Earlier this month, Travel + Leisure magazine published its list of the Top Twelve Best Small Towns to Live in the U.S., and there’s only one town in South Carolina that made the list. Yep. It was Beaufort.
Did you expect anything less?
According to the magazine, while big cities may be an essential part of our country’s economic and social life, small towns are becoming an increasingly popular option for settling down. It cites a Gallup Poll in 2020 that indicates almost half of Americans said they preferred to live in a small or rural town, a significant increase since 2018.
These small towns provide residents with many of the amenities and conveniences of larger urban areas, like hospitals, schools, cultural and sports activities, and entertainment. And, while those often come at a much smaller scale, the benefits of living in a small town are many; a stronger sense of community, tranquility, less stress, and often a much more scenic setting immersed in nature that encourages an active lifestyle.
Travel + Leisure rounded up 12 of the best, and most sought-after, small U.S. towns with fewer than 25,000 residents to consider for your next forever home.
1. Incline Village, Nevada
2. Moab, Utah
3. North Potomac, Maryland
4. Carmel-by-the-Sea, California
5. Taos, New Mexico
6. Beaufort, South Carolina
7. Rutland, Vermont
8. Berry Hill, Tennessee
9. Williamsburg, Virginia
10. Branson, Missouri
11. Davenport, Florida
12. Whitefish, Montana
Yes, Beaufort, South Carolina is the only town from the Palmetto State to have made the list.
T+L said, “the second-oldest city in South Carolina is rooted in history and Southern culture.”
“Beaufort is located on Port Royal Island, so residents enjoy access to many beaches (Hunting Island State Park, just 20 miles east, is a favorite) and plenty of watersports year-round. Those who dream of waterfront living are also in luck.”
“The extensive range of waterfront and golf communities provide resort-style living almost everywhere, and the interior island neighborhoods span from upscale, custom-designed homes to beautifully comfortable and friendly havens,” Amy Lance Leath, a broker with Daniel Ravenel Sotheby’s International Realty, explained to T+L.
“Popular neighborhoods at the higher end of the market include the historic district in downtown Beaufort, Fripp Island, Distant Island, Habersham, Dataw Island Club, Coosaw Point, and Newpoint, with several up-and-coming neighborhoods such as Cat Island, the town of Port Royal, and other nearby areas.
Best of all, Leath stated, homes in the area are cheaper than the national median — $401,858, according to Zillow, (compared to $420,800).
It’s good to be consistently included among the best towns, but this isn’t really that much of a surprise if you’ve ever visited Beaufort, SC.
The accolades really have been pouring in for Beaufort recently.
Earlier this year, Southern Living named Beaufort the #1 Best Small Town in all of South Carolina.
Recently, CNN named Beaufort one of the Best Small Towns in America.
Trips To Discover recently named Beaufort the Best Summer Vacation Destination in South Carolina, one of the Most Friendliest Towns in the U.S. and one of the 20 Most Beautiful Small Towns in the U.S.
We’ve also recently been named one of the 25 Best Small Towns in America by Architectural Digest; the Most Charming Small Town in South Carolina; one of the Cutest Towns in the U.S. and the Most Quaint Town in South Carolina.
