We lived in Charleston for a year, but it was too expensive and crowded. Now, we're happily settled 2 hours north.

My wife and I lived in Charleston for a year and it was nice but not feasible for us long-term. We found the cost of living and booming population to be more than we could manage. So, we moved north to Florence, South Carolina, and found many upsides to living in a smaller city .

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You can opt-out at any time by visiting our Preferences page or by clicking "unsubscribe" at the bottom of the email. Advertisement I've traveled a lot and lived in many places, from Frankfurt to New York City. But at my core, I'm a native South Carolinian and I've lived all over the state throughout the years.

So, I wasn't surprised to find Charleston at No. 9 on US News & World Report's list of the 15 best places to live in the South . It really is a great place, with its thriving economy, culture and arts scene, beautiful beaches, and many restaurants and bars.

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My wife and I lived in a rental on James Island, a few miles from downtown Charleston, for a year from late 2020 to 2.