Most Expensive Suburb in South Carolina: Isle of Palms

Median home price: $620,000

Cost-of-living index: 186

Nonretail spending index: 188

Location: 15 miles east of Charleston

Population: 4,848


A seven-mile-long, one-mile-wide Atlantic barrier island, the City of the Isle of Palms is both seaside resort and Charleston commuter community. Surfing, fishing, golf courses, and endless beaches draw visitors and locals alike. Although the median home price is $620,000, houses located on the water can easily fetch north of $1 million.