What it's like to live in Orangeburg
Orangeburg is a small city in South Carolina with rent below the national average, home prices that remain within reach, and schools with class sizes near the national average. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Orangeburg deals with county unemployment above the national average, household incomes below the national average, crime rates above the national average, and a poverty rate above the national average.
The good
- Rent below the national average
- Affordable home prices
- Average class sizes
The not so good
- Above-average unemployment in the county
- Below-average household incomes
- Crime above national average
- High poverty rate
- High rent burden for renters
- Hot summers
How Orangeburg compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Orangeburg
Based on Orangeburg's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$1,696
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $33,920 a year
- 54% of Orangeburg renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$32,700
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $16,350
- Homes cost 4.2× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▼ 40% below US
$848/mo median rent
Rent here is genuinely low, with median rent around $848 a month. Money stretches further here than in most of the country. Home prices here are genuinely accessible, with a median around $163,500. That kind of affordability is rare in today's market.
Median home value $163,500 · 54% of renters cost-burdened
Job market
6.4% county unemployment
Unemployment in Orangeburg County is 6.4%, well above the national average of 4.3%. Moving with a job already lined up matters more here. That's the county-wide rate; BLS doesn't measure a place this size on its own.
Orangeburg County (county-wide)
Safety▲ 244% above US
1132 violent crimes per 100k
Crime is a real factor here, with violent rates significantly above the national average. That doesn't make the whole city a write-off, but it does mean specific neighborhoods deserve real research before signing a lease.
Property crime 4251/100k · Orangeburg Police Department · 2025 data
Getting aroundNear US average
24 min average commute
Commutes run about average, at 24.3 minutes. Fine day to day, but it adds up over a year, and where someone lives relative to where they work starts to matter. 9 in 10 workers drive to work; 12% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are hot and humid, with highs regularly hitting 92°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▼ 27% below US
26% bachelor's degree or higher
College degree attainment runs below average at 26%. That tends to reflect a more trade and working-class economy, which can be great or limiting depending on the industry.
Schools
5 public schools inside the boundary
There are 5 public schools inside the boundary and 2 private schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 16:1, close to 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 (22 miles away). There are 5 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Orangeburg's strongest points are rent below the national average and home prices that remain within reach; the main tradeoffs are county unemployment above the national average and household incomes below the national average. A year of median rent ($848/mo) equals 26% of the median household income here, more than the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit people watching their budget. It may be a harder fit for anyone moving without a job lined up and anyone who doesn't drive.
See all the data for Orangeburg →·All South Carolina cities →
Other places near Orangeburg
All South Carolina guides →Moving to West Columbia →
37 mi away · pop. 17,963
Rent $1,201/mo · Income $56,912
Compare with Orangeburg →Moving to Red Bank →
37 mi away · pop. 11,314
Rent $1,160/mo · Income $68,004
Compare with Orangeburg →Moving to Oak Grove →
37 mi away · pop. 12,256
Rent $1,045/mo · Income $74,554
Compare with Orangeburg →Not sure Orangeburg is the one?
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