Fairfield County, South Carolina
AffordabilityAffordability: grade C, better than 28% of US counties
WeatherWeather: grade B, better than 52% of US counties
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade C, better than 34% of US counties
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade D, better than 23% of US counties
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade C, better than 37% of US counties
- top 11% for school quality
- top 14% for property tax rate
- bottom 3% for violent crime
Fairfield County is a county in South Carolina with about 21,000 residents. It grades B for weather and D for getting around. Standout strengths include school quality, property tax rate, and annual snowfall. It rates lower on property crime and violent crime.
Official websitefairfieldsc.com (opens in new tab)
Climate
Hot, humid summers · Cool winters · Moderate rain
cool
comf.
warm
hot
warm
comf.
cool
67%57%clearovercast
Precipitation 4.3 in3.4 in
muggy 71%dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$45k11th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$47kbetter than 37% of US counties
Home Value$123k28th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$830better than 47% of US counties
Monthly Owner Costs$1kbetter than 55% of US counties
Property Tax Rate0.50%better than 86% of US counties
Income Tax6.40%better than 17% of US counties
Sales Tax7.50%better than 43% of US counties
Estimated total tax burden10.27%better than 35% of US counties
Unemployment6.9%better than 17% of US counties
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)46°F81st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)82°F84th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation44.5 in53rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall0.5 inbetter than 82% of US counties
Sunny Days232 daysbetter than 43% of US counties
Summer Humidity70°Fbetter than 19% of US counties
Comfortable Days81 daysbetter than 54% of US counties
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk40.8better than 58% of US counties
School Quality93.6better than 89% of US counties
Violent Crime2413/100kbetter than 3% of US counties
Property Crime2049/100kbetter than 13% of US counties
Community
Population20,94243rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age46.685th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.5486th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio0.9619th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningD+237th percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)38.6%10th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)55.9%98th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)2.6%26th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)0.1%17th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)2.7%32nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time31 minbetter than 14% of US counties
Walkability5.0/20better than 18% of US counties
Airport Distance59 mibetter than 75% of US counties
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access76.8%better than 20% of US counties
Amenities Nearby4.30better than 63% of US counties
Park & Nature AccessGoodbetter than 51% of US counties
Frequently asked questions
- Is Fairfield County an affordable place to live?
- Fairfield County is relatively expensive. Its cost-of-living index is $47k, better than 37% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in Fairfield County?
- The median home value in Fairfield County is $123k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in Fairfield County?
- Median household income in Fairfield County is $45k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in Fairfield County?
- Median gross rent in Fairfield County is $830 a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Is Fairfield County safe?
- Fairfield County is higher-crime than most comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 2413/100k (better than 3%). Property crime is 2049/100k.
- What is the weather like in Fairfield County?
- Fairfield County averages 82°F in July and 46°F in January, with 44.5 in of annual precipitation and about 232 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Fairfield County?
- Public-school quality in Fairfield County is above average, scoring better than 89% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in Fairfield County?
- The average one-way commute in Fairfield County is 31 min.
Other counties in South Carolina
Explore South Carolina
Data sources
- EPA Smart Location Database
- EPI Family Budget Calculator
- FAA airport enplanements
- FBI Uniform Crime Reports
- FEMA National Risk Index
- MIT Election Data Lab (2020)
- NCES School Finance Survey
- NOAA Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA nClimGrid
- OpenStreetMap
- Tax Foundation + state revenue depts
- U.S. Census ACS (5-Year)
- USGS Protected Areas (PAD-US)