South Carolina · 66 places of 5,000+
Fastest-growing cities in South Carolina, 2020 to 2024
Short answer
- Fastest
- +79.3%
- Growing
- 52
- Shrinking
- 14
The 20 fastest-growing
Hardeeville grew fastest, from 7,733 in July 2020 to 13,862 in July 2024, +79.3%. It is the 34th largest of the 66 places ranked. 52 places grew and 14 shrank or held flat; the median change was +4.8%.
By raw numbers the biggest gain was in Fort Mill, +11,040 people. At the other end, Bennettsville changed by -4.9%. Growth is measured between the July 2020 and July 2024 estimates for places with 5,000 or more residents in 2024, so fast growth from a small base can outrank larger absolute gains.
- 01Hardeeville+79.3%
- 02Fort Mill+43.8%
- 03Blythewood+38.5%
- 04Moncks Corner+36.6%
- 05Fountain Inn+31.1%
- 06Greer+29.3%
- 07Bluffton+27.6%
- 08Mauldin+20.0%
- 09Woodruff+19.7%
- 10Simpsonville+18.9%
- 11Conway+17.8%
- 12Easley+17.2%
- 13York+14.9%
- 14Travelers Rest+14.6%
- 15Camden+14.0%
- 16Port Royal+13.2%
- 17Myrtle Beach+12.7%
- 18Lyman+11.8%
- 19Clover+11.5%
- 20Tega Cay+11.0%
Dots: the 20 places in the chart. Orange pin: Hardeeville, ranked first.
All 66 places of 5,000+ ranked
| # | Place | 2024 | Since 2020 | County |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hardeeville | 13,862 | +79.3% | Jasper County +1 |
| 2 | Fort Mill | 36,244 | +43.8% | York County |
| 3 | Blythewood | 6,733 | +38.5% | Richland County +1 |
| 4 | Moncks Corner | 18,359 | +36.6% | Berkeley County |
| 5 | Fountain Inn | 13,786 | +31.1% | Greenville County +1 |
| 6 | Greer | 46,316 | +29.3% | Greenville County +1 |
| 7 | Bluffton | 36,146 | +27.6% | Beaufort County |
| 8 | Mauldin | 29,746 | +20.0% | Greenville County |
| 9 | Woodruff | 5,072 | +19.7% | Spartanburg County |
| 10 | Simpsonville | 28,078 | +18.9% | Greenville County |
| 11 | Conway | 29,656 | +17.8% | Horry County |
| 12 | Easley | 27,001 | +17.2% | Pickens County +1 |
| 13 | York | 9,830 | +14.9% | York County |
| 14 | Travelers Rest | 8,960 | +14.6% | Greenville County |
| 15 | Camden | 8,899 | +14.0% | Kershaw County |
| 16 | Port Royal | 16,507 | +13.2% | Beaufort County |
| 17 | Myrtle Beach | 40,535 | +12.7% | Horry County |
| 18 | Lyman | 6,939 | +11.8% | Spartanburg County |
| 19 | Clover | 7,558 | +11.5% | York County |
| 20 | Tega Cay | 14,294 | +11.0% | York County |
| 21 | Lancaster | 9,396 | +10.2% | Lancaster County |
| 22 | North Myrtle Beach | 20,798 | +9.9% | Horry County |
| 23 | North Charleston | 126,005 | +9.0% | Charleston County +1 |
| 24 | Goose Creek | 50,352 | +8.8% | Berkeley County |
| 25 | North Augusta | 26,395 | +7.8% | Aiken County +1 |
| 26 | Lexington | 25,354 | +7.2% | Lexington County |
| 27 | Hanahan | 21,983 | +6.8% | Berkeley County |
| 28 | Columbia | 144,788 | +6.3% | Richland County +1 |
| 29 | Georgetown | 8,821 | +5.2% | Georgetown County |
| 30 | Beaufort | 14,334 | +5.2% | Beaufort County |
| 31 | Irmo | 12,086 | +5.2% | Richland County +1 |
| 32 | West Columbia | 18,418 | +5.1% | Lexington County |
| 33 | Anderson | 30,937 | +5.0% | Anderson County |
| 34 | Clemson | 18,610 | +4.8% | Pickens County +1 |
| 35 | Mount Pleasant | 95,604 | +4.8% | Charleston County |
| 36 | Charleston | 157,665 | +4.4% | Charleston County +1 |
| 37 | Greenville | 74,371 | +4.1% | Greenville County |
| 38 | Hollywood | 5,503 | +3.9% | Charleston County |
| 39 | Seneca | 9,202 | +3.9% | Oconee County |
| 40 | James Island | 12,451 | +3.6% | Charleston County |
| 41 | Summerville | 52,625 | +3.3% | Dorchester County +2 |
| 42 | Clinton | 7,852 | +3.0% | Laurens County |
| 43 | Spartanburg | 39,606 | +2.6% | Spartanburg County |
| 44 | Florence | 40,923 | +2.1% | Florence County |
| 45 | Aiken | 32,694 | +1.7% | Aiken County |
| 46 | Newberry | 10,874 | +1.7% | Newberry County |
| 47 | Rock Hill | 75,798 | +1.5% | York County |
| 48 | Hilton Head Island | 38,158 | +1.5% | Beaufort County |
| 49 | Orangeburg | 13,378 | +1.5% | Orangeburg County |
| 50 | Central | 5,339 | +1.3% | Pickens County |
| 51 | Batesburg-Leesville | 5,321 | +1.0% | Lexington County +1 |
| 52 | Greenwood | 22,667 | +0.5% | Greenwood County |
| 53 | Laurens | 9,352 | -0.1% | Laurens County |
| 54 | Walterboro | 5,488 | -0.3% | Colleton County |
| 55 | Chester | 5,230 | -0.8% | Chester County |
| 56 | Cayce | 13,645 | -0.8% | Lexington County +1 |
| 57 | Hartsville | 7,360 | -1.0% | Darlington County |
| 58 | Sumter | 42,958 | -1.1% | Sumter County |
| 59 | Gaffney | 12,546 | -1.5% | Cherokee County |
| 60 | Forest Acres | 10,438 | -1.7% | Richland County |
| 61 | Lake City | 5,916 | -1.9% | Florence County |
| 62 | Darlington | 6,045 | -2.3% | Darlington County |
| 63 | Union | 7,988 | -2.8% | Union County |
| 64 | Dillon | 6,244 | -4.0% | Dillon County |
| 65 | Marion | 6,068 | -4.7% | Marion County |
| 66 | Bennettsville | 7,595 | -4.9% | Marlboro County |
Questions people ask
What is the fastest-growing city in South Carolina?
Hardeeville, up 79.3% from July 2020 to July 2024 among places of 5,000+, to 13,862 residents.
Which South Carolina city added the most people?
Fort Mill, which gained 11,040 residents from July 2020 to July 2024.
How many South Carolina cities are shrinking?
14 of 66 places of 5,000+ had the same or fewer residents in July 2024 than in July 2020.
Why use places of 5,000 or more?
Small towns can swing by double-digit percentages from a few new homes, and Census estimates for them carry more uncertainty. The 5,000 floor keeps the ranking to places where a percentage means something.
Sources and data as of
Data as of: Census Vintage 2024 population estimates, 2024 Gazetteer land area and internal points, SAIPE 2023 median household income.
How every number is computed: methodology. Spotted a wrong figure? Report an error.