Clemson, SC

Census place 4514950 · pop 18,072

D−44/ 100
🫤 Rough
D−
in SC
📍 South Carolina ranks #21 of 50 states →
🏆 Prop tax0.48% · top 8%
🚽 Poverty36.0% · bottom 1%
Taxes
0.48% 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

Poverty rate36.0%1

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

36.0% live in poverty · Share of residents living below the federal poverty line.

Income inequality0.571

U.S. median 0.43 · worse than most cities

Gini 0.57 (0 = equal, 1 = unequal) · Gini index of household income (0 = equal, 1 = unequal).

Homeownership34.3%2

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

34.3% own their home · Share of occupied homes that are owner-occupied.

Poor mental health20.4%8

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

20.4% of adults · Adults reporting frequent poor mental health (14+ days a month).

Median household income$49,52011

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

$49,520 median household income · Median household income — a proxy for local economic health.

Rent$2,250/mo24

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

$2,250/mo typical rent · Typical monthly rent (Zillow Observed Rent Index, all home types).

Housing cost$398,40030

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

$398,400 median home value · Median home value — how expensive it is to buy in. Higher = less affordable.

Broadband access88.9%31

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

88.9% of homes have broadband · Share of households with a broadband internet subscription.

Uninsured adults11.4%35

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

11.4% of adults · Adults 18–64 without health insurance.

Unemployment rateCounty-level3.6%51

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

3.6% unemployment · Share of the labor force out of work. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Air quality (AQI)County-level43 AQI51

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

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

Physical inactivity23.7%58

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

23.7% of adults · Adults with no leisure-time physical activity.

Unhealthy air daysCounty-level1 days62

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

1 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.

Natural disaster riskCounty-level78/10066

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

78/100 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.

Adult obesity32.1%66

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

32.1% of adults · Share of adults with obesity (BMI ≥ 30).

Adult smoking10.9%73

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

10.9% of adults · Share of adults who currently smoke.

Population growth (5yr)+9.8%80

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

+9.8% population change (5yr) · 5-year population change — are people moving in, or fleeing?

Commute time19 min82

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

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

Bachelor's degree or higher59.4%90

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

59.4% have a bachelor's degree or higher · Share of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.

Property-tax burden0.48%92

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

0.48% of home value paid in property tax · Median real-estate taxes paid as a share of home value.

Not measured for Clemson: 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 Clemson, SC a good place to live?
By the numbers, Clemson scores 44/100 — a D− (Rough) 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 poverty rate. 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 Clemson, SC expensive to live in?
Clemson has a median home value of $398,400 and typical rent around $2,250/mo — pricier than most U.S. cities.
What's the biggest downside of living in Clemson, SC?
Its weakest measured area is poverty rate (36.0%) — 1/100, worse than most U.S. cities.
What is Clemson, SC best at?
Its strongest measured area is property-tax burden (0.48%) — 92/100, better than most U.S. cities.

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