Is Furman, SC a Good Place to Live?
Furman is a small town of 559 in South Carolina, with a median household income of $77,292 and a 15.2% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 90 (US average = 100), which is 10% below the national average.
Strengths: Furman stands out for an affordable cost of living, below-average home prices.
Trade-offs: Potential downsides include longer commutes, an elevated unemployment rate. Whether Furman is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Furman 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: 89.5Furman's overall cost of living index is 89.5, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Furman costs roughly 10% less than the average American city.
| Metric | Furman, SC | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $81,800 | $244,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $850 | $1,163 |
| Homeownership Rate | 75.1% | 65.9% |
| Median Household Income | $77,292 | $74,755 |
Crime & Safety
Higher than AverageFurman's violent crime rate is 733.5 per 100,000 residents — 93% higher than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
| Metric | Furman, 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 | 9.9% | 35.4% |
| High School Diploma or Higher | 79.8% | 91.1% |
Weather & Climate
Furman sees average highs of 61.9°F in January and 92.2°F in July, with 49.7 inches of annual precipitation and 0.1 inches of snow per year.
| Metric | Furman, SC |
|---|---|
| Average High — January | 61.9°F |
| Average High — July | 92.2°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 49.7" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.1" |
Demographics
| Metric | Furman, SC | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 559 | — |
| Median Age | 30.9 | 38.9 |
| Unemployment Rate | 15.2% | 3.7% |
| Avg Commute Time | 30.2 min | 26 min |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 68.9% | 59.3% |
| Black or African American | 29.9% | 13.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 0.7% | 18.9% |
| Asian | 0.0% | 6.3% |
| Under 18 | 16.8% | 22.2% |
| 65 and over | 14.3% | 16.8% |
Nearby Cities
ZIP Codes in Furman
Furman, SC is covered by 1 ZIP code: