MetricAiken, SCCayce, SC
Population32,52113,741
Median Household Income$76,746$62,045
Median Rent$1,180/mo$1,360/mo
Median Home Value$286,800$166,800
Cost of Living (US = 100)9294
Renters Paying 30%+ of Income52.4%45.3%
Poverty Rate17%13.7%
Unemployment Rate4.7%3.8% (county)
Violent Crime Rate /100k451558
Property Crime Rate /100k3,4022,585
Median AQI39—
Good AQI Days /yr——
Summer Highs91°F94°F
Winter Lows36°F38°F
Snowfall1 in/yr0 in/yr
Avg Commute24.2 min19.6 min
Hospitals1—
Avg Hospital Rating2.0 / 5—
Students per Teacher15.714.5
College Degree Rate47.7%31.1%
Foreign-Born %3.3%5.9%
Population Growth (2020–2025)+5.2%-0.8%

Green = clearly better (more than 5% apart). Population, growth, weather, hospital count and foreign-born share aren’t scored.