I also relocated to South Carolina from upstate NY about 9 years ago. I live in Greenville and really like it. It's fairly close to Charlotte, Atlanta, the beaches, and the cost of living is much, much lower than NJ. My taxes on my $170k house are less than $2k. We are also only a few hours from the Tail of the Dragon for the ultimate driving experience. No car inspections so you can do what you want with your car. :-)
http://www.eddykicker.com/Why-Greenville
Good luck with your relocation...