These South Carolina cities ranked among the nation’s favorite places to move in 2022

South Carolina is home to two favorite places for people to start calling home in 2022, reports find.

The Myrtle Beach area ranks No. 7 and the Charleston area No. 10 on a list of U.S. regions that attracted new residents last year, according to the self-service moving company U-Haul.

Myrtle Beach also was the only South Carolina city to land a top spot on a separate list of places that people flocked to in 2022, nationwide data from the moving company United Van Lines shows.

To create its list, United Van Lines said it studied more than 100,000 shipments that took place throughout 2022. About 30 to 40% of those customers also filled out surveys, in which they shared demographic information and their reasons for relocating, according to information shared with McClatchy News on Jan. 3.

Myrtle Beach ranked No. 4 as it boasted a higher percentage of people moving into the city than out of it. Of about 300 moves, roughly 72% were inbound, while 28% were outbound, results show.

Meanwhile, U-Haul said it came up with its findings after analyzing more than 2 million truck rentals in the United States and Canada. It calculated the portion of one-way moving trucks that came into and out of each city, and the net gains led to high marks for the Myrtle Beach and Charleston regions.

“While U-Haul migration trends do not correlate directly to population or economic growth, the U-Haul Growth Index is an effective gauge of how well cities and states are attracting and maintaining residents,” the company wrote in a Jan. 4 news release.

The results come as U.S. Census data shows South Carolina is one of the top states for growth, with many transplants coming from neighboring states, The State newspaper reported in December.

In their reports, both moving companies also ranked South Carolina among the top 10 states gaining residents. So, what makes the Palmetto State a popular place to live?

“We see a lot of retirement movement into South Carolina with the majority of that migration from the N.E. states (New York and New Jersey, specifically),” Eily Cummings, a United Van Lines spokesperson, told McClatchy News in an email. “We also see a heavier percentage of people moving for cost of living compared to other states as well.”

In its report, United Van Lines gave Myrtle Beach nods for its “mostly mild winters,” entertainment options and of course, its coastline.

Meanwhile, the Charleston area received lots of recognition in 2022, including being named one of the nation’s best cities for food lovers and one of the most breathtaking places in the world. While the city is known for attracting tourists, a family-friendly atmosphere and economic opportunities are among the factors that have made people consider living there long-term, according to Tinessa Edwards, U-Haul Company of Coastal South Carolina president.

“Many families are packing up their U-Haul trucks and heading to Charleston because it’s a beautiful city with rich history,” Edwards wrote in a news release. “The food scene is great and there’s always something to do.”

Overall, the highest-ranking city on the U-Haul list was Ocala, Florida, roughly 80 miles northwest of Orlando. The top spot on the United Van Lines list went to Wilmington, North Carolina.

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