Market rankings · South Carolina
Gyms in South Carolina
Markets across South Carolina ranked by the Groundwork market score for gyms, with competitor counts and household spending for each.
- Listings
- 1,503
- 445 chain locations (30%)
- Official establishments
- 574
- All fitness and recreational sports centers · +8.5% since 2019
- Household spending a year
- $1.5B
- On memberships, classes and admissions
- Listings per 10k households
- 7.1
- 7% below the U.S.
- Spending per listing
- $986K
- 24% below the U.S.
- Rank among states
- #27 of 51
- Market score 47 · Lower middle
A site report maps the gyms on map listings around any address in South Carolina by name and distance, and the spending within reach.
Free10 actions over 3 days, no cardSurvey estimates 2020–2024 · population estimates 2025 · official business counts 2023 · map listings September 2026 · Data credits · How we measure
What this means
As of September 2026, map listings count 1,503 gyms in South Carolina. Of those, 445 are chain locations, or 30%, against 28% across the U.S. Per 10,000 households, that is 7.1, 7% below the U.S. rate of 7.6.
Household spending on memberships, classes and admissions in South Carolina comes to about $1.5B a year: $700 per household, 29% below the U.S. average. That works out to $986K per gym, 24% below the U.S. figure of $1.3M. That spending covers all memberships, classes and admissions, which gyms share with other businesses in the trade.
Official counts show 574 businesses with payroll classed as fitness and recreational sports centers in South Carolina in 2023, up 8.5% from 2019. That is one for every 3,690 households, against one for every 3,109 across the U.S. Across the U.S., the count rose 5.8% over the same years. The official count takes in all fitness and recreational sports centers, not only gyms: yoga, Pilates and fitness studios are counted too. Since fiscal 2022, 72 SBA-backed loans worth $34.5M have gone to businesses classed as fitness and recreational sports centers in South Carolina.
Among the 50 states and DC, South Carolina ranks #27 for gyms, with a Groundwork market score of 47 (lower middle). Of the 10 scored metro areas in or partly in South Carolina, the Augusta-Richmond County metro area scores highest (59). Of the 6 scored small-town markets in or partly in South Carolina, the Murrells Inlet area scores highest (79).
Every market in South Carolina for gyms
Download the ranking (CSV)Numbered by Groundwork market score among the markets based in South Carolina, highest first; the U.S. rank compares each market with every other of its kind. A metro area that crosses a state line is listed in each state it reaches, and numbered only in the state its page is under. How the score works.
Metro areas
| Market | Score | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Population growth | U.S. rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC | 59 | 135 | 5.8 | $1.2M | +4.7% | #111 of 387 |
| 1Sumter, SC | 53 | 17 | 4.1 | $1.4M | −0.3% | #156 of 387 |
| 2Florence, SC | 51 | 34 | 4.3 | $1.3M | +0.9% | #176 of 387 |
| 3Spartanburg, SC | 49 | 86 | 6.0 | $1M | +14.3% | #207 of 387 |
| 4Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC | 47 | 118 | 7.4 | $859K | +20.9% | #231 of 387 |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | 45 | 849 | 7.9 | $1.1M | +10.1% | #246 of 387 |
| 5Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal, SC | 45 | 80 | 8.4 | $1M | +12.0% | #247 of 387 |
| 6Charleston-North Charleston, SC | 42 | 310 | 9.2 | $922K | +10.7% | #267 of 387 |
| 7Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC | 40 | 303 | 7.9 | $899K | +9.0% | #284 of 387 |
| 8Columbia, SC | 40 | 265 | 7.8 | $878K | +6.0% | #286 of 387 |
Small-town markets
| Market | Score | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Population growth | U.S. rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Murrells Inlet, SC | 79 | 13 | 4.8 | $1.5M | +3.8% | #18 of 506 |
| 2Seneca, SC | 63 | 20 | 5.8 | $1.1M | +6.3% | #116 of 506 |
| 3Newberry, SC | 61 | 7 | 4.6 | $1.2M | +4.8% | #138 of 506 |
| 4Gaffney, SC | 55 | 9 | 4.1 | $1.2M | +3.7% | #197 of 506 |
| 5Greenwood, SC | 55 | 17 | 4.5 | $1.2M | +1.7% | #198 of 506 |
| 6Orangeburg, SC | 52 | 14 | 4.2 | $1.1M | −0.9% | #234 of 506 |
Counties
| Market | Score | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Population growth | U.S. rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Kershaw County, SC | 77 | 11 | 4.1 | $1.6M | +11.6% | #105 of 1,792 |
| 2Georgetown County, SC | 73 | 13 | 4.8 | $1.5M | +3.8% | #168 of 1,792 |
| 3Dorchester County, SC | 71 | 37 | 5.9 | $1.3M | +10.1% | #215 of 1,792 |
| 4Berkeley County, SC | 71 | 61 | 6.5 | $1.2M | +18.7% | #218 of 1,792 |
| 5Laurens County, SC | 69 | 10 | 3.7 | $1.4M | +6.2% | #255 of 1,792 |
| 6Jasper County, SC | 66 | 6 | 4.6 | $1.4M | +32.2% | #324 of 1,792 |
| 7Lancaster County, SC | 66 | 29 | 7.2 | $1.1M | +18.3% | #335 of 1,792 |
| 8Aiken County, SC | 65 | 37 | 5.3 | $1.3M | +7.3% | #367 of 1,792 |
| 9Oconee County, SC | 59 | 20 | 5.8 | $1.1M | +6.3% | #579 of 1,792 |
| 10York County, SC | 58 | 85 | 7.5 | $1.2M | +8.1% | #617 of 1,792 |
| 11Anderson County, SC | 58 | 53 | 6.3 | $1M | +7.7% | #625 of 1,792 |
| 12Sumter County, SC | 56 | 17 | 4.1 | $1.4M | −0.3% | #683 of 1,792 |
| 13Florence County, SC | 53 | 26 | 4.9 | $1.2M | +1.2% | #804 of 1,792 |
| 14Edgefield County, SC | 53 | 6 | 6.1 | $1.1M | +16.1% | #815 of 1,792 |
| 15Cherokee County, SC | 52 | 9 | 4.1 | $1.2M | +3.7% | #834 of 1,792 |
| 16Newberry County, SC | 52 | 7 | 4.6 | $1.2M | +4.8% | #835 of 1,792 |
| 17Spartanburg County, SC | 52 | 82 | 6.2 | $1M | +15.6% | #854 of 1,792 |
| 18Darlington County, SC | 51 | 8 | 3.1 | $1.8M | +0.1% | #861 of 1,792 |
| 19Chesterfield County, SC | 51 | 8 | 4.6 | $1.1M | +3.4% | #885 of 1,792 |
| 20Horry County, SC | 50 | 118 | 7.4 | $859K | +20.9% | #941 of 1,792 |
| 21Beaufort County, SC | 49 | 74 | 9.0 | $997K | +8.9% | #966 of 1,792 |
| 22Orangeburg County, SC | 48 | 14 | 4.2 | $1.1M | −0.9% | #986 of 1,792 |
| 23Colleton County, SC | 47 | 7 | 4.3 | $1.3M | +2.2% | #1,017 of 1,792 |
| 24Lexington County, SC | 43 | 101 | 8.3 | $875K | +7.7% | #1,173 of 1,792 |
| 25Greenville County, SC | 43 | 200 | 9.1 | $858K | +10.6% | #1,174 of 1,792 |
Show all 46 counties
| Market | Score | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Population growth | U.S. rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 26Greenwood County, SC | 42 | 14 | 5.0 | $1.1M | +1.5% | #1,188 of 1,792 |
| 27Charleston County, SC | 39 | 212 | 11.8 | $785K | +6.4% | #1,281 of 1,792 |
| 28Richland County, SC | 38 | 147 | 8.8 | $778K | +4.6% | #1,310 of 1,792 |
| 29Pickens County, SC | 37 | 40 | 7.6 | $807K | +5.7% | #1,335 of 1,792 |
| 30Chester County, SC | 36 | 6 | 4.6 | $1.1M | +2.2% | #1,345 of 1,792 |
| 31Williamsburg County, SC | 24 | 5 | 4.1 | $1.1M | −4.0% | #1,602 of 1,792 |
| 32Dillon County, SC | 20 | 5 | 4.6 | $989K | −2.9% | #1,661 of 1,792 |
| Clarendon County, SC | Not scored | 3 | 2.4 | $2.1M | +0.7% | |
| Marion County, SC | Not scored | 3 | 2.5 | $1.6M | −2.9% | |
| Union County, SC | Not scored | 4 | 3.4 | $1.3M | −1.4% | |
| Marlboro County, SC | Not scored | 3 | 3.1 | $1.3M | −3.8% | |
| Abbeville County, SC | Not scored | 3 | 3.1 | $1.9M | +2.3% | |
| Fairfield County, SC | Not scored | 1 | 1.1 | $4.7M | −2.6% | |
| Barnwell County, SC | Not scored | 2 | 2.5 | $2M | +0.4% | |
| Saluda County, SC | Not scored | 2 | 2.6 | $2.1M | +4.1% | |
| Hampton County, SC | Not scored | 3 | 4.2 | $1M | −1.9% | |
| Lee County, SC | Not scored | 3 | 4.7 | $831K | −5.0% | |
| Calhoun County, SC | Not scored | 3 | 4.9 | $1.2M | +0.6% | |
| Bamberg County, SC | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | −3.5% | |
| McCormick County, SC | Not scored | 3 | 7.1 | $712K | +7.3% | |
| Allendale County, SC | Not scored | 2 | 6.2 | $679K | −7.4% |
Markets with fewer than 5 gyms on map listings, and counties under 10,000 people, aren’t scored; they’re listed last in each table.
Questions
How many gyms are in South Carolina?
South Carolina has 1,503 gyms on map listings as of September 2026. 445 of them (30%) are chain locations. The listings count gyms and fitness centers. Official counts show 574 businesses with payroll classed as fitness and recreational sports centers in 2023, up 8.5% from 2019. That count covers all fitness and recreational sports centers (yoga, Pilates and fitness studios included), not only gyms.
How much do households in South Carolina spend on memberships, classes and admissions?
About $1.5B a year, or $700 per household. That is 29% below the U.S. average (an index of 71, where 100 is the U.S. average). Spread across the 1,503 gyms on map listings, it comes to $986K per gym. The spending figure covers all memberships, classes and admissions, not only gyms. It is estimated from the incomes of the 2,117,989 households in South Carolina and national spending patterns by income.
How does South Carolina compare with the U.S. for gyms?
South Carolina has 7.1 gyms per 10,000 households, 7% below the U.S. rate of 7.6. Spending per gym is $986K, 24% below the U.S. figure of $1.3M. At the national ratio of gyms to household spending, South Carolina would have about 1,139, against 1,503 on map listings. There is one business with payroll in the industry for every 3,690 households, against one for every 3,109 across the U.S. The official count rose 8.5% from 2019 to 2023, against +5.8% for the U.S.
Which market in South Carolina has the highest market score for gyms?
Among 10 scored metro areas in or partly in South Carolina, the Augusta-Richmond County metro area scores highest, at 59 (upper middle). Among 6 scored small-town markets in or partly in South Carolina, the Murrells Inlet area scores highest, at 79 (high). Among 32 scored counties in South Carolina, Kershaw County scores highest, at 77 (high). Scores compare each market with others of its kind across the U.S.
What is the Groundwork market score?
The Groundwork market score runs from 0 to 100 and compares a market with others of its kind for one business type: states with states, metro areas with metro areas, small-town markets and counties with their own. It weighs household spending per competitor (35%), households per business with payroll (25%), population growth (20%) and spending power (20%), each ranked against those peers. A higher score means that, taken together, the market has more household spending and more households for each business already there, faster population growth and more spending per household than similar markets. It describes a market, not any one site or deal. South Carolina scores 47 for gyms (lower middle), #27 of the 50 states and DC.
How can I see the market around a specific site?
Run a Groundwork site report on an address in South Carolina. It maps the gyms on map listings near the site and sizes the households and spending within the distance you choose. New accounts get 10 actions over 3 days, no card.
Gyms in other states
All 51 states
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
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- Delaware
- District of Columbia
- Florida
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- Hawaii
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- New Hampshire
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- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
Top markets for gyms across the U.S. · All business types in South Carolina
Related business types in South Carolina
- Gyms, studios and classes2,808 listings
- Yoga, Pilates and fitness studios400 listings
- Martial arts and dance studios905 listings
Screening a site or an acquisition in South Carolina?
A site report maps the competitors on map listings near an address and sizes the households and spending around it.
This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.
Figures are estimates for research only. Not investment or real estate advice.