | $63,200 |
| Mississippi | +8.2% | +$258 | $990 | $64,000 |
| Arkansas | +8.1% | +$131 | $982 | $64,100 |
| Louisiana | +7.4% | +$612 | $1,064 | $64,500 |
| Iowa | +7.3% | +$318 | $981 | $64,500 |
| Tennessee | +6.2% | +$2,326 | $1,284 | $65,300 |
| Oklahoma | +6.2% | -$279 | $1,044 | $65,300 |
| Wyoming | +5.3% | +$2,326 | $998 | $65,900 |
| West Virginia | +4.7% | +$9 | $883 | $66,200 |
| Alabama | +4.4% | -$606 | $1,077 | $66,500 |
| Nebraska | +4.0% | +$20 | $1,102 | $66,700 |
| Kentucky | +3.9% | -$7 | $998 | $66,900 |
| Missouri | +3.2% | +$19 | $1,067 | $67,300 |
| Ohio | +3.1% | +$1,176 | $1,090 | $67,500 |
| Kansas | +2.5% | -$781 | $1,079 | $67,900 |
| New Mexico | +2.0% | +$201 | $1,117 | $68,300 |
| Texas | +0.5% | +$2,326 | $1,475 | $69,600 |
| North Carolina | -0.6% | +$41 | $1,338 | $70,500 |
| Wisconsin | -1.0% | -$321 | $1,142 | $70,900 |
| Indiana | -1.1% | -$848 | $1,104 | $70,900 |
| Montana | -1.4% | -$268 | $1,177 | $71,200 |
| Idaho | -2.4% | -$276 | $1,384 | $72,100 |
| Nevada | -2.4% | +$2,326 | $1,709 | $72,000 |
| Michigan | -3.3% | -$398 | $1,168 | $72,900 |
| Georgia | -3.4% | -$419 | $1,506 | $73,000 |
| Pennsylvania | -3.8% | +$128 | $1,252 | $73,300 |
| Vermont | -4.1% | +$166 | $1,319 | $73,800 |
| Alaska | -5.1% | +$2,055 | $1,444 | $74,400 |
| Maine | -5.3% | -$1,071 | $1,210 | $74,800 |
| Arizona | -5.3% | +$978 | $1,672 | $74,700 |
| Florida | -5.6% | +$2,326 | $1,812 | $74,900 |
| Utah | -6.1% | -$496 | $1,593 | $75,600 |
| New Hampshire | -6.3% | +$2,326 | $1,558 | $75,600 |
| Minnesota | -7.0% | -$1,219 | $1,291 | $76,600 |
| Illinois | -8.0% | -$994 | $1,322 | $77,300 |
| Delaware | -8.2% | -$1,233 | $1,530 | $77,700 |
| Virginia | -8.8% | -$885 | $1,646 | $78,200 |
| Rhode Island | -9.1% | -$452 | $1,418 | $78,500 |
| Colorado | -9.7% | -$354 | $1,822 | $79,100 |
| Washington | -10.3% | +$1,355 | $1,824 | $79,500 |
| Connecticut | -11.5% | -$1,199 | $1,550 | $81,100 |
| Massachusetts | -13.5% | -$1,276 | $1,848 | $83,100 |
| Oregon | -14.1% | -$2,878 | $1,597 | $83,900 |
| New Jersey | -14.6% | -$478 | $1,800 | $84,800 |
| Maryland | -14.9% | -$2,603 | $1,721 | $84,900 |
| New York | -15.0% | -$1,160 | $1,634 | $84,900 |
| Washington, DC | -15.9% | -$778 | $1,931 | $86,600 |
| California | -16.8% | -$959 | $2,104 | $88,300 |
| Hawaii | -17.2% | -$1,540 | $1,942 | $88,000 |
Single filer, $70,000 W-2 salary. "Buying power" is after-tax pay adjusted for regional prices, and "Equal salary" is the pay that keeps it the same (see how to work out the salary you need). Weighing a state with no income tax? See what you really save.
Not sure where to go? Take the where-should-I-move quiz to match states to your budget and priorities, or read how to choose a city to move to.
Where South Carolina residents actually move
South Carolina gained households from other states in every one of the last five IRS years.
IRS Statistics of Income migration data, 2022–2023. See national migration.
Everyday costs in South Carolina
- Average electric bill
- $150/mo
- Regular gas
- $4.03/gal
- Insure + fuel one car
- $3,300/yr
- Health plan, age 40
- $564/mo
- Natural hazard risk
- Among the highest (87.1)
EIA 2024 bills, AAA gas, NAIC insurance + 12,000 miles of gas, KFF 2026 benchmark silver before subsidies, FEMA National Risk Index, Census ACS 2024.
Cities in South Carolina
- Cost of living in Greenville
- Cost of living in Columbia
- Cost of living in Charleston
- Cost of living in Myrtle Beach
- Cost of living in Spartanburg
- Cost of living in Hilton Head Island
More about living in South Carolina
Cost of living
Prices and the salary it takes to rent, buy, or live a typical lifestyle in South Carolina.
Buying a home
Income needed and monthly cost of the median South Carolina home.
Retiring in South Carolina
How South Carolina taxes Social Security, pensions and 401(k)s.
Moving to South Carolina
Who moves here, what it costs, and the driver license and registration deadlines.
Moving costs
What it costs to move from South Carolina to every other state.
Car shipping
What it costs to ship a car from South Carolina to every state.
Disaster risk
FEMA risk for South Carolina and every county.
Health insurance
2026 Marketplace premiums in South Carolina by age.
Property tax by county
Effective rates for every South Carolina county.
Frequently asked questions
Where do people from South Carolina move?
The top destinations in IRS data for 2022–2023 were North Carolina (15,305 households), Georgia (8,328 households), Florida (7,188 households).
Is South Carolina gaining or losing residents to other states?
South Carolina had a net gain of 29,214 households to other states in 2022–2023 (IRS).
Which state gives the most buying power if I leave South Carolina?
On a $70,000 salary, South Dakota raises your after-tax, price-adjusted income the most (+10.2%).
Moving to South Carolina instead?
The Moving to South Carolina guide covers where newcomers come from, the cost of living and the first-month deadlines. Reports for the most common moves here are listed below; for any other move, use the calculator.