9 Reasons to Make the Move to Greenville, South Carolina
Older Americans are on the move. Though just 17% of the U.S. population is 65 and older, almost 30% of moves in 2020 were made by people in that age group, according to moving and relocation company United Van Lines.
Also, a separate 2020 moving survey asked people why they were relocating. About 20% of respondents said retirement was the main reason they were pulling up stakes.
Where are older adults going? Well, many of them are retiring in Greenville, SC. They cite reasons like the state’s tax benefits, its weather and its low cost of living. They’re also attracted specifically to the city of Greenville for its plentiful culture, arts and entertainment, shopping and great eating establishments.
If you’ve been thinking about relocating in your retirement years, here are nine reasons why you might want to strongly consider retiring in Greenville, SC.
1. You’ll be in good company. More than 14,000 people over 60 chose to relocate to the state of South Carolina in 2020 — the fourth most popular state, beating out states like Texas, Tennessee and Nevada. This is according to financial tech company SmartAsset, which conducts annual studies to see where retirees are moving.
2. The state is tax-friendly to seniors. Also according to SmartAsset, South Carolina doesn’t tax Social Security benefits, and provides a $15,000 taxable income deduction for seniors who receive another type of retirement income, like a pension or IRA. Another bonus? The state has some of the lowest property taxes in the country. These tax benefits mean your retirement dollars go further in the Palmetto State!
3. Greenville’s convenient location is hard to beat. If you look on a map, you’ll see Greenville is conveniently situated between Atlanta, GA, to the southwest and Charlotte, NC, to the northeast. Asheville, NC, is northwest, and Columbia, SC, is southeast. Greenville is smack-dab between all four larger cities, meaning in any direction you’re only a short drive to other cities’ culture, arts and entertainment, historical features, shopping, sports and outdoor activities.
4. Greenville is a magnet for fine eating establishments. Hailed as the “#1 Under-the-Radar Southern Food Destination” by Zagat, the “Next Big Food City of the South” by Esquire, and named one of “The South’s Tastiest Towns” by Southern Living, the food scene in Greenville is deliciously diverse thanks to enterprising local restaurateurs and a couple of standout annual food festivals. If you want to keep your palate entertained, you’ll find more than 110 restaurants in downtown Greenville alone, and there are 1,000+ more places to eat throughout Greenville County, so bring your appetite!
5. If you like sports, you’ll love Greenville. You’ll have a ball in Greenville — baseball, football, basketball and soccer teams from colleges to the minor league teams all call Greenville home. There’s the Greenville Drive minor league baseball team, the Greenville Swamp Rabbits mid-level professional ice hockey team, and the Greenville Triumph professional soccer club. Nearby Furman University boasts a range of college sports as well. There’s also the epic college football rivalry between powerhouse Clemson University and the University of South Carolina.
6. The weather is practically perfect in every way. Greenville has all four seasons, but they’re not as brutal as other parts of the country. Summers can be hot and humid — it IS the South — but winters are cool, dry and short, with less than 5 inches of ice and snow annually. Spring and fall are pleasant, though those two seasons usually see the most rainfall. As for sun, you’ll enjoy about 220 sunny days a year, about 15 more than the U.S. as a whole.
7. For overall health and wellness, Greenville is good for you. The temperate climate means you can enjoy being outdoors nearly all year round. You’re surrounded by the stunning Blue Ridge Mountains and miles of walking, hiking and biking trails. The area around Greenville is rich with nature preserves, state parks and wilderness areas — and the Great Smoky Mountains National Park is a short drive away.
The beaches of Myrtle Beach and Hilton Head are also a half-day’s drive. Greenville is also very dog friendly, so your companions get the most of the city, too!
As for hospitals and health care systems, Greenville has two premier health care systems with experts in nearly every specialty of medicine. Bon Secours St. Francis Health System and Prisma Health Alliance both have several convenient locations in the area and provide quality health care.
8. More culture than you can shake a paintbrush at. If you’re seeking culture, arts and entertainment, Greenville will keep you busy. The city has historical museums, art museums, music museums, a beloved 14-acre zoo, a science center, botanical garden, multiple music venues, a planetarium — if you find yourself bored on any given day, pop into an art gallery or hop onto the City of Greenville Public Art Walking Tour.
9. If you ever need care, you’re covered. Here’s a big advantage of retiring in Greenville: You can move to a senior living community like Rolling Green Village and never have to worry about another move again. Rolling Green Village is a Life Plan Community (which is the same thing as a more familiar term, Continuing Care Retirement Community) that offers independent living on its leafy, 175-acre campus. If at some point you do need assisted living, skilled nursing or memory care, you’ll find the full continuum of care is available to you, also right on our campus.
But there’s so much more to our retirement community than the full continuum of care. How much more? Take a peek at our lifestyle, for starters, and check out the numerous services and amenities our senior living community offers you.
If you’re ready to get serious about retiring in Greenville, SC, you might want the scoop on our living options. Good news: We have a variety of floor plans to choose from, including studios to one- and two-bedroom apartment homes. And right now, the hot housing market across the U.S. makes this a perfect time to sell your home and make your move to Rolling Green Village.
