Sumter, South Carolina
Among the top 21% of US places for getting around.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade D, better than 22% of US places
WeatherWeather: grade B, better than 56% of US places
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade F, better than 9% of US places
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade B+, better than 79% of US places
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade C, better than 46% of US places
- top 9% for park & nature access
- top 12% for commute time
- bottom 3% for violent crime
Sumter is a mid-size city in South Carolina with about 43,000 residents. It grades B+ for getting around and F for safety & wellbeing. Standout strengths include park & nature access, commute time, and annual snowfall. It rates lower on monthly owner costs and violent crime.
- The median home value in Sumter is $171k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Median household income in Sumter is $49k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Median gross rent in Sumter is $1k a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Sumter has a violent crime rate of 2908/100k, per the FBI Uniform Crime Reports.
- The average one-way commute in Sumter is 19 min, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
Climate
Hot, humid summers · Cool winters · Wet
cool
comf.
warm
hot
warm
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cool
69%59%clearovercast
Precipitation 5.6 in3.7 in
muggy 84%dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$49k26th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$45kbetter than 63% of US places
Home Value$171k53rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$1kbetter than 39% of US places
Monthly Owner Costs$9kbetter than 4% of US places
Property Tax Rate0.63%better than 78% of US places
Income Tax6.40%better than 26% of US places
Sales Tax7.50%better than 45% of US places
Estimated total tax burden11.09%better than 35% of US places
Unemployment7.8%better than 21% of US places
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)47°F83rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)83°F88th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation50.9 in81st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall0.3 inbetter than 84% of US places
Sunny Days234 daysbetter than 52% of US places
Summer Humidity70°Fbetter than 13% of US places
Comfortable Days82 daysbetter than 50% of US places
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk69.1better than 45% of US places
Air Quality40 AQIbetter than 76% of US places
School Quality40.4better than 15% of US places
Violent Crime2908/100kbetter than 3% of US places
Property Crime3163/100kbetter than 6% of US places
Community
Population43,04697th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age33.116th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.6093rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio0.9646th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningD+1319th percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)39.5%13th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)47.1%96th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)7.3%66th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)2.1%81st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)4.1%63rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time19 minbetter than 88% of US places
Walkability7.0/20better than 60% of US places
Airport Distance74 mibetter than 52% of US places
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access82.8%better than 38% of US places
Amenities Nearby16.03better than 18% of US places
Park & Nature AccessExcellentbetter than 91% of US places
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)
Similar places
Frequently asked questions
- Is Sumter an affordable place to live?
- Sumter is relatively affordable. Its cost-of-living index is $45k, better than 63% of comparable areas. Median rent is $1k.
- Is Sumter safe?
- Sumter is higher-crime than most comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 2908/100k (better than 3%). Property crime is 3163/100k.
- What is the weather like in Sumter?
- Sumter averages 83°F in July and 47°F in January, with 50.9 in of annual precipitation and about 234 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Sumter?
- Public-school quality in Sumter is below average, scoring better than 15% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in Sumter?
- The average one-way commute in Sumter is 19 min.