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RAL MARKET SCOUT Top assisted livingmarkets in SouthCarolina 429 licensed homes · Horry County is #1 ralmarketscout.com
South Carolina · RAL Market Report

Best places to open an assisted living home in South Carolina

The top markets for residential assisted living in South Carolina, ranked by demand versus supply — plus the cities where the homes are.

Updated July 2026
The top markets for assisted living in South Carolina right now are Horry, York, Georgetown counties — ranked by RAL Market Scout's opportunity score, which weighs 75+ demand and projected senior growth against current bed supply. Statewide there are 429 licensed assisted living homes serving 393,370 residents aged 75+, at a median cost of about $5,350/mo.
Licensed homes
429
state roster
Population 75+
393,370
ACS
Median AL cost
$5,350/mo
below the national median
Bed supply
31.3/1k
tight supply

Top 10 markets for assisted living in South Carolina

RAL Market Scout's opportunity score blends 75+ demand and projected senior growth against current bed supply — a saturated market is scored down even when demand is high. Higher means more room for a new small home.

  1. Horry County — opportunity 9.2/10 (Strong); 35,870 seniors 75+, growing 36.6%, with 21 licensed homes.
  2. York County — opportunity 9.0/10 (Strong); 17,046 seniors 75+, growing 24.0%, with 20 licensed homes.
  3. Georgetown County — opportunity 8.9/10 (Strong); 7,976 seniors 75+, growing 27.0%, with 7 licensed homes.
  4. Charleston County — opportunity 8.8/10 (Strong); 29,129 seniors 75+, growing 20.5%, with 43 licensed homes.
  5. Dorchester County — opportunity 8.8/10 (Strong); 9,704 seniors 75+, growing 27.5%, with 5 licensed homes.
  6. Richland County — opportunity 8.7/10 (Strong); 22,312 seniors 75+, growing 17.4%, with 46 licensed homes.
  7. Berkeley County — opportunity 8.7/10 (Strong); 13,600 seniors 75+, growing 32.8%, with 10 licensed homes.
  8. Anderson County — opportunity 8.6/10 (Strong); 15,762 seniors 75+, growing 9.9%, with 16 licensed homes.
  9. Oconee County — opportunity 8.6/10 (Strong); 7,847 seniors 75+, growing 11.6%, with 7 licensed homes.
  10. Greenville County — opportunity 8.6/10 (Strong); 37,057 seniors 75+, growing 19.2%, with 37 licensed homes.

All South Carolina counties by market opportunity

CountyPop 75+DemandHomesMarketBand
Horry35,8707.8219.2Strong
York17,0466.2209.0Strong
Georgetown7,9767.178.9Strong
Charleston29,1296.4438.8Strong
Dorchester9,7046.958.8Strong
Richland22,3126.1468.7Strong
Berkeley13,6006.3108.7Strong
Anderson15,7625.0168.6Strong
Oconee7,8475.478.6Strong
Greenville37,0576.3378.6Strong
Spartanburg22,5476.1268.6Strong
Lexington20,4346.3228.6Strong
Beaufort23,6857.5148.6Strong
Lancaster9,8507.668.6Strong
Florence9,9645.5138.6Strong
Darlington4,7803.338.5Strong
Laurens5,2394.788.4Strong
Kershaw5,0315.388.4Strong
Pickens9,8735.958.3Strong
Aiken14,7716.3158.3Strong
Sumter7,6804.9178.3Strong
Chesterfield3,2724.558.2Strong
Orangeburg7,2074.1148.1Strong
Greenwood5,8323.878.0Strong
Cherokee3,9202.938.0Strong
Jasper2,4395.718.0Strong
Clarendon3,1694.327.8Strong
Dillon1,9753.337.8Strong
Colleton3,0635.057.7Strong
Newberry3,2434.117.6Strong
Abbeville2,2824.337.4Strong
Chester2,3963.937.4Strong
Williamsburg2,7184.647.3Strong
Fairfield1,8063.607.3Strong
Edgefield2,1333.727.2Strong
Union2,3443.927.1Strong
Marion2,3383.617.1Strong
Marlboro2,0195.817.0Strong
Bamberg1,3032.447.0Moderate
Hampton1,4383.736.9Moderate
Barnwell1,5484.116.8Moderate
McCormick1,6096.416.7Moderate
Saluda1,7123.346.6Moderate
Lee1,3124.546.3Moderate
Calhoun1,4465.905.8Moderate
Allendale6893.92——

Top cities for assisted living in South Carolina

Where the homes actually are. Each linked city has its own page with local supply and market context.

CityCountyHomesBedsAvg size
ColumbiaRichland3419017.3
GreenvilleGreenville2321954.8
North CharlestonCharleston1838227.3
SumterSumter1715422.0
AndersonAnderson1327334.1
Rock HillYork139315.5
CharlestonCharleston1218847.0
AikenAiken117123.7
SpartanburgSpartanburg1119464.7
FlorenceFlorence1013545.0
Mount PleasantCharleston1014448.0
LexingtonLexington95858.0
Myrtle BeachHorry84242.0
OrangeburgOrangeburg85326.5
SummervilleDorchester7114114.0
Goose CreekBerkeley62929.0
West ColumbiaLexington68140.5
BlythewoodRichland6126.0
MooreSpartanburg69716.2
GreenwoodGreenwood612261.0

Frequently asked questions

What are the top markets for assisted living in South Carolina?
The strongest South Carolina markets on RAL Market Scout's opportunity scoring are Horry, York, Georgetown, Charleston, Dorchester counties — based on 75+ demand and projected senior growth versus current bed supply.
Which South Carolina city has the most assisted living homes?
Columbia has the most, with 34 licensed assisted living homes (about 190 beds).
How much does assisted living cost in South Carolina?
The median assisted living cost in South Carolina is about $5,350 per month — below the national median.
How many assisted living homes are in South Carolina?
South Carolina has approximately 429 licensed assisted living homes serving 393,370 residents aged 75 and older.

See the full South Carolina picture

RAL Market Scout scores every county and ZIP in South Carolina on demand, supply gaps, and referral capacity — and builds a site-level report for any address you're evaluating.

Run a Market ReportSite Intelligence report
Sources: Licensed-home and city counts from South Carolina state licensing rosters (RAL Market Scout data pipeline). 75+ population and growth from U.S. Census ACS. Bed supply from NIC MAP / state surveys. Cost figures are market medians. Data snapshot: 2026-07. Informational only — not legal, financial, or investment advice.