City profile · South Carolina · Census ACS 2023

Orangeburg, SC

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

13,189
Residents
$33,066
Median income
$145,000
Median home
$910
Median rent (state)

Orangeburg - the verdict

Out of every US city with 1,000+ residents, Orangeburg places in the 3rd percentile for household income and the 1st percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

3rd
percentile, household income
25th
percentile, home value
5th
percentile, median rent
1st
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: Orangeburg, SC

Orangeburg is a small town in South Carolina, home to 13,189 residents per U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. Median household income here is $33,066 per year, in the lower quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 23.6%. Home values in Orangeburg run a median of $145,000, and the median resident age is 37.4 years. Educational attainment runs 27.2% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher. Separately, 43.1% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Housing supply pressure shows in Census Building Permit Survey data: 20 residential units were authorized in 2024 (Building Boom), up 567% from five years earlier. Orangeburg's reported crime rate runs above the national norm: per-100,000 total crime stands at 7454.9 in FBI UCR data, above the national average (a voluntary reporting program, read this as reporting activity, not a definitive danger score). The annual average temperature per NOAA climate normals runs 65.6°F with 50.5 inches of precipitation per year and 0.1 inches of snowfall.

Living costs in South Carolina run below the national norm: the state registers 93.7 on a 100-equals-national-average index (Below Average) per BEA Regional Price Parities 2024. A typical two-bedroom carries a HUD Fair Market Rent of $910 per month statewide. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts South Carolina's average monthly utility costs around $224 (state average). FEMA's National Risk Index rates natural-hazard exposure at 87.7 out of 100 (Very High).

Population

13,189 residents

Census ACS 2023 - South Carolina

Median Household Income

$33,066 /yr

Poverty 23.6%

Cost of Living Index (state)

93.7 (US=100)

Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, South Carolina average

How does Orangeburg compare to other US cities?

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

Household income 3% higher than other cities
Home value 25% pricier than other cities
Median rent 5% pricier than other cities
Safety 1% 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: Orangeburg ranks #120 of 127 South Carolina cities by lowest crime rate, a different read than the national percentile above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

Each percentile compares Orangeburg 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

Median Gross Rent places Orangeburg toward the bottom of South Carolina's cities

Among the 441 South Carolina cities PlainCities tracks with reported median gross rent data, Orangeburg ranks #337 - the 21st percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Orangeburg only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#359 of 403
11th percentile in South Carolina
Median Gross Rent
#337 of 441
21st percentile in South Carolina
Median Home Value
#225 of 404
44th percentile in South Carolina
Poverty Rate
#104 of 439
76th percentile in South Carolina
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#126 of 441
71st 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.

3rdIncome percentile
1stSafety percentile

3rd percentile nationally for median household income · 1st percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Orangeburg's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Orangeburg'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 30 Avg. percentile National median
Orangeburg'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 Orangeburg's home value compares nationally

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

$145,000 Among the most affordable more affordable than 75% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $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. Orangeburg $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 - Orangeburg, SC Orangeburg, SC's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Orangeburg, 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 Orangeburg, SC median $33,066/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%
Orangeburg, 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 Orangeburg, SC. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 27.2%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 23.6%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 43.1%

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

Population
13,189
Median Income
$33,066
Median Home Value
$145,000
Median Age
37.4
Poverty Rate
23.6%
Labor force participation
43.1%
Bachelor's Degree+
27.2%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
7454.9
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
1246.2
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
6208.7
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.

Climate

Avg Temperature
65.6°F
Annual Precipitation
50.5"
Annual Snowfall
0.1"

Schools

Total Schools
12
Public schools in this city

Population Change

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
12,800 residents13,000 residents13,200 residents13,400 residents13,600 residents 202020212022202320242025 13,174 residents 13,383 residents ▲ +1.6%
Orangeburg's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

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

📈 Building Boom
Total Permits (2024)
20
housing units authorized
Single-Family
20
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
1.5
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 3
2020 7
2021 8
2022 9
2023 5
2024 20

Permit volume increased 567% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
74.6%
Carpool
15.1%
Public Transit
0.4%
Walk
0.9%
Work from Home
8.9%

Based on 4,623 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 Orangeburg sits in

Cost of Living Index
93.7
Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$910/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
87.7 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in South Carolina

Tega Cay
13,267 people
Beaufort
13,660 people
Cayce
13,718 people
Gaffney
12,612 people
Boiling Springs
12,609 people
Parker
12,564 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Orangeburg's 13,189 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Green Valley, MD
13,187 people
Olympia Heights, FL
13,179 people
Lincolnwood, IL
13,179 people
El Sobrante CDP (Riverside County), CA
13,206 people
River Ridge, LA
13,170 people
Ridgefield Park, NJ
13,167 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Orangeburg's $33,066 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Graceville, FL
$33,068 median income
Whittemore, MI
$33,056 median income
Allen, KY
$33,036 median income
Worthville, KY
$33,036 median income
Bath, SD
$33,031 median income
San Antonio comunidad (Quebradillas Municipio), PR
$33,103 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Orangeburg, 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 Orangeburg, SC - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 23.2% 73.9% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 0.2% White 23.2% Black or African American 73.9% Asian 0.9% American Indian 0.4% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 0.1% Two or more races 1.6% 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 Orangeburg 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
Orangeburg (this city) 13,189 $33,066
Tega Cay 13,267 $141,037
Beaufort 13,660 $59,454
Cayce 13,718 $58,095
Census ACS 5-year FIPS SC FBI UCR NOAA Normals NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Orangeburg, SC?

What is the population of Orangeburg, SC? +

13,189 people live in Orangeburg, SC according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

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

Orangeburg households earn a median of $33,066 annually, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Orangeburg? +

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

Orangeburg has a total crime rate of 7454.9 per 100,000 residents, which is above 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 Orangeburg, SC? +

Orangeburg's median home value sits at $145,000, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the climate like in Orangeburg? +

Climate normals put Orangeburg's yearly average temperature at 65.6°F, 50.5 inches of precipitation, and 0.1 inches of snowfall per year. Source: NOAA Climate Normals.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, 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

Verify with HUD →

Verify with FBI →

Verify with NOAA →

Verify with U.S. Census Bureau →

Verify with EPA →

Verify with FEMA →

Verify with BEA →

Verify with EIA →

Verify with NCES →

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.