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Lancaster, SC

Full City Profile · South Carolina · Lancaster County County

2.3 /5.0
C Fair
8,738 Population 1,214/sq mi density
$43,234 Median Income $30,084 per capita
$226,300 Home Value $281,639 Zillow
$824 Median Rent 36.4% income on rent
61°F Avg Temperature 310 sunny days/yr
403 Violent Crime/100K 3,077 property/100K
C
Overall
2.3 / 5.0
Fair overall score based on economy, affordability, safety and education
C
Economy
2.0 / 5.0
$43,234 median income, 8.0% unemployment
B+
Affordability
3.7 / 5.0
$226,300 home value, $824/mo rent
F
Safety
1.0 / 5.0
403 violent crimes/100K (6% above avg)
C
Education
2.4 / 5.0
17.3% bachelor's degree or higher

Lancaster, SC

At a Glance

Median Income
$43,234
42% below
$30,084 per capita
Home Value
$226,300
20% below
Zillow: $281,639
Median Rent
$824/mo
29% below
36.4% of income on rent
Violent Crime
403/100K
6% above
3,077/100K property
Bachelor's Degree+
17.3%
49% below
78.3% high school+
Unemployment
8.0%
122% above
24.2% poverty rate
Obesity Rate
44.3%
38% above
19.1% smoking rate
Avg Temperature
61°F
310 sunny days/yr

How Lancaster Compares to the U.S. Average

Each bar shows Lancaster's value as a percentage of the national average (100% = U.S. avg)

Income
58%
Home Value
80%
Rent
71%
Poverty
195%
Bachelor's
51%
Unemployment
222%
Crime
106%
Thin vertical line = U.S. national average (100%)

Is Lancaster a Good Place to Live?

C
2.3 / 5.0 — Fair
Based on economy, affordability, safety, and education metrics compared to national averages.

Economy & Jobs

Lancaster residents earn a median household income of $43,234 , which is 42% below the national average of $75,149. Per capita income is $30,084. The unemployment rate stands at 8.0% (122% above the U.S. rate of 3.6%). 24.2% of residents live below the poverty line. The area is home to 2,236 business establishments, including 162 restaurants.

Housing & Cost of Living

The median home value in Lancaster is $226,300 , 20% below the national median of $281,900. Zillow estimates the typical home at $281,639. Median rent is $824/month, with 36.4% of renters spending more than 30% of income on housing. The cost of living index is 93.7 (100 = national average). The median home was built in 1973.

Safety & Crime

Lancaster reports 403 violent crimes per 100,000 residents , which is 6% above the national average of 380/100K. Property crime is 3,077/100K.

Education

17.3% of adults in Lancaster hold a bachelor's degree or higher (49% below the national average). 78.3% have completed high school. Local schools score 5.0/10 in standardized testing.

Climate & Weather

Lancaster has an average annual temperature of 61°F (16°C). Winters average 42°F in January while summers reach 80°F in July. The area gets 310 sunny days per year. Annual precipitation totals 47.8 inches. Air quality is rated Good with a median AQI of 43.

Data Overview

People

Population8,738
Median Age38.2 yrs
Density1,214/mi²
Male / Female46% / 54%
Foreign Born13.6%
Veterans5.4%

Economy

C
Median Income$43,234
Per Capita$30,084
Unemployment8.0%
Poverty24.2%
County GDP$5,253M
Avg Weekly Wage$1,241

Housing

B+
Home Value$226,300
Rent$824
Ownership44.3%
Zillow$281,639
Housing Units3,575
Rent Burden36.4%

Crime

F
Violent403/100K
Property3,077/100K

Health

Obesity44.3%
Diabetes16.5%
Smoking19.1%
Heart Disease6.7%
Premature Death11,214/100K

Climate

Avg Temp61°F
Sunny Days310/yr
Rain47.8 in/yr
AQI43 (Good)
Elevation455 ft

Education

C
Bachelor's+17.3%
High School+78.3%
Graduate+6.7%
School Score5.0/10

Community

2024 VoteR 62% / D 37%
Commute26 min
Broadband72.1%
Internet Speed73 Mbps
EV Stations2
Libraries3

Did You Know?

The median home in Lancaster was built in 1973.
The nearest airport is Charlotte/Douglas International (35 miles).
The Gini coefficient (income inequality) is 0.459 (U.S. avg: 0.490).
Natural hazard risk is rated "Relatively Low" by FEMA.
20.1% of the population has a disability.
13.6% of residents are foreign-born.
There are 162 restaurants in the area.
The county recorded 14 fatal vehicle crashes.