This SC town ranks as nation’s No. 1 ‘booming’ suburb. What makes it so special?
A South Carolina town is “booming” with jobs — and people interested in moving there, a new report finds.
So much so, the town now ranks as the nation’s No. 1 hottest suburb. Summerville, near Charleston, topped a list of places where job growth and desirability are “well above national averages,” according to a Nov. 19 news release.
But Summerville wasn’t the only place in the Palmetto State to earn a high spot in the rankings. Conway landed at No. 2, and Bluffton was No. 6.
“The coastal South reigns supreme for its suburbs where people want to move in, and where far fewer residents considering a move-out,” the website moveBuddha wrote in its report, adding that all the top 10 places are within about a two-hour drive from beaches.
To create the list, the moving resource website studied more than 500 cities across the country. It narrowed the places to suburbs, defined as “any city in each metropolitan region that was not the single, primary (first) city listed in a ‘metro’ name,” a spokesperson told McClatchy News via email.
Using search data from its website and figures from the U.S. government, moveBuddha discovered that 43 suburbs met the criteria of having year-over-year job growth “better than the national average” and a high ratio of people interested in moving in compared with those wanting to leave. Each of those suburbs also was evaluated for home values based on Zillow real estate data, results show.
What makes Summerville special?
Summerville, a roughly 25-mile drive northwest from Charleston, is home to about 50,000 people. It reigned supreme after it was found to be the most attractive suburb, with a ratio of “3.76 people searching to move in for every resident looking to leave.”
“Summerville’s popularity among prospective movers may be due to the incredibly strong job growth in the metro area — 4.2% between August 2023 and 2024,” moveBuddha wrote. “Known for its red-brick historic district, farmer’s market, and community events like the Flowertown Festival, Summerville is also one of just three suburbs in the top ten with an average home value under $400K.”
Two other South Carolina towns ranked among the nation’s “booming” suburbs, putting the Palmetto State in a tie with Florida for having the most cities in the top 10. Also joining Summerville on the list were Conway — in the Myrtle Beach area — and Bluffton, near Hilton Head Island.
“The Charleston area’s popularity boom is benefiting the local economy,” moveBuddha wrote. “Between May 2023 and 2024, South Carolina added over 5,500 construction jobs to manage the growth. But the 80K+ jobs added in total point to an economy that’s fueled by more than just construction, helping establish South Carolina as a prime destination for new residents.”
After Summerville and Conway took the top spots in the rankings, here are the nation’s other top five “job-magnet” suburbs:
- Beverly Hills, California, at No. 3
- Winter Garden, Florida, at No. 4
- Davenport, Florida, at No. 5
This story was originally published November 21, 2024 at 10:59 AM with the headline "This SC town ranks as nation’s No. 1 ‘booming’ suburb. What makes it so special?."
