Summerville, SC

Census place 4570270 · pop 51,654

D50/ 100
😐 Meh
C
in SC
📍 South Carolina ranks #21 of 50 states →
🏆 Bad air0 days · top 15%
🚽 Commute31 min · bottom 12%
💡 Did you know?

Nicknamed "Flower Town in the Pines," it claims to be the birthplace of sweet tea and throws a huge spring Flowertown Festival.

Source ↗
Taxes
0.59% 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

Commute time31 min12

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

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

Population growth (5yr)-2.6%16

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

-2.6% population change (5yr) · 5-year population change — are people moving in, or fleeing?

Natural disaster riskCounty-level98/10019

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

98/100 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.

Uninsured adults11.3%36

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

11.3% of adults · Adults 18–64 without health insurance.

Rent$1,878/mo41

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

$1,878/mo typical rent · Typical monthly rent (Zillow Observed Rent Index, all home types).

Housing cost$328,10042

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

$328,100 median home value · Median home value — how expensive it is to buy in. Higher = less affordable.

Adult smoking13.8%45

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

13.8% of adults · Share of adults who currently smoke.

Adult obesity35.6%46

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

35.6% of adults · Share of adults with obesity (BMI ≥ 30).

Physical inactivity25.3%49

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

25.3% of adults · Adults with no leisure-time physical activity.

Unemployment rateCounty-level3.5%56

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

3.5% unemployment · Share of the labor force out of work. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Poor mental health16.7%56

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

16.7% of adults · Adults reporting frequent poor mental health (14+ days a month).

Poverty rate10.1%57

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

10.1% live in poverty · Share of residents living below the federal poverty line.

Bachelor's degree or higher33.5%57

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

33.5% have a bachelor's degree or higher · Share of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.

Median household income$81,04657

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

$81,046 median household income · Median household income — a proxy for local economic health.

Income inequality0.4262

U.S. median 0.43 · better than most cities

Gini 0.42 (0 = equal, 1 = unequal) · Gini index of household income (0 = equal, 1 = unequal).

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.

Homeownership69.1%64

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

69.1% own their home · Share of occupied homes that are owner-occupied.

Air quality (AQI)County-level37 AQI81

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

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

Property-tax burden0.59%84

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

0.59% of home value paid in property tax · Median real-estate taxes paid as a share of home value.

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.

Not measured for Summerville: 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 Summerville, SC a good place to live?
By the numbers, Summerville scores 50/100 — 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 unhealthy air days and its weakest is commute time. 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 Summerville, SC expensive to live in?
Summerville has a median home value of $328,100 and typical rent around $1,878/mo — pricier than most U.S. cities.
What's the biggest downside of living in Summerville, SC?
Its weakest measured area is commute time (31 min) — 12/100, worse than most U.S. cities.
What is Summerville, SC best at?
Its strongest measured area is unhealthy air days (0 days) — 85/100, better than most U.S. cities. (A county-level figure.) Fun fact: Nicknamed "Flower Town in the Pines," it claims to be the birthplace of sweet tea and throws a huge spring Flowertown Festival.

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