Median Income
$88,750
household / year
Median Home Value
$158,900
owner-occupied
Median Rent
$1,349
gross / month
Cost of Living
97
national avg = 100

Is Buford, SC a Good Place to Live?

Buford is a small town of 523 in South Carolina, with a median household income of $88,750 and a 5.5% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 97 (US average = 100), which is 3% below the national average.

Strengths: Buford stands out for below-average home prices.

Trade-offs: Potential downsides include longer commutes, an elevated unemployment rate. Whether Buford is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.

All Buford city data on this page comes from official government sources — the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.

Cost of Living

Index: 97.0

Buford's overall cost of living index is 97.0, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Buford costs roughly 3% less than the average American city.

Metric Buford, SC National Avg
Median Home Value $158,900 $244,900
Median Monthly Rent $1,349 $1,163
Homeownership Rate 71.4% 65.9%
Median Household Income $88,750 $74,755

Crime & Safety

Near National Average

Buford's violent crime rate is 436.7 per 100,000 residents — 15% higher than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.

Violent Crime
436.7 /100k
Property Crime
2112.0 /100k

Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.

Schools & Education

Metric Buford, SC National Avg
School District N/A —
Elementary Schools N/A —
Middle Schools N/A —
High Schools N/A —
Student/Teacher Ratio N/A 16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 8.7% 35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher 89.9% 91.1%

Weather & Climate

Buford sees average highs of 54.7°F in January and 91.4°F in July, with 46.0 inches of annual precipitation and 2.1 inches of snow per year.

MetricBuford, SC
Average High — January54.7°F
Average High — July91.4°F
Annual Precipitation46.0"
Annual Snowfall2.1"

Demographics

MetricBuford, SCNational Avg
Population523—
Median Age37.338.9
Unemployment Rate5.5%3.7%
Avg Commute Time42.4 min26 min
White (non-Hispanic)100.0%59.3%
Black or African American0.0%13.6%
Hispanic or Latino0.0%18.9%
Asian0.0%6.3%
Under 1821.2%22.2%
65 and over14.9%16.8%

Nearby Cities

Tradesville, SC 5 mi Unity, SC 5 mi Elgin, SC 8 mi Lancaster, SC 9 mi Springdale, SC 9 mi

Buford vs Other Cities

Buford, SC vs Tradesville, SC Buford, SC vs Unity, SC Buford, SC vs Elgin, SC Buford, SC vs Lancaster, SC Buford, SC vs Springdale, SC

Frequently Asked Questions

Buford's cost of living index is 97, where 100 is the national average. That makes Buford roughly 3% less expensive than a typical US city — a meaningful affordability advantage. The median home price is $158,900 and median rent is $1,349/month.
Buford's violent crime rate is 436.7 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 2112.0 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
School district information is sourced from NCES Common Core of Data.
Buford, SC has a population of 523, a median household income of $88,750, and an unemployment rate of 5.5%. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.
Buford averages 54.7°F in January and 91.4°F in July. Annual rainfall is 46.0 inches with about 2.1 inches of snow per year. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
The population of Buford, South Carolina is 523 with a median age of 37.3. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Buford: cost of living index 97 (100 = US average), median home $158,900, median household income $88,750, crime index 109 (100 = US average, lower is safer). Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Buford side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.