Aiken, South Carolina
Among the top 21% of US places for weather.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade C, better than 47% of US places
WeatherWeather: grade B+, better than 79% of US places
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade D, better than 17% of US places
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade B, better than 51% of US places
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade C, better than 35% of US places
- top 10% for property tax rate
- top 18% for sunny days
- bottom 4% for property crime
Aiken is a mid-size city in South Carolina with about 32,000 residents. It grades B+ for weather and D for safety & wellbeing. Standout strengths include property tax rate, sunny days, and annual snowfall. It rates lower on violent crime and property crime.
Official websitecityofaikensc.gov (opens in new tab)
Climate
Hot, humid summers · Cool winters · Moderate rain
cool
comf.
warm
hot
warm
comf.
cool
79%64%clearovercast
Precipitation 4.9 in3.4 in
muggy 85%dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$66k55th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$45kbetter than 62% of US places
Home Value$236k68th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$1kbetter than 34% of US places
Monthly Owner Costs$1kbetter than 50% of US places
Property Tax Rate0.48%better than 90% of US places
Income Tax6.40%better than 26% of US places
Sales Tax7.50%better than 45% of US places
Estimated total tax burden10.58%better than 40% of US places
Unemployment3.9%better than 50% of US places
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)48°F86th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)83°F89th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation47.5 in69th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall0.7 inbetter than 80% of US places
Sunny Days263 daysbetter than 82% of US places
Summer Humidity71°Fbetter than 12% of US places
Comfortable Days85 daysbetter than 58% of US places
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk46.2better than 75% of US places
Air Quality45 AQIbetter than 58% of US places
School Quality48.0better than 32% of US places
Violent Crime2454/100kbetter than 4% of US places
Property Crime3495/100kbetter than 4% of US places
Community
Population32,01496th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age46.470th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.5488th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio0.8420th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningR+2348th percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)56.9%21st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)35.9%94th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)2.6%44th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)2.1%80th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)2.5%46th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time23 minbetter than 68% of US places
Walkability6.3/20better than 44% of US places
Airport Distance107 mibetter than 34% of US places
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access89.8%better than 64% of US places
Amenities Nearby35.92better than 32% of US places
Park & Nature AccessModeratebetter than 34% of US places
Similar places
Frequently asked questions
- Is Aiken an affordable place to live?
- Aiken is relatively affordable. Its cost-of-living index is $45k, better than 62% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in Aiken?
- The median home value in Aiken is $236k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in Aiken?
- Median household income in Aiken is $66k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in Aiken?
- Median gross rent in Aiken is $1k a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Is Aiken safe?
- Aiken is higher-crime than most comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 2454/100k (better than 4%). Property crime is 3495/100k.
- What is the weather like in Aiken?
- Aiken averages 83°F in July and 48°F in January, with 47.5 in of annual precipitation and about 263 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Aiken?
- Public-school quality in Aiken is below average, scoring better than 32% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in Aiken?
- The average one-way commute in Aiken is 23 min.
Places near Aiken
Compare Aiken
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Data sources
- EPA Air Quality (AQI)
- 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)