Census-designated place · South Carolina
East Gaffney, South Carolina
East Gaffney, census-designated place, in Cherokee County, South Carolina. East Gaffney had 2,882 residents in the 2020 Census, a full count; the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 2,824 (±606). GEOID 4522075.
Residents, 2020 Census
2,882
Census count or controlled total
ACS 2020-2024 estimate: 2,824 ±606
Median household income
$25,227
±$10,677 (90% margin)
South Carolina: $69,324
Median home value
$77,600
±$11,810 (90% margin)
South Carolina: $259,000
Median gross rent
$690
±$260 (90% margin)
South Carolina: $1,180
Where is East Gaffney and what county is it in?
East Gaffney is a census-designated place: an unincorporated community the Census Bureau draws for counting, with no city government of its own, in Cherokee County, South Carolina. It covers 3.0 square miles of land, 953 residents per square mile in 2020.
East Gaffney is in the Gaffney, SC micropolitan statistical area (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 East Gaffney, and is it growing?
The 2020 Census counted 2,882 residents in East Gaffney, a full count rather than a sample. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a sample, estimates 2,824 (±606).
The Census Bureau publishes yearly population estimates for incorporated places only; East Gaffney is a census-designated place, so its figures come from the ACS and the 2020 Census.
| Measure | East Gaffney | Cherokee County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 2,824 ±606 | 56,647 | no clear change |
| Households | 1,364 ±297 | 22,063 | +378 |
| Average household size | 2.07 ±0.36 | 2.52 | −0.72 |
| Housing units | 1,772 ±321 | 25,150 | +425 |
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 East Gaffney?
The median resident of East Gaffney is 46.1 years old; 18.4% are under 18 and 22.3% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 62.3%, then non-Hispanic Black residents at 32.9%.
| Measure | East Gaffney | Cherokee County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 46.1 ±7.6 | 40.4 | +10.0 |
| Under 18 years | 18.4% ±8.2 pts | 22.7% | – |
| 65 years and over | 22.3% ±9.7 pts | 17.5% | – |
| Male | 46.6% ±8.2 pts | 49.2% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 3.3% ±2.8 pts | 5.5% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 62.3% ±12.3 pts | 69.7% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 32.9% ±12.4 pts | 18.7% | no clear change |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.6 pts | 0.5% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.6 pts | 0.2% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.6 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 1.6% ±2.0 pts | 4.0% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.6 pts | 1.4% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 2.4% ±2.6 pts | 3.2% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 2.6% ±2.8 pts | 5.3% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 9.9% ±5.7 pts | 7.3% | – |
| With a disability | 15.9% ±7.3 pts | 17.9% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 15.5% ±6.6 pts | 10.5% | no clear change |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 84.1% ±7.4 pts | 85.2% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 10.5% ±4.9 pts | 18.4% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 5.7% ±3.7 pts | 7.1% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 93.4% ±4.7 pts | 90.1% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 1.9% ±1.9 pts | 2.5% | – |
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 East Gaffney earn?
Half of East Gaffney's 1,364 households earn less than $25,227 a year (±$10,677), against $50,288 in Cherokee County and $69,324 in South Carolina. In 2015-2019 the median was $40,498 in 2024 dollars, so it fell by $15,271 after inflation. 33.8% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | East Gaffney | Cherokee County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $25,227 ±$10,677 | $50,288 | −$15,271 |
| Mean household income | $39,551 ±$8,733 | $67,479 | – |
| Per capita income | $20,799 ±$3,968 | $27,406 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 33.8% ±11.5 pts | 18.4% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 30.4% ±26.6 pts | 28.3% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 35.0% ±14.1 pts | 14.1% | – |
| Households with a computer | 79.1% ±14.0 pts | 90.9% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 59.9% ±13.8 pts | 80.7% | – |
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 East Gaffney?
Owners occupy 78.2% of East Gaffney's occupied homes and renters 21.8%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $77,600 by its owner (±$11,810). The median renter pays $690 a month including utilities.
| Measure | East Gaffney | Cherokee County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $77,600 ±$11,810 | $142,000 | no clear change |
| Median gross rent | $690 ±$260 | $869 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 24.6% ±28.0 pts | 36.8% | – |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $909 ±$173 | $1,160 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 78.2% ±9.9 pts | 73.8% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 21.8% ±9.9 pts | 26.2% | – |
| Housing units | 1,772 ±321 | 25,150 | +425 |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.0% ±4.1 pts | 0.6% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 0.0% ±12.8 pts | 4.8% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 68.2% ±10.3 pts | 61.4% | – |
| Mobile homes | 20.4% ±8.0 pts | 26.4% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.0% ±2.5 pts | 3.5% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 5.6% ±5.3 pts | 7.1% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 4.1% ±3.2 pts | 4.4% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 11.7% ±8.2 pts | 5.4% | – |
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 East Gaffney work and get to work?
96.0% of East Gaffney's workers drive alone. The average trip to work takes 23.8 minutes.
| Measure | East Gaffney | Cherokee County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 44.9% ±9.0 pts | 56.4% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 2.8% ±3.4 pts | 6.3% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 96.0% ±3.9 pts | 84.9% | – |
| Carpooled | 2.7% ±3.2 pts | 7.8% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±4.3 pts | 0.3% | – |
| Walked | 0.0% ±4.3 pts | 0.9% | – |
| Worked from home | 1.4% ±2.5 pts | 5.0% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 23.8 min ±4.4 | 25.1 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 East Gaffney?
No census tract lies mostly in East Gaffney; 2 tracts reach into it (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 9703.02Cherokee County | 4,262 | $27,838 |
| Tract 9705.02Cherokee County | 4,270 | $30,938 |
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 East Gaffney) · Census block assignment files
How does East Gaffney compare with other places in South Carolina?
East Gaffney ranks 243rd 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) | 157th | 261 |
| Residents per square mile | 132nd | 261 |
| Median household income | 243rd | 248 |
| Per capita income | 231st | 259 |
| Median home value | 237th | 248 |
| Median gross rent | 209th | 235 |
| Poverty rate | 26th | 214 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 211th | 226 |
| Median age | 51st | 261 |
| Owner-occupied share | 72nd | 258 |
| Travel time to work | 150th | 261 |
East Gaffney's figures with every place in South Carolina (CSV)
Every place in South Carolina, sortable · Compare East Gaffney 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 East Gaffney?
22 of the 57 figures for East Gaffney 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 East Gaffney 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.