What it's like to live in Fountain Inn
Fountain Inn is a small city in South Carolina with rent below the national average, home prices that remain within reach, commutes that run shorter than most cities, and a population that has grown fast since 2020. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Fountain Inn deals with air quality that falls short of national benchmarks, a rent burden that leaves many renters stretched thin, above-average rainfall, and fewer dining and entertainment options than a bigger city.
The good
- Rent below the national average
- Affordable home prices
- Short commutes
- Fast-growing population
- Average class sizes
The not so good
- Air quality concerns
- High rent burden for renters
- Above-average rainfall
- Smaller place — fewer dining and entertainment options
How Fountain Inn compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Fountain Inn
Based on Fountain Inn's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$2,368
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $47,360 a year
- 51% of Fountain Inn renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$55,060
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $27,530
- Homes cost 3.7× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▼ 16% below US
$1,184/mo median rent
Cost of living works in this city's favor. Median rent sits around $1,184 a month, nothing that raises eyebrows. Solid value overall. Home prices are reasonable, with a median around $275,300. Not a steal, but not intimidating either.
Median home value $275,300 · 51% of renters cost-burdened
Job market
3.9% county unemployment
Unemployment in Greenville County is 3.9%, 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.
Greenville County (county-wide)
Safety▼ 26% below US
244 violent crimes per 100k
Pretty safe, all things considered. Violent crime sits below the national average, nothing alarming, just ordinary city-life awareness.
Property crime 949/100k · Fountain Inn Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▼ 20% below US
21 min average commute
Commutes are reasonable, averaging 20.7 minutes. Nothing heroic, and there's still time left over for a life after work. 8 in 10 workers drive to work; 15% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are hot and humid, with highs regularly hitting 88°F, and winters are cold, with lows around 32°F and snow a regular occurrence. Rainfall is regular throughout the year.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Education & workforceNear US average
34% bachelor's degree or higher
Education levels run about average, with 34% 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
3 public schools inside the boundary
There are 3 public schools inside the boundary. The student-to-teacher ratio is 17:1, slightly above the national average of 16:1.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Cowpens National Battlefield (37 miles away). There are 7 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Fountain Inn's strongest points are rent below the national average and home prices that remain within reach; the main tradeoffs are air quality that falls short of national benchmarks and a rent burden that leaves many renters stretched thin. A year of median rent ($1,184/mo) equals 19% of the median household income here, about the same as the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit people watching their budget, anyone prioritizing low crime, and remote workers (15% of workers here already work from home).
See all the data for Fountain Inn →·All South Carolina cities →
Other places near Fountain Inn
All South Carolina guides →Moving to Simpsonville →
4 mi away · pop. 26,144
Rent $1,415/mo · Income $82,457
Compare with Fountain Inn →Moving to Five Forks →
8 mi away · pop. 18,656
Rent $2,178/mo · Income $141,786
Compare with Fountain Inn →Moving to Mauldin →
8 mi away · pop. 27,055
Rent $1,490/mo · Income $82,331
Compare with Fountain Inn →Not sure Fountain Inn is the one?
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