Finding the Best Places to Retire Since 2006!
Folly Beach, South Carolina
Once Home to Pirates and Bounty Hunters, Prosperous, Funky Folly Beach is Known to Locals as the "Edge of America"
Located on Folly Island just south east of Charleston on South Carolina's southern coast, Folly Beach is known to locals as the "Edge of America." It was once home to pirates and bounty hunters but today is a prosperous, quirky beach hamlet popular with surfers and vacationers.
With the Folly River to the west, the Atlantic Ocean to the east and about seven blocks between the two, much of Folly Beach is surrounded by water. The pier extends 1,045 feet into the ocean and is often populated with fishermen hoping to catch that night's dinner. Downtown shops are cute and colorful, selling surf boards, beachwear and souvenirs. The Actors' Theatre of South Carolina is the community theater, and the Folly Beach Arts and Crafts Guild oversees the local arts scene. Nearby wildlife includes bottlenose dolphins, loggerhead sea turtles and all sorts of crabs. Dining options are mostly casual crab shacks, seafood grills, organic eateries and cozy cafes.
Housing consists of everything from bohemian cottages and sleek condominiums to tall beach houses with stacked balconies.
Population: 2,000 (city proper)
Age 45 or Better: 42%
Cost of Living: 110% above the national average
Median Home Price: $1 million
Climate: This area is hot and humid in the summer and mild in the winter. Summer temperatures are in the 80s and 90s, and winter temperatures are in the 40s and 50s. On average, the area receives 45 inches of rain per year.
At Least One Hospital Accepts Medicare Patients? No, but Charleston has several hospitals that accept Medicare patients.
At Least One Hospital Accredited by Joint Commission? No, but Charleston has several hospitals that are accredited.
Public Transit: No
Crime Rate: Meets the national average
Public Library: Yes
Political Leanings: Liberal
College Educated: 63%
Is South Carolina Considered Tax Friendly for Retirement? Yes
Cons: Folly Beach is completely exposed if a hurricane should strike, and Hurricane Ian in 2022 caused some street flooding and wind damage.
Notes: The town is often crowded, and the surfers are sometimes a little rowdy. Most in-depth shopping is done in Charleston, 10 minutes away. Folly Beach started to lose population in 2019 but the loss has plateaued. Home prics have decreased 10% from a year ago.
Recommended as a Retirement Spot? Yes
South Carolina:
South Carolina is nicknamed the Palmetto State and its motto is "Dum spiro spero," which is Latin for "While I Breath, I Hope." It is 40th in size in the United States and was the eighth state to be admitted to the Union on May 23, 1788. The largest city and state capital is Columbia.
Formerly known as the Province of South Carolina, the area was also one of the 13 Colonies that declared its independence during the American Revolution. The state was the first to secede from the Union and was the first and founding state of the Confederate States of America.
South Carolina is in what is considered the Deep South and is bordered by the states of Georgia on the south and North Carolina on the north.
The state does not host any major professional sport franchises. However, the Carolina Panthers and the Carolina Hurricanes actually represent both North Carolina and South Carolina.
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