Town · South Carolina
Great Falls, South Carolina
Great Falls, town, in Chester County, South Carolina. Great Falls had 1,960 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, up 0.5% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 1,951 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 1,690 (±339). GEOID 4530490.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
1,960
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 1,951 · ACS 2020-2024: 1,690 ±339
Median household income
$30,458
±$13,215 (90% margin)
South Carolina: $69,324
Median home value
$60,400
±$17,559 (90% margin)
South Carolina: $259,000
Median gross rent
$867
±$176 (90% margin)
South Carolina: $1,180
Where is Great Falls and what county is it in?
Great Falls is a town in Chester County, South Carolina. It covers 4.2 square miles of land, 460 residents per square mile in 2020.
Great Falls is in the Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC metropolitan statistical area, which takes in 11 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 Great Falls, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 1,960 people lived in Great Falls on July 1, 2025, up 0.5% since 2020, slower than South Carolina (+8.8%). The 2020 Census counted 1,951 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 1,690 (±339).
| Measure | Great Falls | Chester County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 1,690 ±339 | 32,182 | no clear change |
| Households | 786 ±112 | 13,159 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.15 ±0.32 | 2.43 | −0.65 |
| Housing units | 881 ±109 | 14,807 | no clear change |
Great Falls's population since 2000
From 2,194 in 2000 to 1,960 in 2025: down 10.7%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Great Falls as it was drawn that year: a place that annexed land, or a community that has since incorporated, covered a different area then. The 2005 figure is the Census Bureau's intercensal estimate, revised to fit the 2000 and 2010 counts and drawn on 2010 boundaries; 2015 and 2025 are July 1 estimates made from the census before them.
Source: The 2000, 2010 and 2020 Census counts and the Census Bureau's population estimates (intercensal 2000-2010, Vintage 2020, Vintage 2025) · Census population estimates
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 Great Falls?
The median resident of Great Falls is 41.3 years old; 25.2% are under 18 and 24.6% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 60.4%, then non-Hispanic Black residents at 25.4%.
| Measure | Great Falls | Chester County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 41.3 ±15.2 | 42.4 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 25.2% ±7.9 pts | 22.3% | – |
| 65 years and over | 24.6% ±8.8 pts | 19.2% | – |
| Male | 39.2% ±5.4 pts | 48.5% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 5.0% ±5.0 pts | 3.0% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 60.4% ±10.0 pts | 57.7% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 25.4% ±11.2 pts | 34.5% | no clear change |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±2.6 pts | 0.4% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±2.6 pts | 0.2% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±2.6 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 7.9% ±7.3 pts | 3.9% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 1.2% ±1.2 pts | 0.3% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 2.8% ±4.6 pts | 1.3% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 4.3% ±5.2 pts | 2.2% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 7.2% ±4.1 pts | 8.4% | – |
| With a disability | 19.4% ±6.9 pts | 14.2% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 8.9% ±6.2 pts | 11.7% | – |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 84.6% ±7.5 pts | 85.3% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 9.7% ±6.5 pts | 14.0% | – |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 6.7% ±4.9 pts | 5.4% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 94.8% ±3.7 pts | 90.1% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 1.3% ±1.8 pts | 1.5% | – |
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 Great Falls earn?
Half of Great Falls's 786 households earn less than $30,458 a year (±$13,215), against $52,458 in Chester County and $69,324 in South Carolina. In 2015-2019 the median was $51,507 in 2024 dollars, so it fell by $21,049 after inflation. 31.1% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Great Falls | Chester County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $30,458 ±$13,215 | $52,458 | −$21,049 |
| Mean household income | $51,545 ±$11,335 | $68,310 | – |
| Per capita income | $23,589 ±$5,146 | $28,227 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 31.1% ±11.5 pts | 18.7% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 37.3% ±23.2 pts | 25.6% | no clear change |
| Households receiving SNAP | 17.2% ±6.6 pts | 16.7% | – |
| Households with a computer | 78.6% ±10.4 pts | 91.1% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 70.1% ±11.2 pts | 83.0% | – |
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 Great Falls?
Owners occupy 82.1% of Great Falls's occupied homes and renters 17.9%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $60,400 by its owner (±$17,559). The median renter pays $867 a month including utilities, and 58.5% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Great Falls | Chester County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $60,400 ±$17,559 | $158,300 | no clear change |
| Median gross rent | $867 ±$176 | $853 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 58.5% ±23.5 pts | 39.1% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,065 ±$137 | $1,156 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 82.1% ±7.3 pts | 78.4% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 17.9% ±7.3 pts | 21.6% | – |
| Housing units | 881 ±109 | 14,807 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.0% ±6.7 pts | 1.0% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 7.2% ±12.2 pts | 3.0% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 94.6% ±4.7 pts | 71.7% | – |
| Mobile homes | 3.1% ±4.4 pts | 23.6% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.0% ±5.0 pts | 1.6% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 3.0% ±3.2 pts | 6.6% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 28.3% ±10.5 pts | 9.3% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 6.1% ±3.7 pts | 6.3% | – |
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 Great Falls work and get to work?
86.7% of Great Falls's workers drive alone. The average trip to work takes 34.3 minutes.
| Measure | Great Falls | Chester County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 46.7% ±10.1 pts | 58.4% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 3.6% ±4.8 pts | 5.6% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 86.7% ±7.6 pts | 84.4% | – |
| Carpooled | 5.0% ±4.7 pts | 7.9% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±7.3 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Walked | 0.0% ±7.3 pts | 0.4% | – |
| Worked from home | 8.2% ±6.7 pts | 5.5% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 34.3 min ±8.0 | 31.6 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 Great Falls?
1 census tract lies mostly in Great Falls (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 210Chester County | 1,929 | $31,382 |
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 Great Falls) · Census block assignment files
How does Great Falls compare with other places in South Carolina?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Great Falls is the 7,764th-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 119th-most populous of 271 in South Carolina.
Great Falls ranks 235th of 248 places in South Carolina with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 119th | 271 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 106th | 149 |
| Residents per square mile | 222nd | 261 |
| Median household income | 235th | 248 |
| Per capita income | 199th | 259 |
| Median home value | 245th | 248 |
| Median gross rent | 158th | 235 |
| Poverty rate | 39th | 214 |
| Median age | 91st | 261 |
| Owner-occupied share | 49th | 258 |
| Travel time to work | 18th | 261 |
Great Falls's figures with every place in South Carolina (CSV)
Every place in South Carolina, sortable · Compare Great Falls 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 Great Falls?
22 of the 57 figures for Great Falls 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 Great Falls 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' public schools in Great Falls.