Places › South Carolina › Goose Creek

Living in Goose Creek, SC

Suburb in South Carolina

Goose Creek is a suburb in South Carolina, home to about 47,000 people, with 566,000 living within 31 mi. Day to day, most trips are by car. Life moves at a slow, calm pace, and homes are mostly houses.

Is Goose Creek a good place to live? Pros and cons

👍 Pros

  • Strong healthcare: 5 top-rated (4–5★) hospitals within 31 mi
  • Low taxes: about $1,296 state income tax per resident, 0.48% property tax
  • Dog-friendly: 23 dog parks within 9 mi
  • Easy flying: CHS is 7 mi away

👎 Cons

  • Smaller job market: about 566,000 people live within 31 mi
  • Quieter on culture: few museums and attractions nearby
  • Fewer graduates: 29% of adults have a bachelor's degree or higher
  • Fewer outdoor escapes: no big hills or water close by

Whether it's a good place for you depends on what you value. Take the quiz to see how Goose Creek ranks against your own priorities.

Key facts

Population
47,000
566,000 within 31 mi
Winter / summer highs
62°F / 90°F
Average daily highs
3-bedroom home
$308k
Typical value (Zillow)
3-bedroom rent
$2,220/mo
Incl. utilities (HUD)
Cost of living
101
US average = 100 (BEA)
Taxes
$1,296
State income tax per resident · 0.48% property tax
Safety
No data
Not in FBI 2019 city table
Natural disasters
13 since 2000
Declared in the county · mainly hurricanes, earthquakes
Top-rated hospitals
5
4–5★ within 31 mi (CMS)
Adults with a degree
29%
No research university within 31 mi
Nearest major airport
CHS
7 mi away

Living in Goose Creek: common questions

What is the cost of living in Goose Creek?

A typical 3-bedroom home is worth about $308k, and a 3-bedroom rents for about $2,220 a month including utilities. Overall living costs are close to the US average (index 101, where the US is 100).

What are taxes like in Goose Creek?

South Carolina collects about $1,296 in state income tax per resident, and homeowners here pay about 0.48% of their home's value in property tax each year.

Is Goose Creek safe?

Goose Creek isn't in the FBI's 2019 city crime table, so Best Life Fit Me counts its safety as average.

What is the weather like in Goose Creek?

Goose Creek has mild winters: winter days average around 62°F and summer days around 90°F.

Does Goose Creek get natural disasters?

Natural disaster risk is high, mainly from hurricanes, earthquakes and flooding: 13 federally declared disasters have hit the county since 2000, and FEMA expects about 1.47 deaths or injuries per 100,000 residents a year.

What is the nearest major airport to Goose Creek?

The nearest major airport is CHS, about 7 mi away.

How Goose Creek scores

Each bar compares Goose Creek with the other 1143 places in Best Life Fit Me. A dot shows where it sits between two ends, such as major metro and small town; neither end is better. Coloured bars run from poor (red) to excellent (green).

🏙️City size Small town Major metroSmall town
🏘️Urban or quiet Quiet / rural Dense & urbanQuiet / rural
🚶Getting around Mostly car Walk & transitCar essential
🌲Culture or nature Nature nearby Culture & nightlifeNature on the doorstep
🌡️Climate Mild winters Warm all yearLong, snowy winters
💰Cost of living Affordable Very expensiveVery affordable
⏱️Pace Slow & calm Very fast-pacedSlow & calm
🤝Community Some community feel AnonymousTight-knit community
🏡Housing Mostly houses ApartmentsHouses with yards
🏷️Affordable housing Good
💸Low taxes Excellent
💼Job market Poor
🏥Healthcare Excellent
🎓Education Poor
🧸Kids & family Good
🐕Dog-friendly Excellent
⛰️Outdoors Below average
🎭Culture Poor
🛡️Safety No crime data (counted as average)
🌪️Few natural disasters Average
☀️Sunny Good
🌤️Mild summers Average
✈️Airport Good

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Is Goose Creek right for you?

Answer 27 quick questions and see how it ranks against your priorities.

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Sources: US Census ACS 2019–2023, Census State Tax Collections FY2025, Zillow 3-bedroom ZHVI, HUD Fair Market Rents, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, FBI 2019, FEMA National Risk Index v1.20, OpenFEMA disaster declarations, NOAA Normals 1991–2020, NASA POWER, CMS, NCES IPEDS 2023, IMLS, OpenStreetMap. How scores work.