Aiken, SC

Census place 4500550 · pop 32,521

D59/ 100
😐 Meh
B
in SC
📍 South Carolina ranks #21 of 50 states →
🏆 Prop tax0.44% · top 6%
🚽 Inequality0.50 · bottom 11%
💡 Did you know?

A historic "Winter Colony" retreat for Gilded Age elites and a premier thoroughbred horse-training town.

Source ↗
Taxes
0.44% property · US 0.99%7.49% sales · US 7.00%up to 6.00% income · US 4.63%

Sales & income are statewide.

The breakdown — worst first

Income inequality0.5011

U.S. median 0.43 · worse than most cities

Gini 0.50 (0 = equal, 1 = unequal) · Gini index of household income (0 = equal, 1 = unequal).

Poverty rate17.0%27

U.S. median 12.1% · worse than most cities

17.0% live in poverty · Share of residents living below the federal poverty line.

Uninsured adults10.5%42

U.S. median 9.3% · worse than most cities

10.5% of adults · Adults 18–64 without health insurance.

Unemployment rateCounty-level3.8%43

U.S. median 3.6% · worse than most cities

3.8% unemployment · Share of the labor force out of work. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Commute time24 min47

U.S. median 24 min · worse than most cities

24 min average one-way commute · Average one-way commute to work, in minutes.

Physical inactivity25.4%48

U.S. median 26.5% · worse than most cities

25.4% of adults · Adults with no leisure-time physical activity.

Housing cost$286,80049

U.S. median $214,900 · worse than most cities

$286,800 median home value · Median home value — how expensive it is to buy in. Higher = less affordable.

Median household income$76,74653

U.S. median $67,857 · better than most cities

$76,746 median household income · Median household income — a proxy for local economic health.

Natural disaster riskCounty-level84/10059

U.S. median 77/100 · better than most cities

84/100 FEMA risk (higher = riskier) · FEMA National Risk Index — wildfire, flood, earthquake, heat and more. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Homeownership68.1%62

U.S. median 67.2% · better than most cities

68.1% own their home · Share of occupied homes that are owner-occupied.

Broadband access93.1%62

U.S. median 90.0% · better than most cities

93.1% of homes have broadband · Share of households with a broadband internet subscription.

Adult obesity32.4%65

U.S. median 36.5% · better than most cities

32.4% of adults · Share of adults with obesity (BMI ≥ 30).

Population growth (5yr)+6.0%68

U.S. median +2.4% · better than most cities

+6.0% population change (5yr) · 5-year population change — are people moving in, or fleeing?

Adult smoking11.4%69

U.S. median 14.6% · better than most cities

11.4% of adults · Share of adults who currently smoke.

Air quality (AQI)County-level39 AQI73

U.S. median 42 AQI · better than most cities

39 median AQI · Median air quality index — lower is cleaner air. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Rent$1,425/mo74

U.S. median $1,756/mo · better than most cities

$1,425/mo typical rent · Typical monthly rent (Zillow Observed Rent Index, all home types).

Bachelor's degree or higher47.7%79

U.S. median 24.3% · better than most cities

47.7% have a bachelor's degree or higher · Share of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.

Poor mental health14.3%85

U.S. median 17.4% · better than most cities

14.3% of adults · Adults reporting frequent poor mental health (14+ days a month).

Unhealthy air daysCounty-level0 days85

U.S. median 1 days · better than most cities

0 unhealthy-air days per year · Days per year with unhealthy air (AQI above 100). Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Property-tax burden0.44%94

U.S. median 0.99% · better than most cities

0.44% of home value paid in property tax · Median real-estate taxes paid as a share of home value.

Not measured for Aiken: Crime, Property crime. Not every public source covers every city — EPA air monitors and Zillow rent only reach some places, and national crime data is still being added.

Frequently asked

Is Aiken, SC a good place to live?
By the numbers, Aiken scores 59/100 — a D (Meh) on Shcity, which ranks U.S. cities on public data across 20 metrics like crime, cost, jobs and health. Its strongest area is property-tax burden and its weakest is income inequality. South Carolina overall ranks #21 of 50 states. Whether it's "good" depends on what you value — re-weight the factors to score it your way.
Is Aiken, SC expensive to live in?
Aiken has a median home value of $286,800 and typical rent around $1,425/mo — pricier than most U.S. cities.
What's the biggest downside of living in Aiken, SC?
Its weakest measured area is income inequality (0.50) — 11/100, worse than most U.S. cities.
What is Aiken, SC best at?
Its strongest measured area is property-tax burden (0.44%) — 94/100, better than most U.S. cities. Fun fact: A historic "Winter Colony" retreat for Gilded Age elites and a premier thoroughbred horse-training town.

Sources: U.S. Census (ACS), CDC PLACES, FBI Crime Data Explorer, BLS, EPA AirData, FEMA National Risk Index, and Zillow.