City profile · South Carolina · Census ACS 2023

Clemson, SC

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

17,759
Residents
$49,713
Median income
$359,100
Median home
$1,339
Median rent (state)

Clemson - the verdict

Measured against every US city with at least 1,000 residents, Clemson lands in the 19th percentile for household income and the 29th percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

19th
percentile, household income
73rd
percentile, home value
49th
percentile, median rent
29th
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: Clemson, SC

Clemson is a small town in South Carolina, home to 17,759 residents per U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. Median household income here is $49,713 per year, in the lower quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 3.8%. Clemson's housing stock carries a median value of $359,100, and the median resident age is 24.6 years. Educational attainment runs 59.0% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher. Separately, 55.7% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

In 2024, 313 residential building permits were authorized in Clemson (Building Boom), up 82% from five years earlier, per Census BPS data. Crime here tracks close to the national norm: FBI UCR figures show 2149.2 crimes per 100,000 residents, near the national average (reporting is voluntary across agencies, so treat this as reporting activity rather than a definitive danger score).

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. HUD Fair Market Rent for a typical two-bedroom in this state is $1,339 per month. Monthly utility costs average around $224 across South Carolina, per EIA 2023 residential energy estimates. Commute times here average 17.7 minutes, with 67.8% driving alone and 9.6% working from home, per Census ACS commuting data. Natural-hazard exposure scores 77.6 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (High).

Population

17,759 residents

Census ACS 2023 - South Carolina

Median Household Income

$49,713 /yr

Poverty 3.8%

Cost of Living Index (state)

93.7 (US=100)

Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, South Carolina average

How does Clemson compare to other US cities?

Where Clemson sits among all US cities (population 1,000+) on each measure, computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 19% higher than other cities
Home value 73% pricier than other cities
Median rent 49% pricier than other cities
Safety 29% safer than other cities

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

Zoom in to just South Carolina and the picture shifts: Clemson ranks #45 of 127 South Carolina cities by lowest crime rate, a different read than the national percentile above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below Clemson's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in South Carolina, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

19thIncome percentile
29thSafety percentile

19th percentile nationally for median household income · 29th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Clemson's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Clemson'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 29 Avg. percentile National median
Clemson'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 Clemson's home value compares nationally

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

$359,100 27th percentile more affordable than 27% 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%). Below this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). This entry sits in this band. $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. Clemson $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 - Clemson, SC Clemson, SC's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Clemson, 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 Clemson, SC median $49,713/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%
Clemson, 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 Clemson, SC. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 59.0%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 3.8%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 55.7%

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

Population
17,759
Median Income
$49,713
Median Home Value
$359,100
Median Age
24.6
Poverty Rate
3.8%
Labor force participation
55.7%
Bachelor's Degree+
59.0%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
2149.2
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
162.3
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
1986.9
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.

Schools

Total Schools
1
Public schools in this city

Population Change

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
17,500 residents18,000 residents18,500 residents19,000 residents19,500 residents 202020212022202320242025 17,758 residents 18,941 residents ▲ +6.7%
Clemson's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

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

📈 Building Boom
Total Permits (2024)
313
housing units authorized
Single-Family
154
detached homes
Multifamily
159
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
17.6
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 172
2020 191
2021 54
2022 108
2023 394
2024 313

Permit volume increased 82% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
17.7 minutes
Drive Alone
67.8%
Carpool
9.6%
Public Transit
5.2%
Walk
5.7%
Work from Home
9.6%
Other
2.1%

Based on 8,392 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 Clemson sits in

Cost of Living Index
93.7
Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,339/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
77.6 / 100
High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in South Carolina

West Columbia
17,723 people
Berea
16,642 people
Red Hill
16,480 people
Five Forks
19,093 people
Ladson
16,261 people
North Myrtle Beach
19,343 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Clemson's 17,759 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

North Valley Stream, NY
17,756 people
Logansport, IN
17,766 people
North Canton, OH
17,746 people
Willimantic, CT
17,774 people
Godfrey, IL
17,743 people
Troy, AL
17,733 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Clemson's $49,713 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Center Point, NM
$49,714 median income
Phenix City, AL
$49,715 median income
Barron, WI
$49,715 median income
El Cerro Mission, NM
$49,719 median income
Potts Camp, MS
$49,722 median income
Creston, NE
$49,722 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Clemson, 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 Clemson, SC - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 78.5% 8.7% 6.3% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 3.4% White 78.5% Black or African American 8.7% Asian 5.0% American Indian 0.3% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 1.3% Two or more races 6.3% 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 Clemson 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
Clemson (this city) 17,759 $49,713
West Columbia 17,723 $54,152
Berea 16,642 $48,104
Red Hill 16,480 $62,132
Census ACS 5-year FIPS SC FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Clemson, SC?

What is the population of Clemson, SC? +

Clemson, SC has a population of 17,759 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

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

The median household income in Clemson is $49,713 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Clemson? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Clemson; 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 Clemson, SC safe? +

Clemson has a total crime rate of 2149.2 per 100,000 residents, which is near 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 Clemson, SC? +

Homes in Clemson carry a median value of $359,100, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, 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 Editorial

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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.