Santeewelcomecenter · PalauanReich / CC BY-SA 4.0I95 bridge 1304 · Pollinator / CC BY-SA 3.0Condominium on Lake Marion, Santee, South Carolina (24 November 2006) · Pollinator (talk) (Uploads) / CC BY-SA 3.0
Santee is a small town of 1,189 in South Carolina, with a median household income of $43,000
and a 1.0% unemployment rate.
Its cost of living index is 91 (US average = 100), which is
9% below the national average.
Strengths:
Santee stands out for an affordable cost of living, below-average home prices, solid school ratings (B-), short average commutes.
Trade-offs:
Potential downsides include a higher-than-average crime index. Whether Santee is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Santee 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
Santee's overall cost of living index is 91.3,
where 100 represents the US national average.
Living in Santee costs roughly 9% less than the average American city.
Metric
Santee, SC
National Avg
Median Home Value
$165,000
$244,900
Median Monthly Rent
$692
$1,163
Homeownership Rate
70.8%
65.9%
Median Household Income
$43,000
$74,755
Crime & Safety
High Crime
Santee's violent crime rate is 1240.7 per 100,000 residents
— 226% higher than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Violent Crime
1240.7 /100k
Property Crime
6079.4 /100k
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Santee is served primarily by Orangeburg.
The student-to-teacher ratio is 13.8:1
(better than the national average of ~16:1).
Metric
Santee, SC
National Avg
School District
Orangeburg
—
Elementary Schools
15
—
Middle Schools
4
—
High Schools
8
—
Student/Teacher Ratio
13.8:1
16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
28.0%
35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher
81.1%
91.1%
Weather & Climate
Santee sees average highs of 58.2°F in January
and 91.2°F in July,
with 50.4 inches of annual precipitation
and 0.5 inches of snow per year.
Santee's cost of living index is 91, where 100 is the national average.
That makes Santee roughly 9% less expensive than a typical US city — a meaningful affordability advantage.
The median home price is $165,000 and median rent is $692/month.
Santee's violent crime rate is 1240.7 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 6079.4 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
Public schools in Santee are operated by Orangeburg.
The district has 15 elementary, 4 middle, and 8 high schools.
The student-to-teacher ratio is 13.8:1. 28.0% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Santee, SC has a population of 1,189, a median household income of $43,000, and an unemployment rate of 1.0%.
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.
Santee averages 58.2°F in January and 91.2°F in July. Annual rainfall is 50.4 inches
with about 0.5 inches of snow per year.
Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
Santee, SC is covered by 1 ZIP code: 29142.
The population of Santee, South Carolina is 1,189 with a median age of 51.7. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Santee: cost of living index 91 (100 = US average), median home $165,000, median household income $43,000, crime index 312 (100 = US average, lower is safer), schools rated B-. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Santee side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.
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