Median Income
$36,632
household / year
Median Home Value
$163,600
owner-occupied
Median Rent
$539
gross / month
Cost of Living
91
national avg = 100

Is Jackson, SC a Good Place to Live?

Jackson is a small town of 1,882 in South Carolina, with a median household income of $36,632 and a 3.6% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 91 (US average = 100), which is 9% below the national average.

Strengths: Jackson stands out for an affordable cost of living, below-average home prices, solid school ratings (B-), short average commutes.

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

All Jackson 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: 91.0

Jackson's overall cost of living index is 91.0, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Jackson costs roughly 9% less than the average American city.

Metric Jackson, SC National Avg
Median Home Value $163,600 $244,900
Median Monthly Rent $539 $1,163
Homeownership Rate 76.1% 65.9%
Median Household Income $36,632 $74,755

Crime & Safety

Very Safe

Jackson's violent crime rate is 119.4 per 100,000 residents — 69% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.

Violent Crime
119.4 /100k
Property Crime
872.0 /100k

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

Schools & Education

Jackson is served primarily by Aiken 01. The student-to-teacher ratio is 14.4:1 (better than the national average of ~16:1).

Metric Jackson, SC National Avg
School District Aiken 01
Elementary Schools 21
Middle Schools 11
High Schools 9
Student/Teacher Ratio 14.4:1 16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 10.5% 35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher 80.8% 91.1%

Weather & Climate

Jackson sees average highs of 59.6°F in January and 94.1°F in July, with 44.1 inches of annual precipitation and 0.8 inches of snow per year.

MetricJackson, SC
Average High — January59.6°F
Average High — July94.1°F
Annual Precipitation44.1"
Annual Snowfall0.8"

Demographics

MetricJackson, SCNational Avg
Population1,882
Median Age58.338.9
Unemployment Rate3.6%3.7%
Avg Commute Time22.1 min26 min
White (non-Hispanic)57.1%59.3%
Black or African American37.1%13.6%
Hispanic or Latino0.9%18.9%
Asian0.4%6.3%
Under 1815.8%22.2%
65 and over31.8%16.8%

Nearby Cities

ZIP Codes in Jackson

Jackson, SC is covered by 1 ZIP code:

Jackson vs Other Cities

Frequently Asked Questions

Jackson's cost of living index is 91, where 100 is the national average. That makes Jackson roughly 9% less expensive than a typical US city — a meaningful affordability advantage. The median home price is $163,600 and median rent is $539/month.
Jackson's violent crime rate is 119.4 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 872.0 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
Public schools in Jackson are operated by Aiken 01. The district has 21 elementary, 11 middle, and 9 high schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 14.4:1. 10.5% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Jackson, SC has a population of 1,882, a median household income of $36,632, and an unemployment rate of 3.6%. 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.
Jackson averages 59.6°F in January and 94.1°F in July. Annual rainfall is 44.1 inches with about 0.8 inches of snow per year. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
Jackson, SC is covered by 1 ZIP code: 29831.
The population of Jackson, South Carolina is 1,882 with a median age of 58.3. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Jackson: cost of living index 91 (100 = US average), median home $163,600, median household income $36,632, crime index 35 (100 = US average, lower is safer), schools rated B-. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Jackson side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.