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Best Banks & Credit Unions in South Carolina

Compare the best banks and credit unions in South Carolina — up to 0.37% APY, verified fees, minimums, and membership rules from 35+ local institutions.

South Carolina residents have access to a mix of state-chartered credit unions, regional community banks, and nationwide online banks. This page ranks the strongest options for savings APY, checking rewards, and CD specials — all verified against the institution's own rate page as of September 2026.

Best banks and credit unions in South Carolina 2026

Every bank with a branch in South Carolina

73 FDIC-insured banks run 1,138 full-service offices in South Carolina. 43 of them are community banks, and 35 operate nowhere else. This is the federal record: every figure below is the regulator's own.

Deposits by office come from the FDIC Summary of Deposits, counted each 30 June; the leverage ratio is capital as a share of assets, from each bank's latest Call Report. Nothing here is blended into a score. Search by ZIP to see the offices nearest you.

Every bank we publish a page for in South Carolina

35 of them, largest first. Each page carries the bank's own Call Report figures and every office it runs.

Branches by town in South Carolina

Where a bank runs more than one office in a town, every one of them is listed on a page of its own.

Branch pages in South Carolina

Every office we publish a page for in South Carolina, by town. Each carries what that branch holds, when it opened and the other branches within five miles.

Greenville

Charleston

Spartanburg

Columbia

Myrtle Beach

Florence

Anderson

Cayce

Little River

Mount Pleasant

North Charleston

North Myrtle Beach

Summerville

Surfside Beach

West Columbia

Every credit union with an office in South Carolina

65 federally insured credit unions run 372 offices in South Carolina, between them serving 20,221,061 members. 53 carry the NCUA's low-income designation. Figures are from each credit union's own NCUA Call Report.

A credit union is measured differently from a bank and the numbers are not interchangeable: the net worth ratio here is the NCUA's capital measure under 12 CFR 702, where 7% is well capitalised, and shares are the credit union equivalent of deposits. Membership usually turns on where you live or work, so a local credit union is often open to you even when its name suggests otherwise.

What makes a South Carolina bank account worth opening

Look at four things in order: the APY (does it beat the FDIC national average of about 0.60%?), the monthly fee (anything above $0 should come with a clear waiver path), the minimum opening deposit, and the membership rule for credit unions. South Carolina residents typically qualify for at least one large state-chartered credit union on residency alone, and that credit union is often the highest-APY option available locally.

Is my money safe at a South Carolina bank or credit union?

Yes, if the institution is federally insured. FDIC covers banks up to $250,000 per depositor, per ownership category; NCUA covers credit unions at the same limits. Every institution in this directory carries one of those insurances — the FDIC or NCUA ID is listed on the full provider row.

Best banks in South Carolina cities

Related guides for South Carolina savers

Rates and fees change frequently. Confirm current figures directly with each institution before applying, and see our editorial methodology for how this directory is built and maintained.