Is Clinton, SC a Good Place to Live?
Clinton is a small town of 7,624 in South Carolina, with a median household income of $38,350 and a 7.8% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 93 (US average = 100), which is 7% below the national average.
Strengths: Clinton stands out for an affordable cost of living, below-average home prices, solid school ratings (B), short average commutes.
Trade-offs: Potential downsides include a higher-than-average crime index, an elevated unemployment rate. Whether Clinton is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Clinton 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: 92.8Clinton's overall cost of living index is 92.8, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Clinton costs roughly 7% less than the average American city.
| Metric | Clinton, SC | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $152,300 | $244,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $829 | $1,163 |
| Homeownership Rate | 47.8% | 65.9% |
| Median Household Income | $38,350 | $74,755 |
Crime & Safety
High CrimeClinton's violent crime rate is 1278.6 per 100,000 residents — 236% higher than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Clinton is served primarily by Laurens 56. The student-to-teacher ratio is 13.2:1 (better than the national average of ~16:1).
| Metric | Clinton, SC | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| School District | Laurens 56 | — |
| Elementary Schools | 3 | — |
| Middle Schools | 1 | — |
| High Schools | 1 | — |
| Student/Teacher Ratio | 13.2:1 | 16:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 28.8% | 35.4% |
| High School Diploma or Higher | 83.0% | 91.1% |
Weather & Climate
Clinton sees average highs of 54.4°F in January and 90.8°F in July, with 46.4 inches of annual precipitation and 1.3 inches of snow per year.
| Metric | Clinton, SC |
|---|---|
| Average High — January | 54.4°F |
| Average High — July | 90.8°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 46.4" |
| Annual Snowfall | 1.3" |
Demographics
| Metric | Clinton, SC | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 7,624 | — |
| Median Age | 35.4 | 38.9 |
| Unemployment Rate | 7.8% | 3.7% |
| Avg Commute Time | 17.9 min | 26 min |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 56.7% | 59.3% |
| Black or African American | 37.3% | 13.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 0.9% | 18.9% |
| Asian | 1.9% | 6.3% |
| Under 18 | 21.8% | 22.2% |
| 65 and over | 19.6% | 16.8% |
Nearby Cities
ZIP Codes in Clinton
Clinton, SC is covered by 1 ZIP code: