Study: Happiest Cities in South Carolina

South Carolina lives up to its slogan "Beautiful Places, Smiling Faces." From Hilton Head to Myrtle Beach, people have reasons to be happy in the Palmetto State. But the scenery and the friendliness are just some of the reasons to be content. They have shorter commutes, access to a range of dining options, and they're not spending an arm and leg to pay for housing. Read on to find out which cities in South Carolina are the happiest.

Study Methodology

We considered cities both large and small for our study, using U.S. Census data and FBI crime statistics to narrow down the list. Each city in our top 10 earned its ranked based on how it scored in the following categories:

1. Restaurants
   
2. Crime rate
   
3. Commute
   
4. Departure time
   
5. Income
   
6. Divorce rate
   
7. Housing

Charleston is known for being South Carolina's premier city for foodies, but it's not the only place where you can dig in to a steaming bowl of shrimp and grits. We wanted to see how the state's other cities stack up, so we looked at the number of restaurants per capita.

One of the things that can influence how content you are with where you hang your hat is how safe you feel. Each of the cities in our study is also ranked based on the odds of being a violent crime victim.

In bigger cities like Columbia, heavy traffic is one of those things you just have to deal with, but the roads are less congested in smaller towns. Take a look at how each city compares based on the average commute time.

Climbing out of bed before sunrise isn't always pleasant, but research suggests that it can make a big difference in how happy you feel during the day. We used the percentage of residents leaving for work before 5 a.m. as one of our happiness measures.

Pulling in big bucks would make most of us cheerful. The 10 cities in our study are those that came out on top in terms of the median household income.

Marriages usually start out happily enough, but do they last? To find which cities have the most satisfied couples, we looked for those areas that have the lowest divorce rates.

When it comes to median home and rental prices, South Carolina is well below the national average. The cost of renting or buying is higher in some cities compared to others, so we looked at the percentage of income residents spend on housing.

10 Happiest Cities in South Carolina

10. Orangeburg

• Restaurants per capita: 1 per 185 inhabitants
  
• Odds of being the victim of a violent crime: 1 in 237.6
  
• Average commute time: 15.9 minutes
  
• Percentage of residents leaving for work before 5 a.m.: 4.8%
  
• Median household income: $30,897
  
• Percentage of residents who are divorced: 7% of males, 9.1% of females
  
• Percentage of income spent on housing: 26.4%

Orangeburg is a quiet little college town about 40 miles to the southeast of Columbia. Around 14,000 people live here full-time, but the population swells in the fall when students head back to classes at South Carolina State University and Claflin College. As far as commutes go, Orangeburg residents don't spend too much time tied up in traffic, and nearly 5% of them are out the door before 5 a.m.

Did You Know: Each January, Orangeburg hosts the Grand American Coon Hunt, the nation's largest field trial for coon dogs.

9. Camden

• Restaurants per capita: 1 per 150 inhabitants
  
• Odds of being the victim of a violent crime: 1 in 80.1
  
• Average commute time: 20.8 minutes
  
• Percentage of residents leaving for work before 5 a.m.: 3.5%
  
• Median household income: $49,986
  
• Percentage of residents who are divorced: 7.1% of males, 15.3% of females
  
• Percentage of income spent on housing: 20.9%

At just under 7,000 residents, Camden is our least populous city, but that doesn't mean people here are down in the dumps. Workers fare well on the income scale, earning a median payday of nearly $50,000. Just over 20% of that goes toward housing, and the drive to work takes about 20 minutes on average. Camden got the best rating for the number of restaurants per capita. Sam Kendall's is a choice dinner spot among locals.

Did You Know: Founded in 1732, Camden is South Carolina's oldest inland city.

8. Fountain Inn

• Restaurants per capita: 1 per 718 inhabitants
  
• Odds of being the victim of a violent crime: 1 in 222.6
  
• Average commute time: 21.3 minutes
  
• Percentage of residents leaving for work before 5 a.m.: 5%
  
• Median household income: $44,912
  
• Percentage of residents who are divorced: 8.7% of males, 14.5% of females
  
• Percentage of income spent on housing: 21.5%

The city of Fountain Inn is situated in the Piedmont region, just south of both Greenville and Spartanburg. There are close to 8,000 people who make their home here, and they appreciate its quiet, small-town atmosphere. The size of the residents' paychecks usually gives them cause to grin, and it doesn't take them too long to make it into work each day. Compared to Greenville, housing is a good deal cheaper for renters and buyers alike.

Did You Know: Artist Art Frahm, who was behind the design of the Quaker Oats label and the Coppertone Suntan lotion girl, once lived in Fountain Inn.

7. Beaufort

• Restaurants per capita: 1 per 197 inhabitants
  
• Odds of being the victim of a violent crime: 1 in 91
  
• Average commute time: 18.4 minutes
  
• Percentage of residents leaving for work before 5 a.m.: 4%
  
• Median household income: $49,056
  
• Percentage of residents who are divorced: 6.3% of males, 14.6% of females
  
• Percentage of income spent on housing: 22.4%

With a population approaching 13,000, Beaufort sits along the lowcountry's coastal region, between the historic cities of Charleston and Savannah. The waterfront views aren't the only thing residents here are happy about. Incomes hover right around the $50,000 mark, and housing doesn't take up too much of your paycheck. Fresh seafood is on the menu at many of Beaufort's restaurants, including the Saltus River Grill.

Did You Know: Beaufort served as the setting for Pat Conroy's first novel, The Great Santini.

6. Cayce

• Restaurants per capita: 1 per 362 inhabitants
  
• Odds of being the victim of a violent crime: 1 in 124.9
  
• Average commute time: 17.9 minutes
  
• Percentage of residents leaving for work before 5 a.m.: 4%
  
• Median household income: $42,538
  
• Percentage of residents who are divorced: 7.9% of males, 10% of females
  
• Percentage of income spent on housing: 22.6%

Cayce is a rapidly growing offshoot of Columbia, located on the opposite bank of the Congaree River. Its nearly 13,000 residents are just minutes from downtown, which is great if you're commuting to work, heading to a game at Williams-Brice Stadium or checking out the nightlife in Five Points. Home prices are lower than neighboring West Columbia, but they're steadily climbing along with Cayce's popularity.

Did You Know: Cayce was one of the first European settlements of the midlands region.

5. Hartsville

• Restaurants per capita: 1 per 302 inhabitants
  
• Odds of being the victim of a violent crime: 1 in 82.1
  
• Average commute time: 17.4 minutes
  
• Percentage of residents leaving for work before 5 a.m.: 2.2%
  
• Median household income: $38,780
  
• Percentage of residents who are divorced: 8.4% of males, 8.4% of females
  
• Percentage of income spent on housing: 18.9%

With about 7,800 residents, Hartsville is everything you'd expect in a small town. Traffic isn't too burdensome, and housing doesn't take a huge bite out of your wallet. The median income nears $40,000, which isn't too shabby, and compared to some of our other cities, married couples seem to be living happily ever after for the most part.

Did You Know: Talk show host Leeza Gibbons hails from Hartsville.

4. Goose Creek

• Restaurants per capita: 1 per 632 inhabitants
  
• Odds of being the victim of a violent crime: 1 in 319.5
  
• Average commute time: 22.5 minutes
  
• Percentage of residents leaving for work before 5 a.m.: 4.3%
  
• Median household income: $62,045
  
• Percentage of residents who are divorced: 5.6% of males, 10.4% of females
  
• Percentage of income spent on housing: 23.2%

As Charleston continues to grow, so do the surrounding communities, and Goose Creek is no exception. The current population is right around 39,000, with more newcomers moving into the area each year. One of the things that brings in the crowds is the higher median income of $62,000, which is the best on our list. Home and rental prices are still relatively low compared to Chucktown, and the divorce rate is right at 16%.

Did You Know: Goose Creek is home to the Naval Weapons Station Charleston.

3. Mauldin

• Restaurants per capita: 1 per 458 inhabitants
  
• Odds of being the victim of a violent crime: 1 in 492.3
  
• Average commute time: 18.6 minutes
  
• Percentage of residents leaving for work before 5 a.m.: 3.1%
  
• Median household income: $54,032
  
• Percentage of residents who are divorced: 7% of males, 12.6% of females
  
• Percentage of income spent on housing: 22.1%

We head back to the Piedmont region to find the number three city on our list. Mauldin is situated about halfway between Greenville and Fountain Inn, and it's a magnet for those who are looking for a safe place to live. The city's 24,000 residents enjoy the lowest violent crime rate in our study, and they also fare well when it comes to income.

Did You Know: NBA player Kevin Garnett was born in Greenville and went on to play basketball at Mauldin High School.

2. Aiken

• Restaurants per capita: 1 per 328 inhabitants
  
• Odds of being the victim of a violent crime: 1 in 267
  
• Average commute time: 20.9 minutes
  
• Percentage of residents leaving for work before 5 a.m.: 2.4%
  
• Median household income: $53,825
  
• Percentage of residents who are divorced: 6.5% of males, 9.1% of females
  
• Percentage of income spent on housing: 18.8%

Aiken is another one of South Carolina's busiest tourist spots, and the 30,000 people who call it home know why it attracts visitors from far and wide. One of its most appealing features is the fact that home prices aren't sky-high. Residents also take home a slightly bigger payday versus those in neighboring cities. Something else that works in its favor is the great selection of restaurants like Casa Bella and JC's Seafood.

Did You Know: Aiken sits adjacent to the Savannah River Site, where the neutrino was discovered in 1956.

1. Port Royal

• Restaurants per capita: 1 per 626 inhabitants
  
• Odds of being the victim of a violent crime: 1 in 302.6
  
• Average commute time: 14 minutes
  
• Percentage of residents leaving for work before 5 a.m.: 30.1%
  
• Median household income: $43,626
  
• Percentage of residents who are divorced: 4.6% of males, 9.4% of females
  
• Percentage of income spent on housing: 26.6%

Port Royal is a peaceful little town of about 11,000 people nestled between Beaufort and Parris Island. If you're wondering why a seemingly out-of-the-way spot ranked first on our list, it comes down to three things. First, nearly a third of Port Royal's residents are getting their workday started before 5 a.m. They have the shortest commute in our study, at 14 minutes even, and the divorce rate is the lowest, at 14%. When you add it all up, Port Royal equals a pretty happy population.

Did You Know: Several scenes from the film Forrest Gump were shot on location in Port Royal and nearby Beaufort.

While Charleston is one of the country's top-rated tourist destinations and Columbia is ideal for up-and-coming professionals, both cities just missed the cut. Based on what we found, it seems that South Carolina's smaller towns are better environments for cultivating contentment.