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Living in
Gaffney.
About
Life in Gaffney
Gaffney is a community of 12,612 people in South Carolina. The median household income is $41,214, median rent runs about $887 per month, and median home values are around $137,700. The unemployment rate is 5.8%.
Gaffney at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
31.9 yrs
Poverty Rate
29.1%
Foreign-Born
6.4%
Broadband Internet
85.6%
of households
Population Growth
-1.3%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics6.4% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in Gaffney: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Gaffney, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (55.9%), and 6.9% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
22.0%
of residents
65 and Older
15.7%
of residents
Households with Kids
25.0%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
40.6%
of households
Married Couples
26.2%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.48
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 25% below SC average
Rent, home values, and income in Gaffney
In Gaffney, rent runs 25% below the SC average, and home values are 47% below the SC average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
42.2%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
20.1%
spending 50%+
Median Property Tax
$756
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
50.5%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1975
median year built
Vacant Homes
13.9%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $190,119 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 1.3 pts above SC average
Unemployment in Gaffney
Unemployment in Cherokee County, which includes Gaffney, is 1.3 percentage points higher than the SC average.
Unemployment rate
Gaffney: Cherokee County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
Cherokee County (county-wide) · Annual averages
What Gaffney Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute18.8 min avg
How Gaffney residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Gaffney, most residents drive alone to work (79%), and 74% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 34 mi
Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport (GSP)
Small hub1.5M passengers boarded in 2025
- 41 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 15% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Gaffney runs 15% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
280
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
2,848.2
per 100,000 residents
Above average (1,552 national, 2025)
Gaffney Police Department
Natural DisastersThunderstorm Wind most common — 6 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Low
69.7 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Cherokee County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Cherokee County, which includes Gaffney, the most common type is thunderstorm wind, with 6 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 6 | Thunderstorm Wind | $10,000 |
| 2024 | 9 | Thunderstorm Wind | $5.1M |
| 2023 | 12 | Thunderstorm Wind | $115,000 |
| 2022 | 9 | Thunderstorm Wind | $150,000 |
| 2021 | 4 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2020 | 8 | Thunderstorm Wind | $110,000 |
| 2019 | 8 | Thunderstorm Wind | $11,000 |
| 2018 | 9 | Thunderstorm Wind | $2,000 |
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.
4 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Cherokee County, county-wide
Air Quality48 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Spartanburg County, SC (the nearest EPA-monitored county, about 21 miles from Gaffney) is typically good — 201 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
48
Good Days
201
per year
Moderate Days
164
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Nearest EPA monitor county: Spartanburg County, SC (21 mi away)
Climate86°F summers, 28°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Gaffney has warm summers (avg high 86°F) and cold winters (avg low 28°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
71°/44°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
86°/64°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
71°/46°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
53°/28°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
47.8"
Annual Snowfall
1.9"
Hot Days/Year
34
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
93
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
95
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 51°F | 27°F | 3.70" |
| Feb | 55°F | 29°F | 3.31" |
| Mar | 63°F | 35°F | 4.39" |
| Apr | 72°F | 43°F | 3.65" |
| May | 78°F | 53°F | 3.63" |
| Jun | 84°F | 62°F | 4.11" |
| Jul | 88°F | 66°F | 3.72" |
| Aug | 86°F | 65°F | 4.68" |
| Sep | 81°F | 58°F | 3.63" |
| Oct | 72°F | 46°F | 3.06" |
| Nov | 62°F | 34°F | 3.42" |
| Dec | 54°F | 29°F | 4.02" |
Healthcare1 hospital, avg 2.0/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Gaffney
Gaffney has 1 hospital, averaging 2.0 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating — below-average care.
Hospitals
1
within city limits
Uninsured
13.4%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
2.0 / 5
Cherokee Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
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.
Education15.6:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Gaffney
Gaffney's student/teacher ratio is 15.6:1, close to the national average of 16:1, and 23.1% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
5
within city limits
Private Schools
0
within city limits
College Degree Rate
23.1%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
15.6:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Parks & Recreationclosest: Cowpens National Battlefield, 9 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Gaffney
Gaffney has 7 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Cowpens National Battlefield (9 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Cowpens National Battlefield
National Battlefield
9 mi awayKings Mountain National Military Park
National Military Park
16 mi awayOvermountain Victory National Historic Trail
National Historic Trail
17 mi awayCarl Sandburg Home National Historic Site
National Historic Site
47 mi awayBlue Ridge Parkway
Parkway
58 mi awayNinety Six National Historic Site
National Historic Site
67 mi awayAndrew Johnson National Historic Site
National Historic Site
100 mi awayPublic Libraries in Gaffney
Cherokee County Public Library
300 E. Rutledge Avenue, Gaffney
Cities Near Gaffney
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Gaffney?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Gaffney FAQ
Is Gaffney, South Carolina affordable?⌄
Gaffney's median rent is $887/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $41,089/year. Median home value is $137,700.
Is Gaffney, South Carolina safe?⌄
Gaffney's violent crime rate was 280 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is below the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 2848 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Gaffney, South Carolina?⌄
Cherokee County, which includes Gaffney, has an unemployment rate of 5.8%, which is above the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Gaffney, South Carolina?⌄
The cost of living in Gaffney is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $887/month and median household income is $41,089/year. The median home value is $137,700. About 42% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Gaffney, South Carolina?⌄
The average commute in Gaffney 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