City profile · South Carolina · Census ACS 2023

Aiken, SC

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Aiken - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

32,334
Residents
$69,837
Median income
$261,800
Median home
$1,261
Median rent (state)

Aiken - the verdict

Measured against every US city with at least 1,000 residents, Aiken lands in the 49th percentile for household income and the 5th percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

49th
percentile, household income
58th
percentile, home value
42nd
percentile, median rent
5th
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Aiken, SC

32,334 people live in Aiken, South Carolina - a small city by U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. Aiken households earn a median of $69,837 annually, below the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 9.8%. Home values in Aiken run a median of $261,800, and the median resident age is 46.5 years. Educational attainment runs 45.1% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher. Separately, 50.5% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

The Census Building Permit Survey recorded 888 residential units authorized here in 2024 (Building Boom), up 558% from five years earlier. Aiken's reported crime rate runs above the national norm: FBI UCR figures show 4527.2 crimes per 100,000 residents, above the national average (reporting is voluntary across agencies, so treat this as reporting activity rather than a definitive danger score). The annual average temperature per NOAA climate normals runs 64.1°F with 50.8 inches of precipitation per year and 0.7 inches of snowfall.

Living costs in South Carolina run below the national norm: on BEA's 100-equals-national-average cost index, South Carolina scores 93.7 (Below Average), per the 2024 Regional Price Parities release. Statewide, HUD pegs Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit at $1,261 monthly. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts South Carolina's average monthly utility costs around $224 (state average). Workers in Aiken report an average commute of 21.2 minutes, with 79.5% driving alone and 9.8% working from home. On FEMA's National Risk Index, this area rates 84.2 out of 100 for natural-hazard exposure (High).

Population

32,334 residents

Census ACS 2023 - South Carolina

Median Household Income

$69,837 /yr

Poverty 9.8%

Cost of Living Index (state)

93.7 (US=100)

Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, South Carolina average

How does Aiken compare to other US cities?

Here's how Aiken stacks up against the full field of US cities (population 1,000+), computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 49% higher than other cities
Home value 58% pricier than other cities
Median rent 42% pricier than other cities
Safety 5% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

A national percentile can hide a lot of local variation: narrowed to South Carolina alone, Aiken ranks #90 of 127 South Carolina cities by lowest crime rate - a different, more locally useful comparison than stacking it against the entire country.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

Each percentile compares Aiken against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to South Carolina only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.

South Carolina-relative analysis

Bachelor's Degree or Higher is Aiken's strongest outlier among South Carolina cities

Among the 441 South Carolina cities PlainCities tracks with reported bachelor's degree or higher data, Aiken ranks #44 - the 90th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Aiken only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#103 of 403
74th percentile in South Carolina
Median Gross Rent
#180 of 441
55th percentile in South Carolina
Median Home Value
#73 of 404
82nd percentile in South Carolina
Poverty Rate
#263 of 439
40th percentile in South Carolina
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#44 of 441
90th percentile in South Carolina

Ranked by raw value (highest first); a higher rank is not automatically "better" for every measure, see each metric's own context above. This is a comparison within South Carolina only, not a livability score. See the methodology for the source and calculation.

49thIncome percentile
5thSafety percentile

49th percentile nationally for median household income · 5th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Aiken's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Aiken's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 35 Avg. percentile National median
Aiken's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Aiken's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$261,800 42nd percentile more affordable than 42% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Below this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). This entry sits in this band. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Aiken $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Aiken, SC Aiken, SC's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Aiken, SC-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Aiken, SC median $69,837/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Aiken, SC's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Aiken, SC. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 45.1%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 9.8%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 50.5%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
32,334
Median Income
$69,837
Median Home Value
$261,800
Median Age
46.5
Poverty Rate
9.8%
Labor force participation
50.5%
Bachelor's Degree+
45.1%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
4527.2
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
568.9
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
3958.3
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Climate

Avg Temperature
64.1°F
Annual Precipitation
50.8"
Annual Snowfall
0.7"

Schools

Total Schools
17
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
32,000 residents32,500 residents33,000 residents33,500 residents34,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 32,180 residents 33,808 residents ▲ +5.1%
Aiken's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

📈 Building Boom
Total Permits (2024)
888
housing units authorized
Single-Family
178
detached homes
Multifamily
710
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
27.5
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 135
2020 143
2021 195
2022 310
2023 157
2024 888

Permit volume increased 558% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
21.2 minutes
Drive Alone
79.5%
Carpool
8.0%
Public Transit
0.4%
Walk
1.5%
Work from Home
9.8%
Other
0.8%

Based on 13,597 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for South Carolina - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$130
avg/month
Natural Gas
$52
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$42
avg/month
Total Utilities
$224
estimated/month

Estimates reflect South Carolina state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a South Carolina state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Aiken sits in

Cost of Living Index
93.7
Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,261/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
84.2 / 100
High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in South Carolina

Bluffton
31,323 people
Anderson
29,563 people
Fort Mill
28,281 people
Myrtle Beach
37,214 people
Hilton Head Island
37,805 people
Carolina Forest
26,373 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Aiken's 32,334 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Florence, KY
32,334 people
Buenaventura Lakes, FL
32,310 people
Fairbanks, AK
32,242 people
Bay City, MI
32,445 people
Spring Valley CDP (San Diego County), CA
32,215 people
Fallbrook, CA
32,467 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Aiken's $69,837 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Norco, LA
$69,833 median income
Sugarmill Woods, FL
$69,831 median income
Amador City, CA
$69,844 median income
Richardton, ND
$69,844 median income
Charlottesville, VA
$69,829 median income
Fairchild AFB, WA
$69,825 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Aiken, SC Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Aiken, SC - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 60.1% 32.2% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 3.5% White 60.1% Black or African American 32.2% Asian 2.0% American Indian 0.2% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 0.8% Two or more races 4.7% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Aiken compares to nearby South Carolina cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Aiken (this city) 32,334 $69,837
Bluffton 31,323 $105,463
Anderson 29,563 $44,321
Fort Mill 28,281 $127,537
Census ACS 5-year FIPS SC FBI UCR NOAA Normals NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Aiken, SC?

What is the population of Aiken, SC? +

Aiken, SC counts 32,334 residents according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Aiken, SC? +

Median annual household income in Aiken runs $69,837, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Aiken? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Aiken; the closest available measure is the South Carolina state average, a cost of living index of 93.7 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Below Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within South Carolina vary by metro area.

Is Aiken, SC safe? +

Aiken has a total crime rate of 4527.2 per 100,000 residents, which is above the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Aiken, SC? +

The median home value in Aiken is $261,800, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the climate like in Aiken? +

The average annual temperature in Aiken runs 64.1°F, 50.8 inches of precipitation, and 0.7 inches of snowfall per year. Source: NOAA Climate Normals.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.