Median Income
$36,585
household / year
Median Home Value
$155,900
owner-occupied
Median Rent
$709
gross / month
Cost of Living
91
national avg = 100

Is Cowpens, SC a Good Place to Live?

Cowpens is a small town of 1,862 in South Carolina, with a median household income of $36,585 and a 2.9% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 91 (US average = 100), which is 9% below the national average.

Strengths: Cowpens stands out for an affordable cost of living, below-average home prices, lower-than-average crime, solid school ratings (B-).

Trade-offs: No major red flags stand out in the available data. Whether Cowpens is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.

All Cowpens 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: 91.3

Cowpens's overall cost of living index is 91.3, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Cowpens costs roughly 9% less than the average American city.

Metric Cowpens, SC National Avg
Median Home Value $155,900 $244,900
Median Monthly Rent $709 $1,163
Homeownership Rate 70.4% 65.9%
Median Household Income $36,585 $74,755

Crime & Safety

Safer than Average

Cowpens's violent crime rate is 356.0 per 100,000 residents — 6% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.

Violent Crime
356.0 /100k
Property Crime
1468.6 /100k

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

Schools & Education

Cowpens is served primarily by Spartanburg 03. The student-to-teacher ratio is 14.5:1 (better than the national average of ~16:1).

Metric Cowpens, SC National Avg
School District Spartanburg 03 —
Elementary Schools 3 —
Middle Schools 1 —
High Schools 1 —
Student/Teacher Ratio 14.5:1 16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 24.9% 35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher 94.0% 91.1%

Weather & Climate

Cowpens sees average highs of 54.1°F in January and 90.1°F in July, with 50.2 inches of annual precipitation and 0.8 inches of snow per year.

MetricCowpens, SC
Average High — January54.1°F
Average High — July90.1°F
Annual Precipitation50.2"
Annual Snowfall0.8"

Demographics

MetricCowpens, SCNational Avg
Population1,862—
Median Age52.038.9
Unemployment Rate2.9%3.7%
Avg Commute Time26.7 min26 min
White (non-Hispanic)86.6%59.3%
Black or African American9.4%13.6%
Hispanic or Latino2.5%18.9%
Asian0.0%6.3%
Under 1810.0%22.2%
65 and over28.6%16.8%

Nearby Cities

ZIP Codes in Cowpens

Cowpens, SC is covered by 1 ZIP code:

Cowpens vs Other Cities

Frequently Asked Questions

Cowpens's cost of living index is 91, where 100 is the national average. That makes Cowpens roughly 9% less expensive than a typical US city — a meaningful affordability advantage. The median home price is $155,900 and median rent is $709/month.
Cowpens's violent crime rate is 356.0 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 1468.6 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
Public schools in Cowpens are operated by Spartanburg 03. The district has 3 elementary, 1 middle, and 1 high schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 14.5:1. 24.9% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Cowpens, SC has a population of 1,862, a median household income of $36,585, and an unemployment rate of 2.9%. It offers below-average costs of living, which stretches take-home pay further than in most American cities. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.
Cowpens averages 54.1°F in January and 90.1°F in July. Annual rainfall is 50.2 inches with about 0.8 inches of snow per year. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
Cowpens, SC is covered by 1 ZIP code: 29330.
The population of Cowpens, South Carolina is 1,862 with a median age of 52.0. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Cowpens: cost of living index 91 (100 = US average), median home $155,900, median household income $36,585, crime index 84 (100 = US average, lower is safer), schools rated B-. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Cowpens side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.