In this article, we will explore some of the most liberal cities in South Carolina, where progressive ideas and inclusive attitudes flourish.
If you’re looking to move to South Carolina and want to know where the majority of South Carolinians lean left, you’ve come to the right place.
Specifically, we wanted to know which cities have the highest number of liberal voters in the Palmetto State.
To do so, we analyzed how the people in each city in South Carolina with a population greater than 5,000 voted during the last presidential election. The cities with the highest percentage of voters who voted Democrat were named the most liberal cities in the state.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table
The 10 Most Liberal Places In South Carolina For 2026:
If you’re wondering, Central is the most conservative city in South Carolina of all those we measured.
And to be clear, we didn’t form this list based on our biases — we relied on the cold hard data. For more on how we ran the numbers, keep on reading. Then, we’ll take a closer look at each of our top 10 most liberal cities in South Carolina.
And if you already knew these places were liberal, check out some more reading about South Carolina and the most liberal places in the country:
The 10 Most Liberal Places In South Carolina For 2026
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How we determined the most liberal cities in South Carolina for 2026
To find the most liberal places in South Carolina, we used Saturday Night Science – the argument you’d make at a bar – to find the cities with the most liberals.
Straight forward.
We started by making a list of every city in South Carolina over 5,000 people based on the 2020-2024 American Community Survey. That left us with 64 cities and towns.
We then measured the voting record and MIT election data to determine which places lean the most leftward in their allegiances by:
- Percentage Of Votes For Democratic President In 2020
Because no voting data exists at the city level, we used county-level election results from the 2020 election. We assigned every city in a county the percentage of votes that went to the Democrats, effectively extending the county’s results to the city level. In cases where larger cities encompassed an entire county, the election outcomes accurately reflected the city’s political landscape.
The winner, Columbia, is “The Most liberal City in South Carolina For 2026”. The most conservative place in South Carolina was Central.
We updated this article for 2026. This report is our eleventh time ranking the most liberal places to live in South Carolina.
Summing Up The Liberal Snowflakes in South Carolina
Well, there you have it, the places in South Carolina that have the highest number of liberals per capita, with Columbia ranking as the least conservative in the entire state.
The most liberal cities in South Carolina are Columbia, Cayce, Irmo, Forest Acres, Blythewood, Orangeburg, Marion, Sumter, Charleston, and North Charleston.
If you’re curious, here are the least liberal cities in South Carolina:
- Central
- Seneca
- Gaffney
For more South Carolina reading, check out:
- Best Places To Live In South Carolina
- Cheapest Places To Live In South Carolina
- Most Dangerous Cities In South Carolina
- Richest Cities In South Carolina
- Safest Places In South Carolina
- Worst Places To Live In South Carolina
- Most Expensive Places To Live In South Carolina
Most Liberal Places In South Carolina
| Rank | City | Population | % Liberal |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Columbia, SC | 139,643 | 68.4% |
| 2 | Cayce, SC | 13,741 | 68.4% |
| 3 | Irmo, SC | 11,813 | 68.4% |
| 4 | Forest Acres, SC | 10,530 | 68.4% |
| 5 | Blythewood, SC | 5,731 | 68.4% |
| 6 | Orangeburg, SC | 13,253 | 66.2% |
| 7 | Marion, SC | 6,206 | 60.3% |
| 8 | Sumter, SC | 43,053 | 56.0% |
| 9 | Charleston, SC | 154,338 | 55.5% |
| 10 | North Charleston, SC | 119,913 | 55.5% |
| 11 | Mount Pleasant, SC | 93,993 | 55.5% |
| 12 | Summerville, SC | 51,654 | 55.5% |
| 13 | Goose Creek, SC | 48,078 | 55.5% |
| 14 | James Island, SC | 12,198 | 55.5% |
| 15 | Hollywood, SC | 5,382 | 55.5% |
| 16 | Bennettsville, SC | 7,751 | 55.0% |
| 17 | Hardeeville, SC | 10,871 | 49.9% |
| 18 | Dillon, SC | 6,354 | 49.1% |
| 19 | Florence, SC | 40,408 | 48.3% |
| 20 | Lake City, SC | 5,988 | 48.3% |
| 21 | Hartsville, SC | 7,419 | 47.0% |
| 22 | Darlington, SC | 6,120 | 47.0% |
| 23 | Walterboro, SC | 5,480 | 44.6% |
| 24 | Hilton Head Island, SC | 37,911 | 44.4% |
| 25 | Bluffton, SC | 33,157 | 44.4% |
| 26 | Port Royal, SC | 15,579 | 44.4% |
| 27 | Beaufort, SC | 13,747 | 44.4% |
| 28 | Chester, SC | 5,218 | 44.1% |
| 29 | Hanahan, SC | 21,452 | 43.3% |
| 30 | Moncks Corner, SC | 15,485 | 43.3% |
| 31 | Georgetown, SC | 8,565 | 43.1% |
| 32 | Rock Hill, SC | 75,259 | 41.0% |
| 33 | Fort Mill, SC | 30,775 | 41.0% |
| 34 | Tega Cay, SC | 13,615 | 41.0% |
| 35 | York, SC | 8,969 | 41.0% |
| 36 | Clover, SC | 7,234 | 41.0% |
| 37 | Greenville, SC | 72,935 | 39.9% |
| 38 | Greer, SC | 41,536 | 39.9% |
| 39 | Mauldin, SC | 27,055 | 39.9% |
| 40 | Simpsonville, SC | 26,144 | 39.9% |
| 41 | Fountain Inn, SC | 12,020 | 39.9% |
| 42 | Travelers Rest, SC | 8,370 | 39.9% |
| 43 | Lancaster, SC | 8,921 | 38.0% |
| 44 | Greenwood, SC | 22,536 | 37.9% |
| 45 | Aiken, SC | 32,521 | 37.9% |
| 46 | North Augusta, SC | 25,653 | 37.9% |
| 47 | Camden, SC | 8,267 | 37.8% |
| 48 | Newberry, SC | 10,790 | 37.3% |
| 49 | Union, SC | 8,079 | 37.2% |
| 50 | Spartanburg, SC | 38,910 | 35.6% |