#1Abbeville
Abbeville County · 4,902 peopleHistory grade, among the top in the U.S.·Overall C+ · #72 of 167 in SC
Abbeville, #1 on this list · Upper Long Cane Cemetery · Photo: Bill Fitzpatrick · CC BY-SA 3.0South Carolina rankings · History
Most historic towns in South Carolina
Abbeville ranks first on history among South Carolina’s 169 towns of 2,500+; 32 of the 169 grade A− or better on history nationally.
The History grade, a character grade (not part of the overall): the town’s founding era, homes built before 1940 (Census ACS) and its National Register places. How grades work
#1A+
#2Union
Union County · 8,077 peopleHistory grade, better than 97% of U.S. towns·Overall D− · #151 of 167 in SC
#3Chester
Chester County · 5,324 peopleHistory grade, better than 92% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #118 of 167 in SC
All 169 towns
History grade, best first (the letter is national). Towns with the same score share a rank (T = tied; 58 towns here); the overall grade and state rank are beside each.
169 towns ranked. Not here? See why a town may be missing.
#TownGradeOverall
11SpartanburgSpartanburg County · 39,978 peopleAbetter than 86% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #117 of 167
T17BennettsvilleMarlboro County · 7,565 peopleA−better than 84% of U.S. towns·Overall D− · #162 of 167
21KingstreeWilliamsburg County · 3,022 peopleA−better than 83% of U.S. towns·Overall D− · #161 of 167
31Judsonunincorporated, Greenville County · 2,515 peopleA−better than 76% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #97 of 167
33SummervilleDorchester County · 53,177 peopleB+better than 74% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #73 of 167
34Duneanunincorporated, Greenville County · 3,668 peopleB+better than 73% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #62 of 167
39GreenvilleGreenville County · 75,310 peopleB+better than 71% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #71 of 167
43Moncks CornerBerkeley County · 20,612 peopleB+better than 68% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #96 of 167
45OrangeburgOrangeburg County · 13,383 peopleB+better than 66% of U.S. towns·Overall D− · #163 of 167
46Parkerunincorporated, Greenville County · 12,898 peopleB+better than 66% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #76 of 167
48Batesburg-LeesvilleLexington County · 5,346 peopleBbetter than 64% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #129 of 167
49Fountain InnGreenville County · 14,722 peopleBbetter than 62% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #38 of 167
60Piedmontunincorporated, Anderson County · 5,462 peopleB−better than 51% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #55 of 167
71West ColumbiaLexington County · 18,489 peopleC+better than 42% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #131 of 167
77Taylorsunincorporated, Greenville County · 24,505 peopleC+better than 36% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #20 of 167
78Mount PleasantCharleston County · 95,469 peopleCbetter than 35% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #21 of 167
79Arcadiaunincorporated, Spartanburg County · 3,426 peopleCbetter than 34% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #112 of 167
80Clemson University College campusunincorporated, Pickens County · 7,015 peopleCbetter than 32% of U.S. towns·No overall grade
81Powdersvilleunincorporated, Anderson County · 10,771 peopleCbetter than 28% of U.S. towns·Overall A · #9 of 167
82SimpsonvilleGreenville County · 28,459 peopleCbetter than 28% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #47 of 167
85Roebuckunincorporated, Spartanburg County · 2,902 peopleCbetter than 27% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #50 of 167
86Saxonunincorporated, Spartanburg County · 4,085 peopleCbetter than 26% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #102 of 167
89Socasteeunincorporated, Horry County · 23,796 peopleCbetter than 26% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #66 of 167
90Wade Hamptonunincorporated, Greenville County · 20,898 peopleCbetter than 26% of U.S. towns·Overall A · #5 of 167
T91Golden Groveunincorporated, Greenville County · 2,913 peopleCbetter than 26% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #39 of 167
T91Little Riverunincorporated, Horry County · 11,771 peopleCbetter than 26% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #84 of 167
94North CharlestonCharleston County · 129,245 peopleC−better than 24% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #106 of 167
95Murrells Inletunincorporated, Georgetown County · 10,044 peopleC−better than 24% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #79 of 167
98James IslandCharleston County · 12,660 peopleC−better than 23% of U.S. towns·Overall A · #4 of 167
99Five Forksunincorporated, Greenville County · 18,656 peopleC−better than 23% of U.S. towns·Overall A · #12 of 167
100Travelers RestGreenville County · 9,135 peopleC−better than 22% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #30 of 167
102St. Andrewsunincorporated, Richland County · 19,868 peopleC−better than 22% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #128 of 167
103Whitneyunincorporated, Spartanburg County · 3,685 peopleC−better than 21% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #92 of 167
104Lesslieunincorporated, York County · 3,077 peopleC−better than 19% of U.S. towns·Overall A · #8 of 167
105Homeland Parkunincorporated, Anderson County · 6,632 peopleC−better than 19% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #95 of 167
107Red Bankunincorporated, Lexington County · 11,314 peopleC−better than 18% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #56 of 167
110Homewoodunincorporated, Horry County · 2,708 peopleC−better than 17% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #48 of 167
111Valley Fallsunincorporated, Spartanburg County · 8,239 peopleC−better than 16% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #36 of 167
112Litchfield Beachunincorporated, Georgetown County · 9,044 peopleC−better than 16% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #82 of 167
113Southern Shopsunincorporated, Spartanburg County · 3,797 peopleC−better than 15% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #111 of 167
T114East Gaffneyunincorporated, Cherokee County · 2,824 peopleC−better than 15% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #123 of 167
T114Newportunincorporated, York County · 4,121 peopleC−better than 15% of U.S. towns·Overall A · #10 of 167
T117Forest AcresRichland County · 10,390 peopleDbetter than 14% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #103 of 167
T117Woodfieldunincorporated, Richland County · 9,465 peopleDbetter than 14% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #85 of 167
T119Dalzellunincorporated, Sumter County · 2,946 peopleDbetter than 14% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #138 of 167
T119Ganttunincorporated, Greenville County · 15,401 peopleDbetter than 14% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #83 of 167
121Hilltopunincorporated, Spartanburg County · 2,950 peopleDbetter than 14% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #101 of 167
T122Sans Souciunincorporated, Greenville County · 7,665 peopleDbetter than 14% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #43 of 167
125North Hartsvilleunincorporated, Darlington County · 3,304 peopleDbetter than 13% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #109 of 167
126Hilton Head IslandBeaufort County · 38,196 peopleDbetter than 13% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #49 of 167
127PagelandChesterfield County · 2,518 peopleDbetter than 12% of U.S. towns·Overall D− · #148 of 167
128Burtonunincorporated, Beaufort County · 6,912 peopleDbetter than 12% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #52 of 167
T129East Camdenunincorporated, Kershaw County · 4,194 peopleDbetter than 12% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #58 of 167
T129Goose CreekBerkeley County · 52,010 peopleDbetter than 12% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #53 of 167
131Welcomeunincorporated, Greenville County · 6,527 peopleDbetter than 11% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #41 of 167
T132Boiling Springsunincorporated, Spartanburg County · 12,936 peopleDbetter than 11% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #26 of 167
135Glovervilleunincorporated, Aiken County · 2,505 peopleDbetter than 11% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #78 of 167
136Brookdaleunincorporated, Orangeburg County · 4,291 peopleDbetter than 11% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #147 of 167
137Centervilleunincorporated, Anderson County · 7,049 peopleDbetter than 10% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #42 of 167
138Seven Oaksunincorporated, Lexington County · 15,921 peopleDbetter than 8% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #33 of 167
139Clearwaterunincorporated, Aiken County · 3,319 peopleDbetter than 8% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #68 of 167
T140Arkwrightunincorporated, Spartanburg County · 2,816 peopleDbetter than 8% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #119 of 167
T140India Hookunincorporated, York County · 3,960 peopleDbetter than 8% of U.S. towns·Overall A · #7 of 167
T140White Knollunincorporated, Lexington County · 8,310 peopleDbetter than 8% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #60 of 167
T143Lake Wylieunincorporated, York County · 16,006 peopleDbetter than 8% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #17 of 167
T143Northlakeunincorporated, Anderson County · 4,390 peopleDbetter than 8% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #15 of 167
T143Red Hillunincorporated, Horry County · 15,920 peopleDbetter than 8% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #86 of 167
146Dentsvilleunincorporated, Richland County · 15,209 peopleDbetter than 8% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #69 of 167
147Belvedereunincorporated, Aiken County · 5,180 peopleDbetter than 7% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #45 of 167
T148Bereaunincorporated, Greenville County · 16,862 peopleDbetter than 6% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #89 of 167
T148Laurel Bayunincorporated, Beaufort County · 5,882 peopleDbetter than 6% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #98 of 167
150Oak Groveunincorporated, Lexington County · 12,256 peopleD−better than 4% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #18 of 167
151Garden Cityunincorporated, Horry County · 11,591 peopleD−better than 4% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #105 of 167
T152Isle of PalmsCharleston County · 4,377 peopleD−better than 3% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #24 of 167
T152Ladsonunincorporated, Berkeley County · 16,140 peopleD−better than 3% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #63 of 167
154Lugoffunincorporated, Kershaw County · 9,786 peopleD−better than 3% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #25 of 167
T155Arthurtown College campusunincorporated, Richland County · 3,272 peopleD−better than 2% of U.S. towns·Overall C+
T155Baxter Villageunincorporated, York County · 4,542 peopleD−better than 2% of U.S. towns·Overall A+ · #2 of 167
T155Capitol Viewunincorporated, Richland County · 4,374 peopleD−better than 2% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #115 of 167
T155Carolina Forestunincorporated, Horry County · 26,263 peopleD−better than 2% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #81 of 167
T155Cherryvaleunincorporated, Sumter County · 2,611 peopleD−better than 2% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #132 of 167
T155Forestbrookunincorporated, Horry County · 7,479 peopleD−better than 2% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #29 of 167
T155Keowee Keyunincorporated, Oconee County · 3,351 peopleD−better than 2% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #27 of 167
T155Lake Murray of Richlandunincorporated, Richland County · 7,023 peopleD−better than 2% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #22 of 167
T155Lakewoodunincorporated, Sumter County · 3,544 peopleD−better than 2% of U.S. towns·Overall D− · #160 of 167
T155Sangareeunincorporated, Berkeley County · 8,681 peopleD−better than 2% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #70 of 167
T155SpringdaleLexington County · 2,877 peopleD−better than 2% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #125 of 167
T155Wyboounincorporated, Clarendon County · 3,639 peopleD−better than 2% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #133 of 167
169North Myrtle BeachHorry County · 21,346 peopleD−among the lowest in the U.S.·Overall C · #100 of 167
Quick answers
Questions people ask
What is the most historic town in South Carolina?
Abbeville (Abbeville County) ranks first on history among 169 towns, with an A+; Union and Chester follow.
How are these towns ranked?
The History grade, a character grade (not part of the overall): the town’s founding era, homes built before 1940 (Census ACS) and its National Register places. Towns are sorted on the grade’s score; the letter and rank are the same as on each town’s page. How grades work.
Why isn’t my town on this list?
The list covers towns of 2,500+ residents with a history grade (169 in South Carolina). Smaller towns have the grade on their page but no rank. Every town is on the South Carolina page.
Go deeper
All South Carolina rankings →More South Carolina lists
Every list ranks the same 2,500+ towns, so a town’s rank means the same thing on each.
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