Census-designated place · South Carolina
Clearwater, South Carolina
Clearwater, census-designated place, in Aiken County, South Carolina. Clearwater had 4,079 residents in the 2020 Census, a full count; the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 3,319 (±545). GEOID 4514860.
Residents, 2020 Census
4,079
Census count or controlled total
ACS 2020-2024 estimate: 3,319 ±545
Median household income
$51,731
±$19,495 (90% margin)
South Carolina: $69,324
Median home value
$158,100
±$27,805 (90% margin)
South Carolina: $259,000
Median gross rent
$735
±$348 (90% margin)
South Carolina: $1,180
Where is Clearwater and what county is it in?
Clearwater is a census-designated place: an unincorporated community the Census Bureau draws for counting, with no city government of its own, in Aiken County, South Carolina. It covers 4.2 square miles of land, 973 residents per square mile in 2020.
Clearwater is in the Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC metropolitan statistical area, which takes in 7 counties (Census Bureau delineation, July 2023).
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Clearwater, and is it growing?
The 2020 Census counted 4,079 residents in Clearwater, a full count rather than a sample. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a sample, estimates 3,319 (±545).
The Census Bureau publishes yearly population estimates for incorporated places only; Clearwater is a census-designated place, so its figures come from the ACS and the 2020 Census.
| Measure | Clearwater | Aiken County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 3,319 ±545 | 174,160 | −945 |
| Households | 1,416 ±220 | 69,916 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.34 ±0.25 | 2.45 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 1,652 ±204 | 80,008 | no clear change |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Clearwater?
The median resident of Clearwater is 39.0 years old; 21.2% are under 18 and 10.2% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 52.7%, then Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 24.1%. 12.6% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Clearwater | Aiken County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 39.0 ±6.9 | 42.0 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 21.2% ±4.9 pts | 21.5% | – |
| 65 years and over | 10.2% ±3.5 pts | 20.8% | – |
| Male | 46.5% ±5.2 pts | 48.4% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 24.1% ±7.8 pts | 7.2% | no clear change |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 52.7% ±9.5 pts | 63.5% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 13.6% ±9.2 pts | 23.7% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 1.7% ±1.8 pts | 0.9% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.3 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.3 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 7.4% ±4.1 pts | 4.0% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.6% ±0.7 pts | 0.5% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 12.6% ±5.2 pts | 3.3% | no clear change |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 21.7% ±8.4 pts | 6.0% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 6.2% ±3.5 pts | 9.8% | – |
| With a disability | 15.3% ±4.7 pts | 15.8% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 17.0% ±5.9 pts | 8.8% | no clear change |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 87.6% ±5.8 pts | 90.5% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 10.8% ±4.6 pts | 31.9% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 2.4% ±3.0 pts | 12.1% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 93.5% ±4.0 pts | 90.1% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 1.9% ±1.5 pts | 4.2% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Clearwater earn?
Half of Clearwater's 1,416 households earn less than $51,731 a year (±$19,495), against $70,609 in Aiken County and $69,324 in South Carolina. In 2015-2019 it was $36,657 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 17.3% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Clearwater | Aiken County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $51,731 ±$19,495 | $70,609 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $66,719 ±$10,150 | $93,371 | – |
| Per capita income | $29,361 ±$5,492 | $38,470 | +$9,226 |
| People below the poverty line | 17.3% ±8.3 pts | 14.3% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 13.9% ±14.0 pts | 19.8% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 14.3% ±8.4 pts | 10.8% | – |
| Households with a computer | 97.2% ±1.9 pts | 94.7% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 95.5% ±3.6 pts | 91.0% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Clearwater?
Owners occupy 57.6% of Clearwater's occupied homes and renters 42.4%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $158,100 by its owner (±$27,805). The median renter pays $735 a month including utilities, and 33.3% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Clearwater | Aiken County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $158,100 ±$27,805 | $218,000 | no clear change |
| Median gross rent | $735 ±$348 | $1,062 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 33.3% ±16.9 pts | 38.6% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,280 ±$298 | $1,384 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 57.6% ±10.1 pts | 76.5% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 42.4% ±10.1 pts | 23.5% | – |
| Housing units | 1,652 ±204 | 80,008 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.0% ±5.4 pts | 0.4% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 13.2% ±12.6 pts | 6.4% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 56.8% ±8.9 pts | 67.7% | – |
| Mobile homes | 19.7% ±7.0 pts | 18.3% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.0% ±2.7 pts | 3.2% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 15.7% ±8.8 pts | 14.2% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 2.5% ±3.5 pts | 4.0% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 6.1% ±5.9 pts | 5.9% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How do people in Clearwater work and get to work?
68.3% of Clearwater's workers drive alone. The average trip to work takes 25.8 minutes. The unemployment rate in 2020-2024 averaged 11.5%.
| Measure | Clearwater | Aiken County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 67.9% ±7.7 pts | 58.5% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 11.5% ±7.1 pts | 6.1% | no clear change |
| Drove alone to work | 68.3% ±10.7 pts | 79.5% | – |
| Carpooled | 21.6% ±11.4 pts | 7.8% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±2.7 pts | 0.3% | – |
| Walked | 0.7% ±1.2 pts | 0.7% | – |
| Worked from home | 9.3% ±6.5 pts | 10.6% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 25.8 min ±4.3 | 25.0 min | no clear change |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What census tracts are in Clearwater?
2 census tracts lie mostly in Clearwater, and 2 more reach into it (2020 census blocks). Their median household incomes run from $47,260 (Tract 210.03) to $55,781 (Tract 210.04).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 210.03Aiken County | 2,906 | $47,260 |
| Tract 210.04Aiken County | 1,801 | $55,781 |
| Tract 206.01Aiken County | 3,835 | $121,917 |
| Tract 206.03Aiken County | 2,861 | $47,386 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in Clearwater) · Census block assignment files
How does Clearwater compare with other places in South Carolina?
Clearwater ranks 143rd of 248 places in South Carolina with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population (ACS 2020-2024) | 139th | 261 |
| Residents per square mile | 128th | 261 |
| Median household income | 143rd | 248 |
| Per capita income | 129th | 259 |
| Median home value | 167th | 248 |
| Median gross rent | 201st | 235 |
| Poverty rate | 128th | 214 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 208th | 226 |
| Median age | 133rd | 261 |
| Owner-occupied share | 173rd | 258 |
| Travel time to work | 108th | 261 |
Clearwater's figures with every place in South Carolina (CSV)
Every place in South Carolina, sortable · Compare Clearwater with other places
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Clearwater?
16 of the 57 figures for Clearwater on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections
Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Clearwater are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' school search.