Don’t Raise Your Family In South Carolina – Here’s Why

There’s a lot to consider when deciding where you want to live when starting a family and some states make it easier than others. One local state is the exception. South Carolina is not a great place to raise your family according to a new report. Some parents prefer to stay in the area they grew up in. While others like myself, want to move somewhere else and a new report reveals which states they may want to consider.

10 Worst States To Raise A Family In 2024

I happen to love South Carolina. I think there's plenty to do. There's beaches, Charleston, the Columbia Zoo, and oh a cool putt putt place in Lancaster! Check out the full list here to see what states are the best to raise a family.

As a parent, part of moving to a new area is determining which area has a great school district. Niche.com helped out and delivered the top ranked schools for 2024 in the Charlotte area. The question now is do you agree?

I can't lie. I have always wondered where someone could go to get a non-biased opinion of schools beyond some general places. I recently found out about Niche and this really came in and answered many if not all questions someone could have about a school in a certain district, area, or state. Most of the analytics on each school break down if the school is a great school for teachers. This helps a teacher who that may be looking to switch states and not sure where to start. Not only does this show how the schools are ranked per state, but it also shows the best schools for athletes.

One of the big things that I enjoyed seeing in high schools was the breakdowns of SAT and ACT scores. They even gave the graduation percentage rate. That is a big deal because you learn just how well some schools are actually performing and how well some of them aren't.

Some of these schools are outside of the Charlotte area, but Niche.com has them categorized. Bessimer City Early College High is located in Dallas, NC. The school is rated 2nd out of 56 for best magnet schools in NC. It's also rated 6th out of 618 for best public high schools and ranked 26th out of 587 for best public high school for teachers in NC. On the academic level, they are off the charts with a 90% graduation rate.

Next, we will take it over to Waxhaw, NC. Marvin Ridge is a great school for athletes. It's ranked 5th out of 627 for best school for athletes in North Carolina. It also ranks 9th out of 618 for best public high schools in North Carolina. They have an average graduation rate of 98% with an average SAT score of 1320.

Ardrey Kell comes in ranked 10th out of 618 for best public high schools in North Carolina. They are also rolling in with a 97% graduation rate and an average SAT score of 1300. Let's go Ardrey Kell!

We are now into the middle school category. Metrolina is a Charter school and ranks #1 in the Charlotte area and #2 in the state of North Carolina. They also rank #1 for the best public middle school for teachers in the state of North Carolina. Congrats!

Fort Mill has always had highly rated schools. Even though this is in South Carolina, it is still considered the Charlotte area since it is right over the state line. Out of 322 schools, Pleasant Knoll is rated the #1 best public middle school in South Carolina. The school also ranks #1 for best public middle school for teachers in South Carolina.

https://pkms.fortmillschools.org/

Springfield Middle School also resides in the Fort Mill area in South Carolina. Springfield comes right behind the above Pleasant Knoll as the #2 Middle school in South Carolina. They are also ranked #10 for best public middle school for teachers. My home state is on the map!

https://sfms.fortmillschools.org/

We are now stepping into our elementary school area and it looks like we have some repeats. Metrolina is one of them. With this charter school, there is no application fee and no interview is required.

We are taking it back across the state line back into the Fort Mill area. Gold Hill Elementary is coming in at the number one elementary school in the Charlotte area. Again, since the school is directly across the state line, it's still considered the Charlotte area. Gold Hill Elementary is in the Tega Cay area. Coming in as the #2 public elementary school in South Carolina.

It's an awesome thing to have a top rated elementary and middle school in your district, but Fort Mill School District has several. While ranking #3 in the Charlotte area, Pleasant Knoll is ranked #2 in the state for best public middle school. Congrats!

Now, we are moving into our private school category. The number one school in the Charlotte area is Providence Day School. The yearly tuition is a little over $31k. There is a $100 application fee as well as an interview which is normal. While ranking #1 in private schools in the Charlotte area, they are ranked #2 in the state. The average graduation rate is 100% and an average SAT score of 1350!

Gaston Day School is in Gastonia, NC. They have a $75 application fee and an interview is required. Their average yearly tuition is around $20k. They are ranked #2 in the Charlotte area and #3 in the state for best private K-12 school.

Charlotte Country Day has an average yearly tuition of around $28k. They are ranked #3 in the Charlotte area and #4 in the state!