Elgin vs Irwin
Elgin, South Carolina versus Irwin, South Carolina: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Elgin and Irwin score about the same overall (45 vs 43 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Elgin | Irwin |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $73k | $40k |
| Cost of Living | $50k | $50k |
| Home Value | $178k | $120k |
| Monthly Rent | $746 | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $940 | $473 |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.45% | 0.44% |
| Income Tax | 6.40% | 6.40% |
| Sales Tax | 7.50% | 7.50% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 9.98% | 10.18% |
| Unemployment | 2.4% | 11.6% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 42°F | 42°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 80°F | 80°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 45.8 in | 45.8 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.5 in | 0.5 in |
| Sunny Days | 187 days | 187 days |
| Summer Humidity | 68°F | 68°F |
| Comfortable Days | 80 days | 80 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 69.2 | 68.6 |
| Air Quality | 41 AQI | 41 AQI |
| School Quality | 45.9 | 45.9 |
| Violent Crime | 1566/100k | 1566/100k |
| Property Crime | 1778/100k | 1778/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 2,882 | 1,868 |
| Median Age | 47.9 | 45.2 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.51 | 0.52 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 1.07 | 1.00 |
| Political Leaning | R+23 | R+23 |
| White (%) | 65.2% | 61.6% |
| Black (%) | 22.8% | 28.8% |
| Hispanic (%) | 9.6% | 1.1% |
| Asian (%) | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 2.4% | 8.6% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Walkability | 5.7/20 | 7.0/20 |
| Airport Distance | 40 mi | 37 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 86.5% | 69.1% |
| Amenities Nearby | 48.58 | 139.19 |
| Park & Nature Access | Moderate | Good |
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 Elgin or Irwin more affordable?
- Irwin has the lower cost of living: its index is $50k, compared with Elgin's $50k and Irwin's $50k. Median rent is $746 in Elgin versus $1k in Irwin.
- Is Elgin or Irwin safer?
- Irwin has the lower violent crime rate. Elgin reports 1566/100k and Irwin reports 1566/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Elgin or Irwin?
- The median home value is $178k in Elgin and $120k in Irwin, so homes are more affordable in Irwin.