City profile · South Carolina · Census ACS 2023

Summerville, SC

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

51,262
Residents
$78,621
Median income
$295,700
Median home
$1,787
Median rent (state)

Summerville - the verdict

Out of every US city with 1,000+ residents, Summerville places in the 60th percentile for household income and the 32nd percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

60th
percentile, household income
64th
percentile, home value
74th
percentile, median rent
32nd
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: Summerville, SC

South Carolina's Summerville is a small city, with 51,262 residents per the latest Census Bureau ACS figures. Median household income here is $78,621 per year, above the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 7.3%. Summerville's housing stock carries a median value of $295,700, and the median resident age is 38.1 years. Educational attainment runs 31.7% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher. Separately, 63.9% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

In 2024, 237 residential building permits were authorized in Summerville (Growing), up 11% from five years earlier, per Census BPS data. Crime here tracks close to the national norm: FBI UCR reporting places total crime at 1990.4 incidents per 100,000 residents, near the national average (voluntary agency reporting, reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score). NOAA puts Summerville's yearly average temperature at 63.8°F with 52.7 inches of precipitation per year.

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. Statewide, HUD pegs Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit at $1,787 monthly. 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 93.7 out of 100 (Very High).

Population

51,262 residents

Census ACS 2023 - South Carolina

Median Household Income

$78,621 /yr

Poverty 7.3%

Cost of Living Index (state)

93.7 (US=100)

Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, South Carolina average

How does Summerville compare to other US cities?

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

Household income 60% higher than other cities
Home value 64% pricier than other cities
Median rent 74% pricier than other cities
Safety 32% 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: Summerville ranks #41 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 Summerville'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.

60thIncome percentile
32ndSafety percentile

60th percentile nationally for median household income · 32nd percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Summerville's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Summerville'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 41 Avg. percentile National median
Summerville'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 Summerville's home value compares nationally

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

$295,700 36th percentile more affordable than 36% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $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. Summerville $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 - Summerville, SC Summerville, SC's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Summerville, 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 Summerville, SC median $78,621/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%
Summerville, 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 Summerville, SC. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 31.7%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 7.3%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 63.9%

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

Population
51,262
Median Income
$78,621
Median Home Value
$295,700
Median Age
38.1
Poverty Rate
7.3%
Labor force participation
63.9%
Bachelor's Degree+
31.7%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
1990.4
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
222.4
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
1768.0
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
63.8°F
Annual Precipitation
52.7"
Annual Snowfall
N/A

Schools

Total Schools
26
Public schools in this city

Population Change

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
50,000 residents51,000 residents52,000 residents53,000 residents54,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 50,944 residents 53,177 residents ▲ +4.4%
Summerville's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

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

🏗️ Growing
Total Permits (2024)
237
housing units authorized
Single-Family
237
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
4.6
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 213
2020 432
2021 236
2022 187
2023 243
2024 237

Permit volume increased 11% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
82.8%
Carpool
6.7%
Public Transit
0.1%
Walk
1.0%
Work from Home
8.2%
Other
1.2%

Based on 25,953 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 Summerville sits in

Cost of Living Index
93.7
Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,787/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
93.7 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in South Carolina

Goose Creek
46,964 people
Sumter
43,065 people
Florence
40,205 people
Greer
39,191 people
Spartanburg
38,578 people
Hilton Head Island
37,805 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Summerville's 51,262 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Collierville, TN
51,212 people
Aliso Viejo, CA
51,320 people
Tamiami, FL
51,201 people
Wake Forest, NC
51,199 people
Burien, WA
51,331 people
Hoffman Estates, IL
51,186 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Summerville's $78,621 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Patton, TX
$78,621 median income
West Van Lear, KY
$78,625 median income
Prince Frederick, MD
$78,625 median income
Towanda, IL
$78,611 median income
Bremond, TX
$78,611 median income
Aspen, CO
$78,636 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Summerville, 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 Summerville, SC - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 68.1% 20.5% 6.5% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 8.3% White 68.1% Black or African American 20.5% Asian 1.4% American Indian 0.4% Native Hawaiian 0.2% Some other race 2.9% Two or more races 6.5% 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 Summerville 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
Summerville (this city) 51,262 $78,621
Goose Creek 46,964 $87,437
Sumter 43,065 $53,071
Florence 40,205 $56,433
Census ACS 5-year FIPS SC FBI UCR NOAA Normals NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Summerville, SC?

What is the population of Summerville, SC? +

51,262 people live in Summerville, SC according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

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

Summerville households earn a median of $78,621 annually, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Summerville? +

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

Summerville has a total crime rate of 1990.4 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 Summerville, SC? +

Homes in Summerville carry a median value of $295,700, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the climate like in Summerville? +

Climate normals put Summerville's yearly average temperature at 63.8°F, 52.7 inches of precipitation. 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 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.