North Carolina vs South Carolina | Pros and Cons 2024

North Carolina vs South Carolina | Pros and Cons 2024

Are you considering relocating and wondering what the difference is between North Carolina and South Carolina and which would be the better area for you and your family? I was in the same situation six years ago when my family and I decided to relocate from California and ultimately decided on North Carolina.

And spoiler alert, we absolutely love that we chose North Carolina over South Carolina and I'll be telling you more about why as we move forward.

So jumping into a little history, North and South Carolina were one colony. The province of Carolina was a province of the Kingdom of England and later the Kingdom of Great Britain. As the Carolinas grew, it became too much to manage. And they decided to split them out in 1712 and became North Carolina and South Carolina.

Now, there are some similarities and differences between the two, and I'll be spotlighting them in this video to help you determine. Which state would you prefer to call home when it comes to the population? North Carolina has just under 11 million people, while South Carolina has around 5. 3 million residents. Now, while that may seem like a big difference, We'll explore more of the reasons why North Carolina is so much more populated than its sibling, South Carolina.

When it comes to cost of living, you'll find they have similar cost factors in North Carolina. It's 91 percent and in South Carolina it's 89. 3 percent versus the national average according to bestplaces. net. Now I love this website as you can go into their cost calculator And type in where you live versus where you want to move.

Add your income, and it will calculate how much income you need to make in your new state. Compare your current cost to the new state cost. For us, we saved over 41 percent overall on the cost of living and 53 percent on home costs. I'd encourage you to go to the cost calculator and let me know in the comments below how much you'd save moving from your current state to the state you're considering relocating to.

And speaking of housing, this is where you'll start to notice a slight difference between North Carolina and South Carolina. In North Carolina, the median price point is approximately 362, 100 compared to South Carolina's median price point of 360, 000. As of the last quarter of 2023, you'll notice with the higher population density, there are more cities, which is where it's going to typically cost more money to live versus the more rural areas.

And in researching these home prices, depending where you decide to relocate in North Carolina in particular, Since this is where I live, you will find it costs more than these averages around, say, Raleigh, North Carolina, or even Charlotte, North Carolina, which is around a medium price point of 420, 000.

Again, depending on a few factors, from location to the type of home that you're looking to buy and the lifestyle that you want to live, You can find homes anywhere from the low 300, 000 all the way up to multi million dollar homes. When it comes to retirement age, in 1993, North Carolina had a population of those 65 and older around 16 percent, while South Carolina had just under 18 percent of its population.

65 and older now, I was curious how that differed from Florida as I know it's a popular retirement destination and florida came in at just over 20 percent of its population of those 65 and older so in both North Carolina and South Carolina, We're right up there with the top states to consider when retiring.

And if you're looking for more information on moving to North Carolina as a retiree, definitely check out one of my other videos regarding relocating and retiring in North Carolina. A few of the biggest reasons we've seen an increase in this particular population is a combination of our location, four seasons, and mild winters.

Good taxes and, lower cost of living and lower housing. We've seen a high population increase, especially for both Californians and New Yorkers moving into this area. Again, because of the lower cost of living, proximity to amenities, work life balance, and the size of home. And many times, even the lot size that you can get for your money.

In comparison to these other states is huge when it comes to job markets for both north carolina and south carolina You're going to find that both of them have higher levels of employment Versus the rest of the country and both states have a lower cost of living than the rest of the country currently Unemployment rate in north carolina is 3.

3 While south carolina is 3. 3 slightly lower at just under 3 percent where the national average is sitting around 3. 7%. Now if we dial that down to two of our largest cities in North Carolina, which are going to be Charlotte and Raleigh, we are known for our banking, biotech, and IT jobs. And are known to have one of the hottest job markets in the country.

The Raleigh Durham area is also known for the Research Triangle Park. We have top employers there like IBM, SaaS, Cisco, Apple, Amazon, Fidelity, and more. As well as our top ranked colleges and hospitals from Duke University, UNC, and Wake Med. And even South Carolina has one of the fastest growing job markets in America.

The two largest cities are Charleston and Columbia, which continue to run hot, and businesses and workers are thriving, according to the South Carolina Department of Employment and Workforce. And in the next decade or so, Job growth is expected to continue anywhere from 33 percent in Charleston To 44 percent in the charlotte and Raleigh areas So while south Carolina is still a bit behind the charlotte and Raleigh areas Both places have a viable job market that is going to continue to grow and thrive But if you look at the top best places to live in America charlotte ranks in the top eight While Raleigh tops the charts coming in at third now, let's switch over and talk about education This was one of the driving factors for my family to choose north Carolina and is a top question I get from anyone moving into the area And that's how's the schools schools are very important to both parents and those considering higher education and attending college when it comes to schools North Carolina ranks 32nd overall and if we dial that down To the triangle area, which is the Raleigh Durham chapel hill area You'll find both wake county and chapel hill Carl borough areas are ranked in the top best as well as Just outside of Charlotte area and when it comes to schools, South Carolina ranks 42nd and is listed as having a low spending and weak school system, according to wallet hub dot com.

And if you dial it in even further. In South Carolina, both Greenville County and Horry County, schools ranked in the top 80 percent of districts receiving an excellent or good rating. So if schools are important to you in either North Carolina or South Carolina, it may be worth checking more into these counties.

Now, when it comes to higher education colleges, I know when I was young, I grew up in California, and we had access to top colleges like UCLA, USC, Berkeley, and Stanford. Once, I had a family of my own and was looking to relocate to another state. Colleges across the country have become more important to us.

After researching North Carolina, we found this state had some of the most state run colleges. system. One thing you'll notice is there's a large amount of colleges located within the Triangle area, which is Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill, home to one of the most prestigious colleges in the world, like Duke University and other top ranking colleges like UNC Chapel Hill, NC State, and Meredith.

Just to name a few. And a bit further up to the north, northwest, we have Appalachian State University and UNC Charlotte. And down in the east, we have ECU, home of the Pirates. Or you can head all the way to the coast to UNC Wilmington. There really are a ton of options when it comes to higher education.

Which brings me to a fun fact. And that is 54 percent of North Carolinians hold a college degree of at least a bachelor's. And the Triangle area has the fourth highest concentration of PhDs in the U. S. So if higher education is important to you, you may want to look further into the Raleigh Durham Chapel Hill Triangle area.

Switching gears to South Carolina. There are also some great top ranking college options like Clemson University with Clemson Tigers, University of South Carolina known as the Gamecocks, Furman University, Presbyterian, and the Citadel Military College of South Carolina. There are private colleges and also trade colleges.

Across the board, all of these higher levels of education are fantastic options. Especially across the country, all of their rating scores, both in academics and sports, are in the top rankings in comparison to the rest of the country. So when it comes to higher education, even though I'm partial to colleges in North Carolina, both states have some fabulous choices, depending on what sings to your heart.

When it comes to the landscape and outdoors, both are absolutely beautiful. If you're looking for lake living, North Carolina has some great options. We actually have 22 natural lakes. One of the top lakes here is Lake Norman, which is considered the biggest man made lake in the East Coast. It's over 33 miles long.

and nine miles wide with over 522 miles of shoreline. It's located just 20 minutes North of downtown Charlotte. Many people that choose to live at the lake feel like they're on a vacation as they can still commute to work in less than 30 minutes. Then we have Jordan Lake, which is a 14, 000 acre lake located just 30 miles West of downtown Raleigh, where you can boat, swim, and even camp.

Lastly, there's Lake Lure, which has the perfect view of the Blue Ridge Mountains and is famously known for its role in the hit movie Dirty Dancing. Here you can venture in River Raft, Water Ski, or explore many of the small towns that surround the lake. Now, switching to South Carolina, there are also 22 natural lakes.

Now, I don't mean to be biased, but But, based on the non fun fact that South Carolina has more than 100, 000 alligators in the state's lakes and waterways, with Lake Marion home to at least 100 of those alligators, I am not going to highlight any top favorite lakes in South Carolina. You cannot get me to vote anywhere in South Carolina Lake.

Nope. Not me. While North Carolina does have some alligators in some areas far away from where we live, they are known to be seen from coastal North Carolina to southern Florida, and they do inhibit the swamps and shores of North Carolina from Brunswick to And new Hanover counties if you're looking for the mountains, North Carolina wins hands down as it's about a quarter of the state Is covered in mountainous terrain whether it be the hill country all the way up to places like mount Mitchell which is the highest point on the east coast.

North Carolina has some of the best options in towns to enjoy the mountains like Lake Boone as well as Asheville. There's also other mountainous cities that are continuing to grow and offer great job opportunities. In fact, Asheville, North Carolina is ranked as the eighth in the nation for small city growth.

In the next decade, there's plenty of places that are set for growth and building when it comes to residential homes. Over the next decade, the challenge will be the lack of infrastructure keeping up with all of this growth. The mountains offer some amazing trails to hike or even mountain bike. River rafting winter snow and skiing or inner tubing, which is one of my family favorite activities Right next to ziplining now if you take a look at south Carolina while they do have mountains They are up the Northwestern portion of South Carolina and their mountains aren't quite as tall as North Carolina's mountains.

Now, personally, I don't think South Carolina mountains offer as much fun or as much variety as our mountains here in North Carolina. Now, earlier, we had talked a bit about population and the fact that North Carolina is It's double the size of South Carolina. So what you'll find is a higher population density in certain towns and cities in North Carolina.

Which again, can be a pro or a con, depending on the lifestyle you're looking to live. So if you're wanting more of a city feel, or even live in one of the more rural and smaller towns, but still close enough to enjoy the city life, North Carolina has a lot more opportunities. South Carolina does have cities, but they are fewer and far between.

If you're looking for something a bit more quiet and rural, South Carolina might be a better option. In North Carolina, we have bigger cities like Charlotte, Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill, just the triangle Asheville. And then to the east. There's Greensboro, and you'll also find large areas when it comes to bases like Fayetteville, which is a large hub for the military.

There's been a lot of growth and development there. And of course, we can't forget about Wilmington. Wilmington is actually one of the largest port cities on the East Coast. So, as far as North Carolina goes, there's a lot of larger cities to choose from with many suburbs and smaller towns surrounding. If we jump over to South Carolina, the cities are going to be Columbia, which is an hour and a half away.

South of Charlotte, as well as Charleston. Now, Charleston is a gorgeous historic city. It's one of my favorite places to visit, and if you're a foodie like me, hands down, it's the place to go. We make it a point to visit every single year, at least once. Since we've lived here now in saying that I wouldn't want to live there between the high housing prices Flooding issues and being one of the most haunted cities in the country I'll just stick to visiting if those three things don't make you flinch Then it's a beautiful city and lifestyle to live some of the major cities in south Carolina are going to be Greenville Spartanburg area where it's a little more mountainous Greenville has definitely been a hot spot in the real estate market and last year in 2023 saw a 33 percent increase in housing prices.

When it comes to beaches, I'm sure you probably already guessed it, North Carolina wins. Why? Well, based on the availability of how much beach is actually able to be seen and touched, North Carolina has some of the largest coastlines available on the East Coast. We have beautiful beach towns from Wilmington to the beloved Outer Banks, known for its stunning beaches and clear water, which everyone seems to know even before the popular TV show was named after it.

But the Outer Banks are interconnected barrier islands on the east coast of North Carolina. that make up a large amount of shoreline that you can enjoy year round. Now a fun fact, you can actually ride the entire coastline of the Outer Banks Which is approximately 200 miles and it would take you five to six hours and two ferry rides So if you're up to the adventure, just plan a full day Our favorite place is duck and corolla where you can see all the wild horses It's definitely a great place to explore when it comes to beaches in south Carolina There are a lot of public beaches, but they tend to be on the southern coast smaller side and a little difficult to get to.

One of the popular ones people in North Carolina will frequently drive to is Myrtle Beach. It has more of a hotel style vibe personally to me. Other popular beaches in South Carolina are Litchfield Beach or Hilton Head which was the first beach in South Carolina I ever visited. I love the historical tour that we went on.

Charleston, South Carolina also has a lot more culture and great food. Switching back to North Carolina, not only does it have a major city, Wilmington on the coast, but also has several islands and beaches all along the North Carolina border from Emerald Isle, Atlantic Beach to to other barrier islands like Oak Island, Ocean Island, Holton Beach.

So if you're looking for an opportunity for beachfront property or just to go visit for vacation, check out the North Carolina beaches. You can also rent properties from hotels to renting condos or even beach houses that line the beach through places like an Airbnb or VRBO, as well as other vacation rental property companies.

Whereas in South Carolina, it's much more common for you to find hotels or condos for rent on the beach than in North Carolina. And if you're like us and grew up surfing the waves, you'll love the fact North Carolina actually has beaches with surfable waves, like we did in California. The Outer Banks are known to have the largest waves on the East Coast of the United States, which attracts surfers from all over the world.

Some of the best surf spots are Topsail Island, Surf City, Holden Beach, Ocean Isle, Carolina Beach, and even where we have a beach house in Emerald Isle, near Atlantic Beach, which is a hot spot to catch some waves. You'll also notice the waters here are warmer than the west coast and temperatures stay warm and, sometimes, All the way into the fall so you can stay out a bit longer here. So in my personal opinion, no matter what beach you like both states have some great options But north Carolina definitely takes the win when it comes to climate both can be pretty pretty Similar, which isn't surprising.

They are right next to each other. However, there are some slight differences When it comes to humidity, they are both just over 82 percent humidity Whereas if you live on the west coast say, California like we did the humidity level is only 68 percent So when it comes to rain, North Carolina gets an average rainfall of 45 inches and South Carolina, just slightly more at 48 inches.

Again, if I compare that to California, California gets anywhere from 12 to 24 inches, depending on where you live. Lastly, when it comes to snow, North Carolina averages five inches, and narrowing it down to the Raleigh area, we can see up to six inches. But in the last six years that we've lived here, it's really only snowed twice where it's actually stuck.

In comparison to South Carolina, that sees around two to five inches, which it being is mostly in Greenville, Spartanburg, and Anderson areas. This is great if you don't want winters heavy with snow. Again, coming from the state of California, which gets an average of 205 inches per year, that's a pretty drastic change.

And if you do love snow, we aren't too far of a drive or a quick flight to enjoy some fresh powder. When it comes to professional sports, I don't think there's really a comparison. With North Carolina, aside from some great college teams from our top colleges we have, we have everything from professional NBA sports to Charlotte Hornets to the NFL team Carolina Panthers to NHL, Carolina Hurricanes, and even plenty of minor league baseball teams from the Durham Bulls.

To the Charlotte Knights and more. Now, if we set professional teams aside and narrow it down to college, then some might say that South Carolina wins in the sports arena with the Carolina Gamecocks. from the University of South Carolina. And if you're into football, Clemson has some of the best football teams year after year.

Now, I will tell you, no matter what side you're on, when it comes to college sports, people are serious about their teams. And no matter who you're rooting for, we can still be friends. But I will tell you, my heart does bleed blue for the Tar Heel as I'm a Tar Heel fan. When it comes to Southern charm and historic towns, I'm Both North Carolina and South Carolina states have some amazing historical cities.

You can go to and visit based on the fact that North Carolina is a lot larger. You're going to find more historic towns and cities throughout the state. However, my personal opinion and my favorite historic town is going to be South Carolina, and that's none other than Charleston, South Carolina. I know I mentioned this town earlier. It has some absolutely beautiful plantations and homes not only in the city But just outside as well where you can also go on tours. Now, I'm a huge history nerd and love exploring and visiting historical areas in North Carolina. There are some interesting historical areas to explore.

There's Brevard Brevard, Asheville Ufort, New Bern, Wilmington, Hillsboro. Old Salem and even Mount Area. There's also some great walking tours or you can do your own self guided tours. And if you love ghost tours, you know, you won't find me there. But many of the historical towns offer some amazing ghost tours from what I've heard.

Switching over to South Carolina, There are some great historic towns. Of course, Charleston is at the top of the list. And then there's also Beaufort and Buffington, or is it Bluffton? These towns are absolutely beautiful and make the perfect weekend getaway. So when it comes to southern charm and historical towns, You're gonna find both states have amazing places to explore, as well as very sweet and welcoming locals the South is known for.

When it comes to taxes, this is a big question we get asked a lot between property taxes and personal tax benefits, especially when people are considering relocating and retiring and want a tax-friendly state. When it comes to state taxes and taxes for retirees, there is a difference. North Carolina ranks 29th in the U.S with a state local tax burden of 9. 9 percent and, 32nd state with a property tax rate of 0. 78 percent and a corporate tax that's half of its neighboring sibling South Carolina at 2. 5 percent. Now, if we take a look at South Carolina, it ranks 44th in the U. S. with a state-local tax burden of 8. 9 percent.

And ranks 44th state with a property tax rate of 0. 53 Now neither state has social security tax, which is pretty helpful And good news both states actually have no inheritance tax. So from that aspect, they're about the same now South Carolina has some of the best property taxes for primary residents In the country.

In fact, the average property tax rate in south Carolina is just 0. 52 well below the national average of 0. 99%. North Carolina's property tax rates are still relatively low in comparison to other states, with an average property tax rate of 0. 70%, but still well below the national average. Again, this is based on primary resident status, meaning you're going to live in the home.

Another factor to take into consideration is Is whether or not the property you buy is going to be your primary home to live or if it will be an investment property. Now, why is this important? Well, depending what state and county you are in, the property taxes could be assessed at a higher amount. For example, in South Carolina, If a property is your primary residence, there's a 4 percent tax rate of the assessed value of the property.

Whereas if it's a second home, rental property, or investment type property, then there's a 6 percent tax rate. And depending on what county you're in, that tax rate could be even higher as a nonprimary residence. So, if you're looking to build your investment portfolio, then North Carolina may be the state to lean towards.

But there are other holistic factors that you'll take into consideration as an investor at the end of the day. Just make sure to talk with your real estate agent about your plans and these factors when you're looking for a property, especially in the state of South Carolina and at the end of the day, it depends on which makes the most sense for you and your family. Personally, when my family and I weighed out all of our options, North Carolina was a clear winner for us.

Although we love visiting South Carolina several times a year, our heart is in the northern state. If you found this information helpful, please click the like button below so others like you can find this information as well. If you're considering relocating to the Raleigh area or anywhere surrounding the Raleigh area and looking to purchase a home, we would love to help.

All you have to do is reach out to us at My number is right here on the screen. Whether you want to give me a call, shoot me a text, or send me an email, we would love to chat. Till next time, we'll see y'all later.