Median Income
$47,290
household / year
Median Home Value
$269,900
owner-occupied
Median Rent
$883
gross / month
Cost of Living
96
national avg = 100

Is Lakewood, SC a Good Place to Live?

Lakewood is a small town of 3,135 in South Carolina, with a median household income of $47,290 and a 8.6% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 96 (US average = 100), which is 4% below the national average.

Strengths: Lakewood stands out for an affordable cost of living.

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

All Lakewood 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: 95.7

Lakewood's overall cost of living index is 95.7, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Lakewood costs roughly 4% less than the average American city.

Metric Lakewood, SC National Avg
Median Home Value $269,900 $244,900
Median Monthly Rent $883 $1,163
Homeownership Rate 64.1% 65.9%
Median Household Income $47,290 $74,755

Crime & Safety

High Crime

Lakewood's violent crime rate is 918.3 per 100,000 residents — 142% higher than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.

Violent Crime
918.3 /100k
Property Crime
2811.1 /100k

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

Schools & Education

Metric Lakewood, 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 17.2% 35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher 92.6% 91.1%

Weather & Climate

Lakewood sees average highs of 55.1°F in January and 90.2°F in July, with 48.8 inches of annual precipitation and 0.3 inches of snow per year.

MetricLakewood, SC
Average High — January55.1°F
Average High — July90.2°F
Annual Precipitation48.8"
Annual Snowfall0.3"

Demographics

MetricLakewood, SCNational Avg
Population3,135—
Median Age46.738.9
Unemployment Rate8.6%3.7%
Avg Commute Time31.1 min26 min
White (non-Hispanic)48.8%59.3%
Black or African American38.1%13.6%
Hispanic or Latino0.0%18.9%
Asian0.0%6.3%
Under 1810.2%22.2%
65 and over21.4%16.8%

Nearby Cities

Privateer, SC 3 mi South Sumter, SC 4 mi Paxville, SC 7 mi Cane Savannah, SC 7 mi East Sumter, SC 7 mi

Lakewood vs Other Cities

Lakewood, SC vs Privateer, SC Lakewood, SC vs South Sumter, SC Lakewood, SC vs Paxville, SC Lakewood, SC vs Cane Savannah, SC Lakewood, SC vs East Sumter, SC

Frequently Asked Questions

Lakewood's cost of living index is 96, where 100 is the national average. That makes Lakewood roughly 4% less expensive than a typical US city — a meaningful affordability advantage. The median home price is $269,900 and median rent is $883/month.
Lakewood's violent crime rate is 918.3 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 2811.1 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.
Lakewood, SC has a population of 3,135, a median household income of $47,290, and an unemployment rate of 8.6%. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.
Lakewood averages 55.1°F in January and 90.2°F in July. Annual rainfall is 48.8 inches with about 0.3 inches of snow per year. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
The population of Lakewood, South Carolina is 3,135 with a median age of 46.7. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Lakewood: cost of living index 96 (100 = US average), median home $269,900, median household income $47,290, crime index 199 (100 = US average, lower is safer). Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Lakewood side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.