The 10 Most Miserable Cities In South Carolina For 2023


The most miserable cities in South Carolina are Clover and York for 2023 based on Saturday Night Science.

Do you live in one of the most miserable places in South Carolina?

Only a third of South Carolinians say they are truly happy. That’s too bad, considering that folks in South Carolina don’t really have it too bad in the grand scheme of things.

But, we were curious – which South Carolina cities might be the most miserable? We’re about to find out, using Saturday Night Science and data.

After analyzing the 65 largest cities, we sadly present the most miserable cities in the Palmetto State.


Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table


The 10 Most Miserable Places In South Carolina

  1. Clover
  2. York
  3. Bennettsville
  4. Chester
  5. Lancaster
  6. Summerville
  7. Conway
  8. Marion
  9. Irmo
  10. Union

Read on below to see how we crunched the numbers and how your town ranked. If you have a smile on your face, you probably don’t live in one of these cities.

Oh, and by the way, Clemson is the happiest place in South Carolina.

For more South Carolina reading, check out:

The 10 Most Miserable Places In South Carolina For 2023

Clover, SC

Source: Flickr User jonesy54 | CC BY 2.0
Overall SnackAbility

4
/10

Population: 6,566
Poverty Level: 17.7%
Median Home Price $179,800
Married Households 9.0%
Households With Kids 44.43%
More on Clover: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living

York, SC

Source: Wikipedia User Connor401 | CC BY-SA 3.0
Overall SnackAbility

5
/10

Population: 8,423
Poverty Level: 23.2%
Median Home Price $134,200
Married Households 20.0%
Households With Kids 40.53%
More on York: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living

Bennettsville, SC

Source: Flickr User MikeKalasnik | CC BY-SA 2.0
Overall SnackAbility

3
/10

Population: 7,306
Poverty Level: 26.6%
Median Home Price $82,000
Married Households 16.0%
Households With Kids 28.09%
More on Bennettsville: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living

Chester, SC

Source: Public domain
Overall SnackAbility

4
/10

Population: 5,283
Poverty Level: 27.4%
Median Home Price $79,800
Married Households 21.0%
Households With Kids 26.99%
More on Chester: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living

Lancaster, SC

Source: Wikipedia User Calatayudboy | CC BY-SA 4.0
Overall SnackAbility

5
/10

Population: 8,489
Poverty Level: 35.5%
Median Home Price $163,400
Married Households 17.0%
Households With Kids 31.05%
More on Lancaster: Data | Cost Of Living

Summerville, SC

Source: Public domain
Overall SnackAbility

7
/10

Population: 50,318
Poverty Level: 10.4%
Median Home Price $229,800
Married Households 16.0%
Households With Kids 31.52%
More on Summerville: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living

Conway, SC

Source: Public domain
Overall SnackAbility

5
/10

Population: 22,001
Poverty Level: 17.8%
Median Home Price $167,000
Married Households 15.0%
Households With Kids 25.81%
More on Conway: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living

Marion, SC

Source: Wikipedia User Cat person | CC BY-SA 3.0
Overall SnackAbility

4
/10

Population: 6,472
Poverty Level: 35.0%
Median Home Price $126,900
Married Households 19.0%
Households With Kids 26.86%
More on Marion: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living

Overall SnackAbility

6
/10

Population: 11,581
Poverty Level: 5.3%
Median Home Price $154,000
Married Households 27.0%
Households With Kids 30.7%
More on Irmo: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living

Union, SC

Source: Public domain
Overall SnackAbility

5
/10

Population: 8,119
Poverty Level: 26.5%
Median Home Price $82,100
Married Households 28.0%
Households With Kids 22.9%
More on Union: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living

Methodology: How We Measured The Most Miserable Cities In The Palmetto State

To rank the unhappiest places in South Carolina, we had to determine what criteria make people happy. It isn’t a stretch to assume that happy people earn great salaries, are relatively stress-free, and have a stable home life.

So we went to the Census’s American Community Survey 2017-2021 report for the happy criteria, flipped the list with Saturday Night Science, and it spit out the answer.

Like magic.

Here are the criteria we used to measure misery:

  • Percentage of residents with a college degree
  • Average commute times
  • Unemployment rates
  • Cost of living
  • % of married couples
  • % of families with kids
  • Poverty rate

After we decided on the criteria, we gathered the data for the 65 places in South Carolina with over 5,000 people.

We then ranked each place from one to 65 for each of the seven criteria, with a score of one being the most miserable (Any ties were given to the larger place).

Next, we averaged the seven rankings into a Miserable Index for each place with the lowest overall Miserable Index “earning” the title “Most Miserable City In South Carolina.”

If you’d like to see the complete list of states, most miserable to happiest, scroll to the bottom of this post to see the unabridged chart.

We updated this article for 2023, and it’s our tenth time ranking the most miserable cities in South Carolina.

There You Have It – The Least Happy Cities In South Carolina

As we said earlier, trying to determine the most miserable cities in South Carolina is usually a subjective matter.

But if you’re analyzing cities where people are not stable, where you’re stuck in traffic, and no one spent the time to go to college, then this is an accurate list.

If you’re curious enough, here are the happiest cities in South Carolina, according to science:

  1. Clemson
  2. Greenville
  3. Forest Acres

For more South Carolina reading, check out:

Miserable Cities In South Carolina For 2023

Rank City Population Poverty Level Median Home Value % Married % Kids
1 Clover, SC 6,566 17.7% $179,800 9.0% 44.43%
2 York, SC 8,423 23.2% $134,200 20.0% 40.53%
3 Bennettsville, SC 7,306 26.6% $82,000 16.0% 28.09%
4 Chester, SC 5,283 27.4% $79,800 21.0% 26.99%
5 Lancaster, SC 8,489 35.5% $163,400 17.0% 31.05%
6 Summerville, SC 50,318 10.4% $229,800 16.0% 31.52%
7 Conway, SC 22,001 17.8% $167,000 15.0% 25.81%
8 Marion, SC 6,472 35.0% $126,900 19.0% 26.86%
9 Irmo, SC 11,581 5.3% $154,000 27.0% 30.7%
10 Union, SC 8,119 26.5% $82,100 28.0% 22.9%
11 Lake City, SC 6,028 21.8% $91,600 13.0% 22.38%
12 Goose Creek, SC 44,502 8.5% $218,100 15.0% 36.56%
13 Newberry, SC 10,496 22.6% $89,100 22.0% 29.26%
14 Batesburg-Leesville, SC 5,322 17.5% $109,300 31.0% 35.61%
15 Rock Hill, SC 72,883 13.5% $187,000 13.0% 29.27%
16 Tega Cay, SC 12,336 0.5% $394,500 4.0% 49.48%
17 Fort Mill, SC 24,069 3.6% $340,500 8.0% 51.22%
18 Fountain Inn, SC 10,237 12.7% $176,300 28.0% 47.36%
19 Greer, SC 35,151 10.2% $202,600 13.0% 38.66%
20 Sumter, SC 42,920 20.4% $142,100 18.0% 30.42%
21 Walterboro, SC 5,514 23.2% $113,400 26.0% 39.07%
22 Gaffney, SC 12,560 24.2% $106,200 21.0% 21.49%
23 Mauldin, SC 24,735 6.5% $180,100 17.0% 31.62%
24 Moncks Corner, SC 12,685 10.1% $220,700 21.0% 40.14%
25 Lyman, SC 5,841 5.9% $196,400 34.0% 47.45%
26 Darlington, SC 6,153 26.7% $130,700 26.0% 25.69%
27 Bluffton, SC 27,596 5.6% $336,100 4.0% 34.13%
28 Greenwood, SC 22,363 25.1% $90,600 17.0% 26.68%
29 North Augusta, SC 24,013 7.7% $179,500 11.0% 27.28%
30 North Charleston, SC 114,542 18.1% $203,100 12.0% 27.16%
31 Georgetown, SC 8,435 23.6% $158,100 24.0% 23.25%
32 Hartsville, SC 7,565 27.6% $140,400 17.0% 31.13%
33 Anderson, SC 28,796 21.2% $150,600 18.0% 26.44%
34 Lexington, SC 23,068 8.4% $208,600 17.0% 37.2%
35 Simpsonville, SC 23,190 5.7% $208,400 19.0% 36.98%
36 Clinton, SC 7,753 26.8% $128,200 13.0% 22.57%
37 North Myrtle Beach, SC 18,502 7.8% $293,500 6.0% 11.9%
38 Spartanburg, SC 37,990 24.0% $143,300 19.0% 30.63%
39 Orangeburg, SC 12,779 32.1% $113,700 20.0% 16.79%
40 Hollywood, SC 5,319 8.9% $361,800 17.0% 18.9%
41 Easley, SC 22,643 11.8% $182,100 27.0% 24.81%
42 Dillon, SC 6,354 33.0% $133,800 34.0% 41.55%
43 Mount Pleasant, SC 88,900 5.6% $499,600 13.0% 31.06%
44 Hanahan, SC 20,381 12.2% $267,200 15.0% 35.55%
45 Seneca, SC 8,734 13.7% $172,500 20.0% 20.8%
46 Aiken, SC 31,516 14.4% $199,000 12.0% 21.9%
47 Laurens, SC 9,251 27.2% $106,200 28.0% 29.15%
48 Camden, SC 7,666 16.4% $211,100 22.0% 28.01%
49 Central, SC 5,229 36.9% $140,600 8.0% 26.26%
50 Cayce, SC 13,637 17.2% $135,200 20.0% 21.88%
51 Cheraw, SC 5,090 35.7% $121,300 25.0% 22.21%
52 Travelers Rest, SC 7,670 23.1% $218,900 14.0% 39.77%
53 Hardeeville, SC 7,228 9.4% $381,300 8.0% 13.0%
54 Myrtle Beach, SC 35,116 19.4% $246,300 8.0% 21.72%
55 Florence, SC 39,816 18.1% $159,800 26.0% 30.29%
56 Port Royal, SC 12,734 5.5% $244,000 5.0% 24.11%
57 Beaufort, SC 12,899 20.1% $265,100 14.0% 29.97%
58 Columbia, SC 137,276 24.3% $193,100 13.0% 24.96%
59 James Island, SC 11,618 4.0% $355,400 23.0% 29.5%
60 Charleston, SC 147,928 12.0% $369,500 13.0% 21.25%
61 West Columbia, SC 17,265 13.3% $158,800 20.0% 18.16%
62 Hilton Head Island, SC 38,068 7.6% $520,700 4.0% 13.55%
63 Forest Acres, SC 10,621 11.2% $201,700 20.0% 26.11%
64 Greenville, SC 69,725 13.9% $349,300 14.0% 20.49%
65 Clemson, SC 17,238 36.4% $293,000 9.0% 15.27%
About Nick Johnson

Nick Johnson earned his masters in Business Administration from the Drucker School At Claremont Graduate University. He has written for 39 publications across the country and ran the media relations department at Movoto, a real estate portal based in San Francisco. He has been featured in over 500 publications as an expert in real estate and as an authority on real estate trends.

Nick's the creator of the HomeSnacks YouTube channel that now has over 260,000 subscribers and is an excellent source to learn about different parts of the country.

2 thoughts on “The 10 Most Miserable Cities In South Carolina For 2023

  1. Wagener New Holland Beech Island or Jackson or Even Edgefield or Trenton were not on the list. So I guess that makes this list void, because all the places in were not listed.

  2. Orangeburg South Carolina needs to be number 1 not number 13. There is nothing in Orangeburg only major place to shop is wal-mart no movie theaters, bowling alleys, no decent malls, no fun outlets, only two fancy restaurants, the hospital if u got to go in for a life threatening illness you not coming out. With Orangeburg massacre it was black and others throwing projectiles are law enforcement and refusing to comply so law enforcement had to protect their lives. Think twice before making deciding to move to Orangeburg sc.

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