South Carolina isn't just a place where people retire to play golf and eat shrimp and grits anymore. Honestly, the state is undergoing a massive transformation. If you look at cities in South Carolina by population in 2026, you'll see a map that's being redrawn by remote workers, manufacturing booms, and a desperate search for housing that doesn't cost a literal fortune.
The old rivalry between Charleston and Columbia is still there. But the data shows something deeper. People aren't just moving to the big names; they're flooding the "in-between" places.
The Heavy Hitters: Who’s Actually on Top?
For a long time, Columbia held the crown. It’s the capital. It has the University of South Carolina. It’s "Soda City." But the coastal pull was too strong. Charleston officially took the top spot a few years back and hasn't let go.
As of early 2026, Charleston’s population is hovering around 161,000 residents. It’s dense, it’s expensive, and it’s beautiful. If you’ve ever tried to find parking near King Street on a Saturday, you know exactly where those 161,000 people are.
Columbia isn't exactly shrinking, though. It sits at roughly 149,000 people. The vibe there is different—more "government and grit" than "pastels and palmettos." What’s interesting is that while Charleston gets the headlines, Columbia is often more attainable for young families.
Then you have North Charleston. It’s its own beast. With over 131,000 people, it’s the industrial heart of the Lowcountry. Boeing is there. The port is there. It’s grew by more than 2% just in the last year, which is a faster clip than the "historic" Charleston next door.
Why the Upstate is Winning the "Feel" Test
If you ask someone from Greenville which is the biggest city, they might give you a confusing answer.
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Greenville’s city limits are actually pretty small. The city proper has about 76,000 people. On paper, it looks like a mid-sized town. But that’s a total lie. If you look at the Greenville-Spartanburg-Anderson area, you’re looking at over a million people.
Greenville feels huge because its downtown is a magnet. It’s basically the "cool kid" of the South right now. Tech companies are moving in, and the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains are right there.
The Top 10 List (Rough Estimates for 2026)
- Charleston: ~161,000
- Columbia: ~149,000
- North Charleston: ~131,000
- Mount Pleasant: ~98,000
- Rock Hill: ~76,000
- Greenville: ~76,000
- Summerville: ~53,500
- Goose Creek: ~52,400
- Greer: ~51,500
- Myrtle Beach: ~43,000
The Explosive Growth Nobody Mentions
While everyone talks about Charleston, the real "rocket ship" cities are places you might not have heard of five years ago.
Take Hardeeville. It’s near the Georgia border and the Hilton Head area. It has been growing at nearly 10% per year. That is insane. It’s essentially becoming a massive bedroom community for people who work in Savannah or Hilton Head but can’t afford to live there.
Then there’s Fort Mill. If you live there, you probably work in Charlotte, North Carolina. It’s basically a suburb that happens to be in a different state. Its population has surged past 41,000, and the schools are so crowded they’re constantly building new ones.
Greer is another one. It’s tucked between Greenville and Spartanburg. Because of the BMW plant and the inland port, Greer has ballooned to over 51,000 people. It’s no longer a sleepy railroad town. It’s a legitimate urban center.
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The "Grow, No Grow" Pattern
Dr. Jerry Mitchell, a geography professor at the University of South Carolina, once described the state's growth as "striping." He’s right.
If you look at a map, you see a stripe of growth along I-85 (Greenville/Spartanburg). Then a stripe of decline in the rural counties below it. Then a stripe of growth along I-20 (Columbia/Lexington). Then more decline. Then the coastal explosion.
Rural counties like Allendale and Bamberg are actually losing people. Allendale is the least populated county in the state with only about 8,000 residents. That’s fewer people than some individual apartment complexes in Mount Pleasant.
This creates a weird tension. The big cities are struggling with traffic and "luxury" apartment fatigue, while the rural areas are struggling to keep their hospitals open.
Real Talk: What It Costs to Live in These Populations
Population numbers don't exist in a vacuum. They drive the rent.
In Charleston, the median household income is high—nearly $95,000—but the average rent for a two-bedroom is over $2,600. You’re paying for the salt air.
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In Columbia, your money goes further. The median income is lower, around $53,000, but rent for that same two-bedroom might only be $1,600.
Mount Pleasant is the outlier. It’s nearly 100,000 people now, but it’s almost entirely residential and high-end. It’s where people go when they "make it," but don't want to live in the actual city of Charleston.
Misconceptions About the "Beach Life"
People see Myrtle Beach at number 10 and think it’s small.
It’s not. The city of Myrtle Beach is small. But Horry County is one of the fastest-growing places in the entire United States. If you include Carolina Forest, Conway, and North Myrtle Beach, you’re looking at a massive urban sprawl.
The permanent population is around 43,000 in the city, but during the summer, that number effectively jumps to hundreds of thousands. The infrastructure is constantly playing catch-up.
Actionable Insights for Moving or Investing
If you are looking at South Carolina cities by population to decide where to live or invest, don't just follow the biggest numbers.
- For Value: Look at the Lexington and West Columbia areas. They are growing steadily but haven't reached Charleston prices yet.
- For Jobs: The Upstate (Greenville/Greer) is the manufacturing king. If you’re in engineering or logistics, that’s your spot.
- For Appreciation: Watch Jasper County and Hardeeville. The "spillover" growth from Florida and Georgia is hitting here first.
- Check the "Inland Port" effect: Cities like Greer and Dillon are seeing population spikes specifically because of shipping and warehouse jobs.
The population shift in South Carolina isn't slowing down. In fact, most projections show the state gaining another half-million people by the mid-2030s. Whether that's a good thing depends on how much you like sitting in traffic on I-26.
To get the most accurate local feel, look past the city limits and check the County population data. That’s where the real story of the Palmetto State is hidden. Focus your research on the suburban rings of Charleston and Greenville, as these areas are currently absorbing the most significant portion of the state's domestic migration. Check local school district capacity and recent zoning changes in these "ring" cities to identify the next high-growth neighborhoods before they become overpriced.