South Carolina: Getting to Know the Palmetto State
December 6, 2019South Carolina sits along the Southeastern Coast of the United States and is the smallest state of the Deep South region. It’s situated between North Carolina (North), Georgia (South/West) and the Atlantic Ocean (Southeast). The state is divided into three main regions, the Blue Ridge Mountain Providence, the Piedmont Providence and theCoastal Plain Providence. South Carolinians refer to the Coastal Plain Providence as the “Low Country” and the Blue Ridge Mountain and Piedmont Providences as the “Up Country”.
The Coastal Plains, or Low Country, makes up about two-thirds of the state and sits along the Atlantic Ocean spreading west to the border of the Piedmont. Many rivers, beaches and swamps are located near the coast with forested land near the center known as the Pine Barrens.
The Piedmont makes up almost one-third of the state and consists of rolling hills and sand dunes, being hillier in the northwest and west.
The Blue Ridge makes up the remaining approx. 2% of the state. It holds the larger Blue Ridge Mountains, which extends from Pennsylvania to Georgia. The highest point of the mountain range in South Carolina is the Sassafras Mountain.
Even with its humid subtropical climate, South Carolina experiences all four seasons with humid summers reaching the 90’s and mild winters with chilly evenings. Spring can be unpredictable so layers are a must, but come May consistent warmer weather arrives. Fall has mild temperatures in the 60’s-70’s and in the inland high country, such as the city of Greenville, fall foliage and festivities are abundant. The state can experience some tornadoes during the spring and less frequent hurricanes.
South Carolina’s tourism industry has seen a boom in recent years. Charleston, Hilton Head and Myrtle Beach are just some of the popular destinations with family friendly activities, beaches and hundreds of golf courses. Columbia and Greenville are amongst some of the towns seeing a revitalization and growth of their Downtowns. New shopping, restaurants, art and entertainment are attracting many locals and tourists to visit these destinations.
Manufacturing, Business and Professional Services are industries that have contributed to the state’s economic growth. With companies like BMW, Michelin North America, Boeing and SCANA building manufacturing plants and setting up headquarters that are attracting more young people to relocate. Likewise, Education has continued to draw out-of-staters to attend such colleges and universities as Clemson University, University of South Carolina, Furman University and more.
Right now it’s a Seller’s Market in South Carolina. Some of the best places to live include Charleston, Myrtle Beach and Greenville. The median home value in South Carolina is $171,800. South Carolina home values have gone up 5.5% over the past year and Zillow predicts they will rise 4.0% within the next year. The median list price per square foot in South Carolina is $128. The median price of homes currently listed in South Carolina is $249,000 while the median price of homes that sold is $187,700. The median rent price in South Carolina is $1,342. To learn more about the current market in South Carolina visit Zillow.com. (https://www.zillow.com/sc/home-values/)