Beaufort is the only town in South Carolina named on list of Best Small Towns to Live in the U.S.

Beaufort is the only town in South Carolina to make the Travel + Leisure list of 12 Best Small Towns To Live in the U.S.Photo byExplore Beaufort

Earlier this month, Travel + Leisure magazine published its list of the Top Twelve Best Small Towns to Live in the U.S., and there's onlt one town in South Carolina that made the list.

According to the magazine, while big cities may be an essential part of our country's economic and social life, small towns are becoming an increasingly popular option for settling down. It cites a Gallup Poll in 2020 that indicates almost half of Americans said they preferred to live in a small or rural town, a significant increase since 2018.

These small towns provide residents with many of the amenities and conveniences of larger urban areas, like hospitals, schools, cultural and sports activities, and entertainment. And, while those often come at a much smaller scale, the benefits of living in a small town are many; a stronger sense of community, tranquility, less stress, and often a much more scenic setting immersed in nature that encourages an active lifestyle.

Travel + Leisure rounded up 12 of the best, and most sought-after, small U.S. towns with fewer than 25,000 residents to consider for your next forever home.

1. Incline Village, Nevada
2. Moab, Utah
3. North Potomac, Maryland
4. Carmel-by-the-Sea, California
5. Taos, New Mexico
6. Beaufort, South Carolina
7. Rutland, Vermont
8. Berry Hill, Tennessee
9. Williamsburg, Virginia
10. Branson, Missouri
11. Davenport, Florida
12. Whitefish, Montana

Yes, Beaufort, South Carolina is the only town from the Palmetto State to have made the list.

T+L said, "the second-oldest city in South Carolina is rooted in history and Southern culture."

"Beaufort is located on Port Royal Island, so residents enjoy access to many beaches (Hunting Island State Park, just 20 miles east, is a favorite) and plenty of watersports year-round. Those who dream of waterfront living are also in luck."

"The extensive range of waterfront and golf communities provide resort-style living almost everywhere, and the interior island neighborhoods span from upscale, custom-designed homes to beautifully comfortable and friendly havens," Amy Lance Leath, a broker with Daniel Ravenel Sotheby's International Realty, explained to T+L.

"Popular neighborhoods at the higher end of the market include the historic district in downtown Beaufort, Fripp Island, Distant Island, Habersham, Dataw Island Club, Coosaw Point, and Newpoint, with several up-and-coming neighborhoods such as Cat Island, the town of Port Royal, and other nearby areas.

Best of all, Leath stated, homes in the area are cheaper than the national median — $401,858, according to Zillow, (compared to $420,800).

It’s good to be consistently included among the best, but this isn’t really that much of a surprise if you’ve ever visited Beaufort, SC.

The accolades really have been pouring in for Beaufort recently.

Beaufort was also recently named among the Top Beach Towns in South Carolina by Travel + Leisure; is home to several of the Best Islands in South Carolina, according to Southern Living; and was also given the coveted title of the Best Small Town in all of South Carolina by SL.

Read the entire list from Travel + Leisure here.