What it's like to live in Cayce
Cayce is a small city in South Carolina with home prices that remain within reach, commutes that run shorter than most cities, and schools with smaller class sizes than the national average. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Cayce deals with household incomes below the national average, crime rates above the national average, hot summers, and fewer dining and entertainment options than a bigger city.
The good
- Affordable home prices
- Short commutes
- Low student-teacher ratio
The not so good
- Below-average household incomes
- Crime above national average
- Hot summers
- Smaller place — fewer dining and entertainment options
- Car-dependent — few commuters use transit
How Cayce compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Cayce
Based on Cayce's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$2,720
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $54,400 a year
- 45% of Cayce renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$33,360
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $16,680
- Homes cost 2.7× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of livingNear US average
$1,360/mo median rent
Rent is pretty middle of the road, at $1,360 a month median. Not a bargain, not a budget-buster. About typical for a city this size. Home prices here are genuinely accessible, with a median around $166,800. That kind of affordability is rare in today's market.
Median home value $166,800 · 45% of renters cost-burdened
Job market
3.8% county unemployment
Unemployment in Lexington County is 3.8%, close to the national average of 4.3%. That's the county-wide rate; BLS doesn't measure a place this size on its own.
Lexington County (county-wide)
Safety▲ 69% above US
558 violent crimes per 100k
Crime is worth weighing seriously here. Rates run above the national average, and while plenty of residents live comfortably, neighborhood selection matters a lot more than it does in a safer city.
Property crime 2585/100k · Cayce Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▼ 25% below US
20 min average commute
Commutes are reasonable, averaging 19.6 minutes. Nothing heroic, and there's still time left over for a life after work. 9 in 10 workers drive to work; 6% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are hot and humid, with highs regularly hitting 94°F, and winters are chilly but manageable, with lows around 38°F. Rainfall is regular throughout the year.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Education & workforce▼ 14% below US
31% bachelor's degree or higher
Education levels run about average, with 31% college-educated. It's a mix of white-collar and blue-collar work, which can be an asset or a limitation depending on the field.
Schools
6 public schools inside the boundary
There are 6 public schools inside the boundary. The student-to-teacher ratio is 15:1, well below the national average of 16:1. Smaller class sizes are generally a positive sign for a district.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Congaree National Park (20 miles away). There are 5 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Cayce's strongest points are home prices that remain within reach and commutes that run shorter than most cities; the main tradeoffs are household incomes below the national average and crime rates above the national average. A year of median rent ($1,360/mo) equals 26% of the median household income here, more than the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit people who want short commutes.
Other places near Cayce
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