COLUMBIA, S.C. — More people are calling the Palmetto State home.
New numbers from the US Census showed that South Carolina is the fastest-growing state in America.
Andrea Reynolds is a realtor for Berkshire Hathaway and shared the many factors that bring people to the Midlands.
"This year specifically and really since COVID, because a lot of people were able to work remotely and they didn't have to stay in the hustle bustle cities with the high prices and high taxes," she said. "So a lot of people moved down here from those areas just because of the slower lifestyle and you get more house for your money. so we've seen people moving from other states just for the affordability factor."
According to the US Census, from July 2022 to July 2023, South Carolina grew by 90,600 to just over 5,373,500. This is a 1.7% increase—the highest percentage increase in the nation.
"If you really want to think about it, the fourth largest city in South Carolina is Mount Pleasant, with 90,000 people, and we've added 90,000 people just in a year. it's pretty remarkable growth," Carl Blackstone said.
Blackstone is the president and CEO of the Columbia Chamber of Commerce.
The data shows the south leading the way for population growth, with South Carolina, Florida, and Texas showing the most growth- and here in the Midlands, new businesses are drawing people in.
"We're seeing it from all different sides though. we're seeing folks come to South Carolina, the midlands to retire. Some are moving here because we've got lots of expansion in employment opportunities here. Some are moving to just go to school here and decide to stay," Blackstone said. "So we're seeing all types of folks moving to Columbia, but they're coming for the same reasons, really the quality of life is great, the cost of living is really good compared to other parts of the country."