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Living in
Sumter.
About
Life in Sumter
Sumter offers an affordable mid-sized city lifestyle without the intensity of larger South Carolina metros. At a median home value around $199,000 and median rent near $1,076 monthly, housing costs are reasonable, though wages reflect the smaller market. Summers here are genuinely hot and humid with the subtropical climate bringing typical heat, rain, and occasional storms that come with the territory.
Sumter at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
33.6 yrs
Poverty Rate
16.7%
Foreign-Born
4.9%
Broadband Internet
88.2%
of households
Population Growth
-0.9%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics4.9% foreign-born, most often from Vietnam
Who lives in Sumter: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Sumter, the largest foreign-born group is from Vietnam (13.7%), and 5.0% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
26.0%
of residents
65 and Older
17.6%
of residents
Households with Kids
30.7%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
33.2%
of households
Married Couples
40.9%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.56
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 9% below SC average
Rent, home values, and income in Sumter
In Sumter, rent runs 9% below the SC average, and home values are 23% below the SC average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
50.4%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
20.6%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
88.0
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$1,123
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
57.2%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1986
median year built
Vacant Homes
14.2%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $205,992 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 1.3 pts above SC average
Unemployment in Sumter
Unemployment in Sumter is 1.3 percentage points higher than the SC average.
Unemployment rate
City-level rate · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
City-level (BLS) · Annual averages
What Sumter Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute19.6 min avg
How Sumter residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Sumter, most residents drive alone to work (82%), and 82% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 40 mi
Florence Regional Airport (FLO)
Regional airport · few flights25k passengers boarded in 2025
- 73 mi
Charleston International Airport (CHS)
Medium hub3.1M passengers boarded in 2025
- 96 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 116% above national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Sumter runs 116% above the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
709.7
per 100,000 residents
Above average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
2,735.9
per 100,000 residents
Above average (1,552 national, 2025)
Sumter Police Department
Natural DisastersThunderstorm Wind most common — 13 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Moderate
81.7 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Sumter County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Sumter County, which includes Sumter, the most common type is thunderstorm wind, with 13 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 13 | Thunderstorm Wind | $30,000 |
| 2024 | 15 | Thunderstorm Wind | $245,100 |
| 2023 | 18 | Thunderstorm Wind | $55,700 |
| 2022 | 15 | Thunderstorm Wind | $120 |
| 2021 | 3 | Thunderstorm Wind | $5,000 |
| 2020 | 13 | Thunderstorm Wind | $3,630 |
| 2019 | 9 | Thunderstorm Wind | $310 |
| 2018 | 13 | Thunderstorm Wind | $400 |
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
Sumter County, county-wide
Air Quality47 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Richland County, SC (the nearest EPA-monitored county, about 30 miles from Sumter) is typically good — 212 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
47
Good Days
212
per year
Moderate Days
153
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Nearest EPA monitor county: Richland County, SC (30 mi away)
Climate89°F summers, 34°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Sumter has warm summers (avg high 89°F) and mild winters (avg low 34°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
74°/49°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
89°/68°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
74°/51°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
57°/34°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
50.9"
Annual Snowfall
0.3"
Hot Days/Year
58
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
56
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
117
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 55°F | 33°F | 3.78" |
| Feb | 59°F | 35°F | 3.47" |
| Mar | 66°F | 41°F | 3.67" |
| Apr | 75°F | 50°F | 3.40" |
| May | 81°F | 58°F | 3.78" |
| Jun | 87°F | 66°F | 5.05" |
| Jul | 90°F | 70°F | 5.75" |
| Aug | 89°F | 68°F | 4.92" |
| Sep | 83°F | 63°F | 4.36" |
| Oct | 74°F | 51°F | 3.88" |
| Nov | 65°F | 40°F | 2.94" |
| Dec | 57°F | 35°F | 3.83" |
Healthcare1 hospital, avg 3.0/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Sumter
Sumter has 1 hospital, averaging 3.0 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating.
Hospitals
1
within city limits
Uninsured
8.7%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
3.0 / 5
Prisma Health Tuomey Hospital
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 Sumter
Sumter's student/teacher ratio is 15.6:1, close to the national average of 16:1, and 28.7% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
12
within city limits
Private Schools
6
within city limits
College Degree Rate
28.7%
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
Colleges & Universities in Sumter
University of South Carolina-Sumter
Public · 2-year · 716 students · in-state tuition $7,558 · 27% graduate · median earnings $44,967 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 383 students · in-state tuition $16,728 · 26% graduate · median earnings $37,276 (10 yrs after entry)
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreationclosest: Congaree National Park, 23 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Sumter
Sumter has 6 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Congaree National Park (23 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Congaree National Park
National Park
23 mi awayCharles Pinckney National Historic Site
National Historic Site
82 mi awayFort Sumter and Fort Moultrie National Historical Park
National Historical Park
87 mi awayNinety Six National Historic Site
National Historic Site
94 mi awayKings Mountain National Military Park
National Military Park
100 mi awayOvermountain Victory National Historic Trail
National Historic Trail
100 mi awayPublic Libraries in Sumter
Sumter County Public Library
111 N. Harvin Street, Sumter
South Sumter Branch Library
337 Manning Ave, Sumter
Wesmark Branch Library
180 W. Wesmark Blvd, Sumter
Cities Near Sumter
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Sumter?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Sumter FAQ
Is Sumter, South Carolina affordable?⌄
Sumter's median rent is $1,076/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $55,592/year. Median home value is $199,100.
Is Sumter, South Carolina safe?⌄
Sumter's violent crime rate was 710 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is significantly above the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 2736 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Sumter, South Carolina?⌄
Sumter has an unemployment rate of 5.8%, which is above the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Sumter, South Carolina?⌄
The cost of living in Sumter is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,076/month and median household income is $55,592/year. The median home value is $199,100. About 50% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Sumter, South Carolina?⌄
The average commute in Sumter is 20 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