South Carolina · 66 places of 5,000+
Largest cities in South Carolina by population
Short answer
- Largest
- 157,665
- Places 5,000+
- 66
- 100,000+
- 3
The 20 largest
Charleston leads with 157,665 residents, 1.1 times the 144,788 of second-place Columbia. The ten largest places hold 866,482 people, 16% of the state's 5,478,831. 3 places have 100,000 or more.
The median place of 5,000+ is Hardeeville at 13,862. Within the top ten, Greer grew most since July 2020 (+29.3%) and Sumter least (-1.1%). 14 of the 66 places cross a county line; their totals include every county part.
- 01Charleston157,665
- 02Columbia144,788
- 03North Charleston126,005
- 04Mount Pleasant95,604
- 05Rock Hill75,798
- 06Greenville74,371
- 07Summerville52,625
- 08Goose Creek50,352
- 09Greer46,316
- 10Sumter42,958
- 11Florence40,923
- 12Myrtle Beach40,535
- 13Spartanburg39,606
- 14Hilton Head Island38,158
- 15Fort Mill36,244
- 16Bluffton36,146
- 17Aiken32,694
- 18Anderson30,937
- 19Mauldin29,746
- 20Conway29,656
Dots: the 20 places in the chart. Orange pin: Charleston, ranked first.
All 66 places of 5,000+ ranked
| # | Place | 2024 | Since 2020 | County |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Charleston | 157,665 | +4.4% | Charleston County +1 |
| 2 | Columbia | 144,788 | +6.3% | Richland County +1 |
| 3 | North Charleston | 126,005 | +9.0% | Charleston County +1 |
| 4 | Mount Pleasant | 95,604 | +4.8% | Charleston County |
| 5 | Rock Hill | 75,798 | +1.5% | York County |
| 6 | Greenville | 74,371 | +4.1% | Greenville County |
| 7 | Summerville | 52,625 | +3.3% | Dorchester County +2 |
| 8 | Goose Creek | 50,352 | +8.8% | Berkeley County |
| 9 | Greer | 46,316 | +29.3% | Greenville County +1 |
| 10 | Sumter | 42,958 | -1.1% | Sumter County |
| 11 | Florence | 40,923 | +2.1% | Florence County |
| 12 | Myrtle Beach | 40,535 | +12.7% | Horry County |
| 13 | Spartanburg | 39,606 | +2.6% | Spartanburg County |
| 14 | Hilton Head Island | 38,158 | +1.5% | Beaufort County |
| 15 | Fort Mill | 36,244 | +43.8% | York County |
| 16 | Bluffton | 36,146 | +27.6% | Beaufort County |
| 17 | Aiken | 32,694 | +1.7% | Aiken County |
| 18 | Anderson | 30,937 | +5.0% | Anderson County |
| 19 | Mauldin | 29,746 | +20.0% | Greenville County |
| 20 | Conway | 29,656 | +17.8% | Horry County |
| 21 | Simpsonville | 28,078 | +18.9% | Greenville County |
| 22 | Easley | 27,001 | +17.2% | Pickens County +1 |
| 23 | North Augusta | 26,395 | +7.8% | Aiken County +1 |
| 24 | Lexington | 25,354 | +7.2% | Lexington County |
| 25 | Greenwood | 22,667 | +0.5% | Greenwood County |
| 26 | Hanahan | 21,983 | +6.8% | Berkeley County |
| 27 | North Myrtle Beach | 20,798 | +9.9% | Horry County |
| 28 | Clemson | 18,610 | +4.8% | Pickens County +1 |
| 29 | West Columbia | 18,418 | +5.1% | Lexington County |
| 30 | Moncks Corner | 18,359 | +36.6% | Berkeley County |
| 31 | Port Royal | 16,507 | +13.2% | Beaufort County |
| 32 | Beaufort | 14,334 | +5.2% | Beaufort County |
| 33 | Tega Cay | 14,294 | +11.0% | York County |
| 34 | Hardeeville | 13,862 | +79.3% | Jasper County +1 |
| 35 | Fountain Inn | 13,786 | +31.1% | Greenville County +1 |
| 36 | Cayce | 13,645 | -0.8% | Lexington County +1 |
| 37 | Orangeburg | 13,378 | +1.5% | Orangeburg County |
| 38 | Gaffney | 12,546 | -1.5% | Cherokee County |
| 39 | James Island | 12,451 | +3.6% | Charleston County |
| 40 | Irmo | 12,086 | +5.2% | Richland County +1 |
| 41 | Newberry | 10,874 | +1.7% | Newberry County |
| 42 | Forest Acres | 10,438 | -1.7% | Richland County |
| 43 | York | 9,830 | +14.9% | York County |
| 44 | Lancaster | 9,396 | +10.2% | Lancaster County |
| 45 | Laurens | 9,352 | -0.1% | Laurens County |
| 46 | Seneca | 9,202 | +3.9% | Oconee County |
| 47 | Travelers Rest | 8,960 | +14.6% | Greenville County |
| 48 | Camden | 8,899 | +14.0% | Kershaw County |
| 49 | Georgetown | 8,821 | +5.2% | Georgetown County |
| 50 | Union | 7,988 | -2.8% | Union County |
| 51 | Clinton | 7,852 | +3.0% | Laurens County |
| 52 | Bennettsville | 7,595 | -4.9% | Marlboro County |
| 53 | Clover | 7,558 | +11.5% | York County |
| 54 | Hartsville | 7,360 | -1.0% | Darlington County |
| 55 | Lyman | 6,939 | +11.8% | Spartanburg County |
| 56 | Blythewood | 6,733 | +38.5% | Richland County +1 |
| 57 | Dillon | 6,244 | -4.0% | Dillon County |
| 58 | Marion | 6,068 | -4.7% | Marion County |
| 59 | Darlington | 6,045 | -2.3% | Darlington County |
| 60 | Lake City | 5,916 | -1.9% | Florence County |
| 61 | Hollywood | 5,503 | +3.9% | Charleston County |
| 62 | Walterboro | 5,488 | -0.3% | Colleton County |
| 63 | Central | 5,339 | +1.3% | Pickens County |
| 64 | Batesburg-Leesville | 5,321 | +1.0% | Lexington County +1 |
| 65 | Chester | 5,230 | -0.8% | Chester County |
| 66 | Woodruff | 5,072 | +19.7% | Spartanburg County |
Questions people ask
What is the largest city in South Carolina?
Charleston, with 157,665 residents on July 1, 2024 in the Census Vintage 2024 estimates.
What is the second largest city in South Carolina?
Columbia, with 144,788 residents, 12,877 fewer than Charleston.
How many cities in South Carolina have more than 100,000 people?
3: Charleston, Columbia, North Charleston.
How is city size measured here?
By the Census Bureau's July 1, 2024 population estimate for each incorporated place, inside its legal city limits. Metro areas and census-designated places are not ranked.
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.