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Living in
Clemson.
About
Life in Clemson
Living in Clemson means embracing a college town that's genuinely integrated with its university in ways you won't find everywhere—the Princeton Review ranked it #1 in the nation for town-and-gown relations, and that shows up in how the community actually functions day-to-day. You're looking at a median household income around $49,713 and a median rent of $1,007 a month, which is reasonable for the Southeast, though home values at $398,400 reflect the university's influence on the real estate market. The job market is stable with unemployment sitting at 4.3%, but honestly, a lot of employment here ties directly to the university or regional healthcare and retail; if you're not connected to Clemson, you might be commuting to nearby Greenville or Anderson for work.
Clemson at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
24.8 yrs
Poverty Rate
36.0%
Foreign-Born
6.9%
Broadband Internet
88.9%
of households
Population Growth
+7.1%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics6.9% foreign-born, most often from India
Who lives in Clemson: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Clemson, the largest foreign-born group is from India (29.1%), and 2.6% of residents speak Other Indo-European at home.
Under 18
11.1%
of residents
65 and Older
13.3%
of residents
Households with Kids
14.1%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
34.5%
of households
Married Couples
26.7%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.27
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent 15% below SC average
Rent, home values, and income in Clemson
In Clemson, rent runs 15% below the SC average, and home values are 54% above the SC average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
58.0%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
42.9%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
93.3
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$1,912
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
34.3%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1989
median year built
Vacant Homes
10.0%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $410,902 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment about average for SC
Unemployment in Clemson
Unemployment in Pickens County, which includes Clemson, is close to the SC average.
Unemployment rate
Clemson: Pickens County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
Pickens County (county-wide) · Annual averages
What Clemson Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute18.9 min avg
How Clemson residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Clemson, most residents drive alone to work (70%), and 82% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 38 mi
Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport (GSP)
Small hub1.5M passengers boarded in 2025
- 113 mi
Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT)
Major hub25.9M passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 61% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Clemson runs 61% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
127.4
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
1,375.3
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Clemson Police Department
Natural DisastersThunderstorm Wind most common — 14 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Low
77.6 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Pickens County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Pickens County, which includes Clemson, the most common type is thunderstorm wind, with 14 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 14 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2024 | 15 | Thunderstorm Wind | $346,000 |
| 2023 | 15 | Thunderstorm Wind | $203,000 |
| 2022 | 9 | Thunderstorm Wind | $275,000 |
| 2021 | 4 | Thunderstorm Wind | $35,000 |
| 2020 | 11 | Thunderstorm Wind | $2.2M |
| 2019 | 10 | Thunderstorm Wind | $63,000 |
| 2018 | 11 | Thunderstorm Wind | $10,500 |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
3 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Pickens County, county-wide
Air Quality40 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Anderson County, SC (the nearest EPA-monitored county, about 15 miles from Clemson) is typically good — 241 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
40
Good Days
241
per year
Moderate Days
23
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Nearest EPA monitor county: Anderson County, SC (15 mi away)
Climate89°F summers, 34°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Clemson has warm summers (avg high 89°F) and mild winters (avg low 34°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
73°/49°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
89°/67°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
74°/50°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
55°/34°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
52.4"
Annual Snowfall
2.2"
Hot Days/Year
55
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
57
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
120
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 53°F | 33°F | 4.94" |
| Feb | 57°F | 35°F | 4.36" |
| Mar | 65°F | 41°F | 4.80" |
| Apr | 73°F | 48°F | 4.20" |
| May | 81°F | 57°F | 4.06" |
| Jun | 88°F | 65°F | 4.16" |
| Jul | 91°F | 69°F | 4.09" |
| Aug | 90°F | 68°F | 5.27" |
| Sep | 84°F | 62°F | 3.80" |
| Oct | 74°F | 50°F | 3.76" |
| Nov | 64°F | 40°F | 3.87" |
| Dec | 56°F | 34°F | 5.07" |
Healthcare
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Clemson
Uninsured
8.4%
of residents
No hospitals inside Clemson's limits — nearest hospitals · within 15 miles
Prisma Health Oconee Memorial Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 9.9 mi away · Seneca
Cannon Memorial Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 14.4 mi away · Pickens
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education15.0:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Clemson
Clemson's student/teacher ratio is 15.0:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 59.4% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
1
within city limits
Private Schools
1
within city limits
College Degree Rate
59.4%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
15.0:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Parks & Recreationclosest: Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site, 45 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Clemson
Clemson has 8 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site (45 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site
National Historic Site
45 mi awayNinety Six National Historic Site
National Historic Site
59 mi awayBlue Ridge Parkway
Parkway
64 mi awayCowpens National Battlefield
National Battlefield
65 mi awayGreat Smoky Mountains National Park
National Park
75 mi awayKings Mountain National Military Park
National Military Park
86 mi awayOvermountain Victory National Historic Trail
National Historic Trail
87 mi awayChattahoochee River National Recreation Area
National Recreation Area
97 mi awayCities Near Clemson
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Clemson?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Clemson FAQ
Is Clemson, South Carolina affordable?⌄
Clemson's median rent is $1,007/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $49,520/year. Median home value is $398,400.
Is Clemson, South Carolina safe?⌄
Clemson's violent crime rate was 127 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is well below the national average — one of the safer cities in the country of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 1375 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Clemson, South Carolina?⌄
Pickens County, which includes Clemson, has an unemployment rate of 4.3%, which is close to the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Clemson, South Carolina?⌄
The cost of living in Clemson is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,007/month and median household income is $49,520/year. The median home value is $398,400. About 58% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Clemson, South Carolina?⌄
The average commute in Clemson is 19 minutes, which is shorter than average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from