Safest Banks in South Carolina 2026
South Carolina has 38 FDIC-insured banks with an average Bank Health Score of 74/100 (B). The safest bank is Bank of York with a score of 97/100.
Data from FDIC Q2 2024
38 South Carolina banks are ranked below by the BankHealth composite score. The composite weights Tier 1 capital ratio (35%), inverted non-performing loan ratio (30%), liquidity ratio (25%), and return on assets (10%) into a 0-100 grade.
Top-of-list banks combine strong capital with clean loan books and reasonable profitability. Bottom-of-list banks face pressure on one or more scoring factors — most often elevated NPL ratios or thin profitability margins. Each bank links to its full profile with multi-quarter trend charts, the four composite factor breakdowns, and the underlying FDIC Call Report data.
South Carolina's 38 FDIC-insured banks hold a combined $27.7B in assets. Their average Bank Health Score of 74/100 sits 4.0 points above the national average of 70/100. Across the state, 66% of banks earn an A or B grade for financial health, while 8% fall to a D or F.
The largest bank headquartered in South Carolina is Southern First Bank with $4.1B in assets and a Bank Health Score of 59/100. The strongest by score is Bank of York in York (97/100, Tier 1 capital 30.31%). The weakest is Kingstree Fs&La at 15/100, dragged down by an NPL ratio of 4.72%.
All scores below come from the latest FDIC BankFind Call Report (Q2 2024). The Bank Health Score weights Tier 1 capital ratio (35%), nonperforming loan ratio (30%), liquidity ratio (25%), and return on assets (10%) — the four metrics regulators watch most closely when judging whether a bank is well-capitalized. Every bank with FDIC insurance covers up to $250,000 per depositor per ownership category, but the score helps you tell apart banks that are comfortably well-capitalized from those operating closer to the line.
Top 3 Safest Banks in South Carolina
Bank of York
York, SC
South Carolina's top-rated bank, with a Tier 1 capital ratio of 30.31% — well above the federal "well-capitalized" threshold of 8%. Holds $292M in assets.
Bank of Travelers Rest
Travelers Rest, SC
Second-strongest in the state on capital and loan quality. NPL ratio sits at 0.04% with $1.4B in total assets.
Conway National Bank
Conway, SC
Third in the rankings on the Bank Health Score. Liquidity ratio of 54.66% and ROA of 1.18%.
Top 20 of 38 Banks in South Carolina
| # | Bank | City | Grade | Score | Tier 1 Capital | NPL Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bank of York | York | A | 97 | 30.31% | 0.58% |
| 2 | Bank of Travelers Rest | Travelers Rest | A | 96 | 14.73% | 0.04% |
| 3 | Conway National Bank | Conway | A | 96 | 17.90% | 0.10% |
| 4 | Pee Dee Federal Savings Bank | Marion | A | 96 | 39.84% | 0.00% |
| 5 | Optus Bank | Columbia | A | 96 | 17.02% | 0.40% |
| 6 | Farmers&Merchants Bank of Sc | Holly Hill | A | 95 | 38.79% | 0.81% |
| 7 | Palmetto State Bank | Hampton | A | 93 | 27.34% | 0.43% |
| 8 | First Nb of South Carolina | Holly Hill | A | 93 | 21.78% | 0.70% |
| 9 | Pickens Savings&Loan Assn Fa | Pickens | A | 92 | 22.07% | 0.36% |
| 10 | Countybank | Greenwood | A | 92 | 14.64% | 0.33% |
| 11 | Oconee Fs&La | Seneca | A | 90 | 23.99% | 0.27% |
| 12 | Security Federal Bank | Aiken | A | 88 | 18.24% | 1.07% |
| 13 | Blue Ridge Bank | Walhalla | A | 87 | 14.10% | 0.01% |
| 14 | First Palmetto Bank | Camden | A | 87 | 13.54% | 0.13% |
| 15 | 1st FSB of Sc INC | Walterboro | A | 85 | 14.87% | 0.47% |
| 16 | Carolina Bank&Trust Co | Lamar | A | 84 | 17.82% | 0.34% |
| 17 | Bank of the Lowcountry | Walterboro | A | 83 | 11.61% | 0.12% |
| 18 | South Atlantic Bank | Myrtle Beach | A | 81 | 11.55% | 0.00% |
| 19 | First Reliance Bank | Florence | B | 79 | 12.28% | 0.03% |
| 20 | Coastal Carolina Nb | Myrtle Beach | B | 79 | 11.67% | 0.00% |
Bank Health Scores for South Carolina are calculated from FDIC Call Report data including Tier 1 capital ratios, nonperforming loan ratios, liquidity ratios, and return on assets.
Frequently Asked Questions
Based on our Bank Health Score analysis of FDIC data, Bank of York in York is currently the safest bank in South Carolina with a score of 97/100 (Grade A). It posts a Tier 1 capital ratio of 30.31% and a nonperforming loan ratio of 0.58%.
South Carolina has 38 FDIC-insured banks with a combined $27.7B in total assets. The average Bank Health Score across the state is 74/100 (Grade B).
South Carolina's average Bank Health Score of 74/100 is 4.0 points above the national average of 70/100. 66% of banks in South Carolina earn an A or B grade, compared with the national average grade of B.
Of 38 FDIC-insured banks headquartered in South Carolina, 18 earn an A, 7 a B, 10 a C, 2 a D, and 1 an F. The most common grade is B.
The Bank Health Score (0-100) is based on four FDIC-reported metrics: Tier 1 capital ratio (35% weight), nonperforming loan ratio (30%), liquidity ratio (25%), and return on assets (10%). Higher scores indicate stronger financial health. Every score uses the latest FDIC Call Report data.
Bank Health Scores are computed from quarterly FDIC Call Report data. Tier 1 capital ratio (35%), nonperforming loan ratio (30%), liquidity ratio (25%), and return on assets (10%).