Clemson vs Clemson University
Clemson, South Carolina versus Clemson University, South Carolina: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Clemson and Clemson University score about the same overall (46 vs 46 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Clemson | Clemson University |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $50k | — |
| Cost of Living | $47k | $47k |
| Home Value | $348k | — |
| Monthly Rent | $963 | $754 |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $3k | $0 |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.54% | — |
| Income Tax | 6.40% | 6.40% |
| Sales Tax | 7.50% | 7.50% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 12.60% | — |
| Unemployment | 4.3% | 16.8% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 43°F | 43°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 80°F | 80°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 52.4 in | 52.4 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 2.2 in | 2.2 in |
| Sunny Days | 249 days | 249 days |
| Summer Humidity | 68°F | 68°F |
| Comfortable Days | 88 days | 88 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 52.6 | 55.5 |
| Air Quality | 47 AQI | 47 AQI |
| School Quality | 36.5 | 36.5 |
| Violent Crime | 1183/100k | 1162/100k |
| Property Crime | 2124/100k | 1719/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 17,557 | 6,217 |
| Median Age | 24.6 | 19.3 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.34 | 0.26 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 1.45 | 0.93 |
| Political Leaning | R+52 | R+52 |
| White (%) | 79.1% | 84.7% |
| Black (%) | 8.4% | 10.6% |
| Hispanic (%) | 3.0% | 2.0% |
| Asian (%) | 6.4% | 0.9% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 3.1% | 1.8% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 20 min | — |
| Walkability | 11.4/20 | 11.5/20 |
| Airport Distance | 112 mi | 113 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 86.3% | 45.5% |
| Amenities Nearby | 74.04 | 209.10 |
| Park & Nature Access | Limited | Limited |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Clemson or Clemson University more affordable?
- Clemson University has the lower cost of living: its index is $47k, compared with Clemson's $47k and Clemson University's $47k. Median rent is $963 in Clemson versus $754 in Clemson University.
- Is Clemson or Clemson University safer?
- Clemson University has the lower violent crime rate. Clemson reports 1183/100k and Clemson University reports 1162/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).