People are moving to South Carolina from these places

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People are moving to South Carolina from these places

An aerial view of downtown Charleston, South Carolina during a sunrise.

South Carolina is attracting Americans from other states, with a net gain of nearly 33,000 households in just one year, according to the latest tax return data from the IRS. This accounts for 101,296 households that moved in, and 68,369 that moved out. Along with this population shift comes a shift in state income, and consequently the tax base on both sides of these moves. 

With this in mind, SmartAsset ranked states based on the net number of households that moved to South Carolina in 2022.

Key Findings

• The New York tri-state area is flocking to South Carolina. New Yorkers added the highest net number of households to South Carolina at 5,476. New Jersey added a net of 2,978 households to South Carolina—third-most studywide—and Pennsylvania added the fourth-highest net households at 2,657. Of the three, New Jersey sent the wealthiest households with an average incoming adjusted gross income (AGI) of $124,621.
• North and South Carolina exchange the largest number of households. North Carolina is the most popular destination for South Carolinians moving out, with 14,681 crossing the state’s northern border. Meanwhile, 17,933 households made the opposite move, for a net movement of 3,252 from North to South Carolina—the second-highest studywide.
• Only one state is siphoning households away from South Carolina. Tennessee captured a net of 51 households from South Carolina. More specifically, 2,415 South Carolina households moved out to Tennessee, while 2,364 households moved in from there. Those households moving out of South Carolina took more money with them ($86,330) than those coming in ($80,604).
• Households from Arkansas are bringing the most money with them. While the exchange of households between South Carolina and Arkansas was relatively similar, with a net movement of 52 households into the Palmetto State, these households had an average AGI of $202,256. The second- and third-wealthiest households coming into South Carolina were from Illinois ($147,012) and Massachusetts ($144,052).

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Top 10 States With the Highest Net Movement to South Carolina

Map showing where people are moving to South Carolina from.

1. New York

• Net households moved into South Carolina: 5,476
• Net individuals moved into South Carolina: 10,896
• Households moved into South Carolina: 8,087
• Individuals moved into South Carolina: 14,971
• AGI, households moved into South Carolina from this state: $97,960
• Households that left South Carolina for this state: 2,611
• Individuals that left South Carolina for this state: 4,075
• AGI, households that left South Carolina for this state: $71,954

2. North Carolina

• Net households moved into South Carolina: 3,252
• Net individuals moved into South Carolina: 7,806
• Households moved into South Carolina: 17,933
• Individuals moved into South Carolina: 32,901
• AGI, households moved into South Carolina from this state: $82,325
• Households that left South Carolina for this state: 14,681
• Individuals that left South Carolina for this state: 25,095
• AGI, households that left South Carolina for this state: $70,940

3. New Jersey

• Net households moved into South Carolina: 2,978
• Net individuals moved into South Carolina: 5,982
• Households moved into South Carolina: 4,005
• Individuals moved into South Carolina: 7,582
• AGI, households moved into South Carolina from this state: $124,621
• Households that left South Carolina for this state: 1,027
• Individuals that left South Carolina for this state: 1,600
• AGI, households that left South Carolina for this state: $67,149

4. Pennsylvania

• Net households moved into South Carolina: 2,657
• Net individuals moved into South Carolina: 5,285
• Households moved into South Carolina: 4,523
• Individuals moved into South Carolina: 8,309
• AGI, households moved into South Carolina from this state: $102,390
• Households that left South Carolina for this state: 1,866
• Individuals that left South Carolina for this state: 3,024
• AGI, households that left South Carolina for this state: $63,327

5. California

• Net households moved into South Carolina: 2,563
• Net individuals moved into South Carolina: 6,178
• Households moved into South Carolina: 4,851
• Individuals moved into South Carolina: 9,949
• AGI, households moved into South Carolina from this state: $110,136
• Households that left South Carolina for this state: 2,288
• Individuals that left South Carolina for this state: 3,771
• AGI, households that left South Carolina for this state: $70,578

6. Maryland

• Net households moved into South Carolina: 1,606
• Net individuals moved into South Carolina: 2,955
• Households moved into South Carolina: 2,832
• Individuals moved into South Carolina: 5,057
• AGI, households moved into South Carolina from this state: $108,427
• Households that left South Carolina for this state: 1,226
• Individuals that left South Carolina for this state: 2,102
• AGI, households that left South Carolina for this state: $74,162

7. Virginia

• Net households moved into South Carolina: 1,295
• Net individuals moved into South Carolina: 2,756
• Households moved into South Carolina: 4,967
• Individuals moved into South Carolina: 9,205
• AGI, households moved into South Carolina from this state: $113,104
• Households that left South Carolina for this state: 3,672
• Individuals that left South Carolina for this state: 6,449
• AGI, households that left South Carolina for this state: $72,727

8. Ohio

• Net households moved into South Carolina: 1,270
• Net individuals moved into South Carolina: 2,415
• Households moved into South Carolina: 3,166
• Individuals moved into South Carolina: 5,689
• AGI, households moved into South Carolina from this state: $97,365
• Households that left South Carolina for this state: 1,896
• Individuals that left South Carolina for this state: 3,274
• AGI, households that left South Carolina for this state: $65,871

9. Massachusetts

• Net households moved into South Carolina: 1,238
• Net individuals moved into South Carolina: 2,415
• Households moved into South Carolina: 2,053
• Individuals moved into South Carolina: 3,676
• AGI, households moved into South Carolina from this state: $144,052
• Households that left South Carolina for this state: 815
• Individuals that left South Carolina for this state: 1,261
• AGI, households that left South Carolina for this state: $81,447

10. Connecticut

• Net households moved into South Carolina: 1,180
• Net individuals moved into South Carolina: 2,287
• Households moved into South Carolina: 1,910
• Individuals moved into South Carolina: 3,506
• AGI, households moved into South Carolina from this state: $117,315
• Households that left South Carolina for this state: 730
• Individuals that left South Carolina for this state: 1,219
• AGI, households that left South Carolina for this state: $72,479

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Data and Methodology

Table showing where people are moving to South Carolina from.

SmartAsset examined the latest IRS data, which details the movement of households between the 2021 and 2022 tax years to determine the number of individuals and households moving to and from South Carolina within the U.S., as well as the associated average adjusted gross income (AGI).