Median Income
$37,431
household / year
Median Home Value
$104,700
owner-occupied
Median Rent
$981
gross / month
Cost of Living
93
national avg = 100

Is Parker, SC a Good Place to Live?

Parker is a small city of 12,466 in South Carolina, with a median household income of $37,431 and a 4.8% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 93 (US average = 100), which is 7% below the national average.

Strengths: Parker stands out for an affordable cost of living, below-average home prices, short average commutes.

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

All Parker 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: 92.8

Parker's overall cost of living index is 92.8, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Parker costs roughly 7% less than the average American city.

Metric Parker, SC National Avg
Median Home Value $104,700 $244,900
Median Monthly Rent $981 $1,163
Homeownership Rate 42.4% 65.9%
Median Household Income $37,431 $74,755

Crime & Safety

Near National Average

Parker's violent crime rate is 475.8 per 100,000 residents — 25% higher than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.

Violent Crime
475.8 /100k
Property Crime
2200.2 /100k

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

Schools & Education

Parker is served primarily by Greenville 01. The student-to-teacher ratio is 15.2:1 (better than the national average of ~16:1).

Metric Parker, SC National Avg
School District Greenville 01 —
Elementary Schools 51 —
Middle Schools 19 —
High Schools 20 —
Student/Teacher Ratio 15.2:1 16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 16.0% 35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher 70.3% 91.1%

Weather & Climate

Parker sees average highs of 51.5°F in January and 86.7°F in July, with 55.0 inches of annual precipitation and 1.9 inches of snow per year.

MetricParker, SC
Average High — January51.5°F
Average High — July86.7°F
Annual Precipitation55.0"
Annual Snowfall1.9"

Demographics

MetricParker, SCNational Avg
Population12,466—
Median Age31.838.9
Unemployment Rate4.8%3.7%
Avg Commute Time23.9 min26 min
White (non-Hispanic)46.6%59.3%
Black or African American22.5%13.6%
Hispanic or Latino20.0%18.9%
Asian0.6%6.3%
Under 1825.4%22.2%
65 and over9.5%16.8%

Nearby Cities

ZIP Codes in Parker

Parker, SC is covered by 1 ZIP code:

Parker vs Other Cities

Frequently Asked Questions

Parker's cost of living index is 93, where 100 is the national average. That makes Parker roughly 7% less expensive than a typical US city — a meaningful affordability advantage. The median home price is $104,700 and median rent is $981/month.
Parker's violent crime rate is 475.8 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 2200.2 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
Public schools in Parker are operated by Greenville 01. The district has 51 elementary, 19 middle, and 20 high schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 15.2:1. 16.0% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Parker, SC has a population of 12,466, a median household income of $37,431, and an unemployment rate of 4.8%. 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.
Parker averages 51.5°F in January and 86.7°F in July. Annual rainfall is 55.0 inches with about 1.9 inches of snow per year. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
Parker, SC is covered by 1 ZIP code: 29611.
The population of Parker, South Carolina is 12,466 with a median age of 31.8. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Parker: cost of living index 93 (100 = US average), median home $104,700, median household income $37,431, crime index 117 (100 = US average, lower is safer), schools rated C+. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Parker side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.