City profile · South Carolina · Census ACS 2023

Coward, SC

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

668
Residents
$36,250
Median income
$104,200
Median home
$1,117
Median rent (state)

Coward - the verdict

Measured against every US city with at least 1,000 residents, Coward lands in the 5th percentile for household income. Source: Census ACS.

5th
percentile, household income
11th
percentile, home value
30th
percentile, median rent
📝 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: Coward, SC

Coward is a small town in South Carolina, home to 668 residents per U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. The typical household in Coward brings in $36,250 a year, in the lower quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 31.0%. Coward's housing stock carries a median value of $104,200, and the median resident age is 37.9 years. Educational attainment runs 12.4% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher. Separately, 46.8% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

The city is served by 1 public schools according to NCES Common Core of Data.

Living costs in South Carolina run below the national norm: BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 puts South Carolina at 93.7 on a 100-equals-national-average scale (Below Average). HUD Fair Market Rent for a typical two-bedroom in this state is $1,117 per month. Monthly utility costs average around $224 across South Carolina, per EIA 2023 residential energy estimates. FEMA's National Risk Index rates natural-hazard exposure at 89.6 out of 100 (Very High).

Population

668 residents

Census ACS 2023 - South Carolina

Median Household Income

$36,250 /yr

Poverty 31.0%

Cost of Living Index (state)

93.7 (US=100)

Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, South Carolina average

How does Coward compare to other US cities?

Coward measured against every US city with 1,000+ residents, computed live from the same Census and FBI data shown throughout this page.

Household income 5% higher than other cities
Home value 11% pricier than other cities
Median rent 30% pricier than other cities

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

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

Each percentile compares Coward 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

Poverty Rate places Coward toward the top of South Carolina's cities

Among the 439 South Carolina cities PlainCities tracks with reported poverty rate data, Coward ranks #52 - the 88th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Coward only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#328 of 403
18th percentile in South Carolina
Median Gross Rent
#260 of 441
39th percentile in South Carolina
Median Home Value
#299 of 404
26th percentile in South Carolina
Poverty Rate
#52 of 439
88th percentile in South Carolina
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#315 of 441
28th 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.

5thIncome percentile

5th percentile nationally for median household income. Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

How Coward's home value compares nationally

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

$104,200 Among the most affordable more affordable than 89% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Above this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Above this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $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. Coward $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 - Coward, SC Coward, SC's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Coward, 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 Coward, SC median $36,250/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%
Coward, 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 Coward, SC. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 12.4%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 31.0%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 46.8%

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

Population
668
Median Income
$36,250
Median Home Value
$104,200
Median Age
37.9
Poverty Rate
31.0%
Labor force participation
46.8%
Bachelor's Degree+
12.4%

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 →
720 residents725 residents730 residents735 residents 202020212022202320242025 724 residents 729 residents ▲ +0.7%
Coward's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
74.6%
Carpool
8.5%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
0.9%
Work from Home
16.1%

Based on 224 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 Coward sits in

Cost of Living Index
93.7
Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,117/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
89.6 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in South Carolina

Wallace
669 people
Lake View
661 people
Unity
655 people
Harleyville
653 people
Cash
645 people
Daufuskie Island
636 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Coward's 668 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Delleker, CA
668 people
Milner, GA
668 people
Bancroft, IA
668 people
Fonda, IA
668 people
Center City, MN
668 people
Corbin City, NJ
668 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Coward's $36,250 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Bear Creek, AL
$36,250 median income
Flomaton, AL
$36,250 median income
Vandiver, AL
$36,250 median income
Lower Kalskag, AK
$36,250 median income
Bowie, AZ
$36,250 median income
Fulton, AR
$36,250 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Coward, 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 Coward, SC - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 77.5% 16.0% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 4.6% White 77.5% Black or African American 16.0% Asian 0.0% American Indian 0.0% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 3.6% Two or more races 2.8% 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 Coward 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
Coward (this city) 668 $36,250
Wallace 669 N/A
Lake View 661 $31,033
Unity 655 $37,037
Census ACS 5-year FIPS SC NCES CCD OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Coward, SC?

What is the population of Coward, SC? +

668 people live in Coward, SC according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

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

Median annual household income in Coward runs $36,250, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Coward? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Coward; 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.

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

The median home value in Coward is $104,200, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, NCES CCD, 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.