There are all types when it comes to being a snob in South Carolina. You’ve got your Wine Snobs, Book Snobs, and, of course, Clothes Snobs. Then there are the Technology Snobs, Car Snobs, and yes, even City Snobsas in, I’m better than you because I live in (insert snooty city here).
How can we tell which South Carolina cities are the snobbiest? By measuring snobby things, that’s how.
We used Saturday Night Science to look at things like expensive homes, high incomes, and overly educated populations by city in South Carolina. These are the criteria you’d argue with a friend over a foodie dinner about who’s snobbier.
After analyzing 64 of the state’s most populous areas over 5,000 people, we came up with this ranking of the ten snobbiest places in the state of South Carolina.
The South Carolinian in these places aren’t snobby, they just know they’re better than you.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table
The 10 Snobbiest Places In South Carolina
Don’t freak out.
What’s the snobbiest place in South Carolina? The snobbiest place in South Carolina is Tega Cay based on the data. If we had their wealth and lifestyle, we’d probably be a little snobby, too.
The most laid back? That would be Dillon.
We’re not so full of ourselves as to make this ranking up from nowhere. So here’s a look at the top ten and more on how we did it. And if you’re curious, South Carolina is the 38th snobbiest in the United States.
For more South Carolina reading, check out:
The 10 Snobbiest Places In South Carolina For 2024
/10
% Highly Educated: 67.0%
Median Income: $140,172
Median Home Price: $565,388
More on Tega Cay: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
% Highly Educated: 65.0%
Median Income: $115,167
Median Home Price: $777,495
More on Mount Pleasant: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
% Highly Educated: 55.0%
Median Income: $128,125
Median Home Price: $505,522
More on Fort Mill: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
% Highly Educated: 54.0%
Median Income: $93,694
Median Home Price: $746,761
More on Hilton Head Island: Data | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
% Highly Educated: 57.0%
Median Income: $83,891
Median Home Price: $530,719
More on Charleston: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
% Highly Educated: 51.0%
Median Income: $95,364
Median Home Price: $552,752
More on James Island: Data | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
% Highly Educated: 46.0%
Median Income: $99,575
Median Home Price: $494,049
More on Bluffton: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
% Highly Educated: 44.0%
Median Income: $75,948
Median Home Price: $408,943
More on Hardeeville: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
% Highly Educated: 37.0%
Median Income: $79,305
Median Home Price: $384,391
More on Hanahan: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
% Highly Educated: 39.0%
Median Income: $69,792
Median Home Price: $398,493
More on North Myrtle Beach: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
Methodology: How we determined the snobbiest cities in the Palmetto State
Do you think wed just come up with this list willy-nilly? Not a chance – we only use Saturday Night Science around here.
We gathered up all of the places in South Carolina with populations of 5,000 people or more. This left us with a total of 64 places. Then, we looked at each place in terms of these snoot-er-iffic criteria (And no, its not a word. English snob.):
- Median home price (Higher is snobbier)
- Median household income (Higher is snobbier)
- Percent of population with a college degree (Higher is snobbier)
Incomes and college education levels come from the American Community Survey. Home prices come from Zillow.
Turned out this simple criteria was much better at sniffing out the snobby places then more snobby criteria like:
- Libaries per capita (Higher is snobbier)
- Museums per capita (Higher is snobbier)
- Private schools per capita (Higher is snobbier)
From there, we ranked each of our 64 places in each category with scores from one to 64. We then averaged each places ranking into one overall score, where the lowest score went to the snobbiest place in South Carolina. So lets all flip a table in honor of Tega Cay (with our pinkies up, of course.)
Before you get upset and ruin your blowout or something drastic here, lets remember that this is all in good fun. Would we live in one of these 10 places if we had the chance? Of course, we would.
And it’s not like your real estate agent would ever point out how snobby the town you’re moving to is. We’re here to keep you grounded, even if you’re wearing a monocle.
There You Have It – Now That You’re On Your High Horse
When it comes to snobbery, these places in South Carolina are heading ever upward. Residents in these communities are well educated, well paid, and appear to have all the sophisticated culture and entertainment of an Ernst Lubitsch film right at their fingertips.
Not that there’s anything wrong with that.
The snobbiest cities in South Carolina are Tega Cay, Mount Pleasant, Fort Mill, Hilton Head Island, Charleston, James Island, Bluffton, Hardeeville, Hanahan, and North Myrtle Beach.
If you’re also curious enough, here are the most laid back places in South Carolina, according to science:
- Dillon
- Bennettsville
- Darlington
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
Table: The Snobbiest Cities In South Carolina For 2024
| Rank | City | Population | Median Income | Average Home Prices | Adult Highly Educated |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tega Cay, SC | 12,816 | $140,172 | $565,388 | 67.0% |
| 2 | Mount Pleasant, SC | 90,945 | $115,167 | $777,495 | 65.0% |
| 3 | Fort Mill, SC | 26,022 | $128,125 | $505,522 | 55.0% |
| 4 | Hilton Head Island, SC | 37,708 | $93,694 | $746,761 | 54.0% |
| 5 | Charleston, SC | 149,960 | $83,891 | $530,719 | 57.0% |
| 6 | James Island, SC | 11,689 | $95,364 | $552,752 | 51.0% |
| 7 | Bluffton, SC | 29,375 | $99,575 | $494,049 | 46.0% |
| 8 | Hardeeville, SC | 8,048 | $75,948 | $408,943 | 44.0% |
| 9 | Hanahan, SC | 20,731 | $79,305 | $384,391 | 37.0% |
| 10 | North Myrtle Beach, SC | 18,850 | $69,792 | $398,493 | 39.0% |
| 11 | Hollywood, SC | 5,397 | $77,191 | $467,948 | 35.0% |
| 12 | Simpsonville, SC | 24,133 | $79,937 | $360,596 | 35.0% |
| 13 | Lexington, SC | 23,665 | $78,164 | $289,130 | 45.0% |
| 14 | Forest Acres, SC | 10,514 | $68,110 | $291,080 | 60.0% |
| 15 | Clemson, SC | 17,557 | $50,263 | $363,229 | 64.0% |
| 16 | Greer, SC | 37,010 | $73,534 | $327,385 | 38.0% |
| 17 | Greenville, SC | 70,838 | $65,519 | $295,392 | 54.0% |
| 18 | Port Royal, SC | 14,573 | $68,909 | $326,136 | 36.0% |
| 19 | North Augusta, SC | 24,425 | $85,093 | $235,984 | 38.0% |
| 20 | Beaufort, SC | 13,582 | $60,366 | $368,692 | 36.0% |
| 21 | Moncks Corner, SC | 13,456 | $83,079 | $354,593 | 28.0% |
| 22 | Summerville, SC | 50,839 | $73,712 | $370,371 | 31.0% |
| 23 | Mauldin, SC | 25,267 | $75,565 | $282,107 | 36.0% |
| 24 | Goose Creek, SC | 45,858 | $84,041 | $309,585 | 27.0% |
| 25 | Irmo, SC | 11,685 | $77,656 | $271,045 | 35.0% |
| 26 | Aiken, SC | 32,014 | $65,712 | $248,666 | 43.0% |
| 27 | Rock Hill, SC | 74,170 | $60,807 | $312,290 | 33.0% |
| 28 | Easley, SC | 23,135 | $62,551 | $298,368 | 32.0% |
| 29 | Clover, SC | 6,800 | $63,649 | $392,293 | 25.0% |
| 30 | Fountain Inn, SC | 10,675 | $73,665 | $280,678 | 31.0% |
| 31 | Lyman, SC | 6,099 | $76,723 | $289,160 | 27.0% |
| 32 | Columbia, SC | 136,754 | $54,095 | $222,099 | 45.0% |
| 33 | Travelers Rest, SC | 7,929 | $44,375 | $299,948 | 43.0% |
| 34 | Myrtle Beach, SC | 36,064 | $50,558 | $301,360 | 32.0% |
| 35 | Central, SC | 5,272 | $45,909 | $247,449 | 52.0% |
| 36 | West Columbia, SC | 17,459 | $52,648 | $211,731 | 37.0% |
| 37 | North Charleston, SC | 115,755 | $58,534 | $292,239 | 27.0% |
| 38 | Camden, SC | 7,834 | $54,141 | $211,324 | 33.0% |
| 39 | Cayce, SC | 13,755 | $56,976 | $195,496 | 33.0% |
| 40 | Florence, SC | 39,931 | $56,031 | $207,198 | 31.0% |
| 41 | York, SC | 8,534 | $50,177 | $333,788 | 17.0% |
| 42 | Spartanburg, SC | 38,301 | $49,140 | $209,990 | 32.0% |
| 43 | Georgetown, SC | 8,465 | $50,000 | $244,215 | 27.0% |
| 44 | Seneca, SC | 8,834 | $48,108 | $275,023 | 26.0% |
| 45 | Conway, SC | 25,121 | $48,161 | $283,094 | 18.0% |
| 46 | Sumter, SC | 43,046 | $48,900 | $179,925 | 28.0% |
| 47 | Anderson, SC | 29,345 | $40,445 | $247,118 | 27.0% |
| 48 | Hartsville, SC | 7,450 | $46,230 | $156,598 | 31.0% |
| 49 | Laurens, SC | 9,276 | $52,585 | $147,919 | 18.0% |
| 50 | Walterboro, SC | 5,515 | $46,119 | $181,873 | 20.0% |
| 51 | Newberry, SC | 10,682 | $47,565 | $163,742 | 20.0% |
| 52 | Clinton, SC | 7,624 | $38,350 | $126,502 | 29.0% |
| 53 | Lancaster, SC | 8,592 | $37,714 | $262,150 | 17.0% |
| 54 | Greenwood, SC | 22,528 | $38,884 | $169,336 | 21.0% |
| 55 | Batesburg-Leesville, SC | 5,004 | $49,807 | $137,614 | 18.0% |
| 56 | Orangeburg, SC | 13,220 | $29,340 | $142,887 | 28.0% |
| 57 | Gaffney, SC | 12,651 | $38,059 | $160,274 | 20.0% |
| 58 | Cheraw, SC | 5,056 | $30,658 | $146,907 | 22.0% |
| 59 | Chester, SC | 5,260 | $39,951 | $142,891 | 10.0% |
| 60 | Marion, SC | 6,402 | $28,551 | $90,130 | 19.0% |
| 61 | Union, SC | 8,099 | $32,548 | $108,743 | 17.0% |
| 62 | Darlington, SC | 6,172 | $33,750 | $123,699 | 16.0% |
| 63 | Bennettsville, SC | 6,975 | $37,891 | $84,777 | 10.0% |
| 64 | Dillon, SC | 6,454 | $34,086 | $82,630 | 15.0% |
There are no theaters in Tega Cay!
Hilton Head Islanders are not snobby. For as long as I’ve lived here (26 years and formerly from the #1 snobby city of Charleston)it is the tourists that play it up on the snobby side. They feel like they are visiting the Holy Land from their states of Ohio and Michigan. They even make the Islanders feel like they are the tourists and we are invading their private land. So, NO, HHI is not snobby. We are down right nice!
North Myrtle Beach is so snobby because its full of North Carolina people. And you KNOW how snobby that state is. Also, Murrells Inlet is known locally as the little fishing town with a big drinking problem. I would say that Pawleys Island is a whole lot more snobby than MI.
I am not offended by the “snob” term as described but do believe the information is flawed! As Lexington, SC was left off the list. With the current population, I am pretty sure (per capita) it would have to be in the top ten! 😉
Whoever wrote this article is confusing being a snob, with being bourgeois, and with being an aristocrat. Particularly in a state such as South Carolina where social position has historically been determined by blood and not by art galleries or theatres. Some very middle class people economically go to the Saint Cecilia’s ball, which by many opinions is the most aristocratic debutante ball in the US because social position there has nothing to do with money. The bluest blood in SC is not the richest. The most aristocratic and the richest are not necessarily the snobbiest either. I would say the snobbiest places in South Carolina are Charleston, Beaufort, Georgetown, and Camden.
Why would you say the snobbiest people are Charleston, Beaufort, Georgetown and Camden by your standards? Isn’t acting like you’re “aristocratic” snobby by definition, and being wealthy isn’t necessarily the same as being snobby? What is snobby by your definition…
I don’t think snobby is the right word to use. The prices to live in an area vary and Hilton Head is only at the top of the list because it is an island with beautiful beaches. Naturally housing prices are going to be higher there. Also, just because people enjoy the arts (theater and art galleries) does not mean they are snobby. I am an arts student, so frankly, it is quite insulting that you assume that art-lovers are all snobs. Finally, just because people have a college education does not mean they are snobs. What is your definition of the word snob?