Pickens County, South Carolina
Among the top 12% of US counties for weather.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade C, better than 40% of US counties
WeatherWeather: grade A, better than 88% of US counties
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade F, better than 6% of US counties
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade B, better than 50% of US counties
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade C, better than 38% of US counties
- top 6% for property tax rate
- bottom 10% for school quality
Pickens County is a county in South Carolina with about 131,000 residents. It grades A for weather and F for safety & wellbeing. Standout strengths include property tax rate, annual snowfall, and walkability. It rates lower on income tax and school quality.
Official websiteco.pickens.sc.us (opens in new tab)
Climate
Hot, humid summers · Cool winters · Wet
cold
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warm
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73%62%clearovercast
Precipitation 4.9 in4.1 in
muggy 84%dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$58k41st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$47kbetter than 33% of US counties
Home Value$197k66th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$896better than 36% of US counties
Monthly Owner Costs$1kbetter than 50% of US counties
Property Tax Rate0.40%better than 94% of US counties
Income Tax6.40%better than 17% of US counties
Sales Tax7.50%better than 43% of US counties
Estimated total tax burden10.24%better than 36% of US counties
Unemployment4.2%better than 62% of US counties
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)43°F75th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)80°F69th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation55.0 in85th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall1.4 inbetter than 75% of US counties
Sunny Days249 daysbetter than 62% of US counties
Summer Humidity68°Fbetter than 36% of US counties
Comfortable Days88 daysbetter than 73% of US counties
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk77.6better than 22% of US counties
School Quality36.5better than 10% of US counties
Violent Crime1162/100kbetter than 27% of US counties
Property Crime1719/100kbetter than 20% of US counties
Community
Population131,10685th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age36.112th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.2546th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio1.0156th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningR+5267th percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)84.7%58th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)6.2%69th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)4.2%44th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)1.8%82nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)3.1%43rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time27 minbetter than 31% of US counties
Walkability7.0/20better than 74% of US counties
Airport Distance103 mibetter than 47% of US counties
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access82.8%better than 47% of US counties
Amenities Nearby2.97better than 54% of US counties
Park & Nature AccessModeratebetter than 34% of US counties
Frequently asked questions
- Is Pickens County an affordable place to live?
- Pickens County is relatively expensive. Its cost-of-living index is $47k, better than 33% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in Pickens County?
- The median home value in Pickens County is $197k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in Pickens County?
- Median household income in Pickens County is $58k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in Pickens County?
- Median gross rent in Pickens County is $896 a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Is Pickens County safe?
- Pickens County is higher-crime than most comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 1162/100k (better than 27%). Property crime is 1719/100k.
- What is the weather like in Pickens County?
- Pickens County averages 80°F in July and 43°F in January, with 55.0 in of annual precipitation and about 249 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Pickens County?
- Public-school quality in Pickens County is below average, scoring better than 10% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in Pickens County?
- The average one-way commute in Pickens County is 27 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)