Is St. Stephen, SC a Good Place to Live?
St. Stephen is a small town of 1,386 in South Carolina, with a median household income of $37,596 and a 8.4% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 90 (US average = 100), which is 10% below the national average.
Strengths: St. Stephen stands out for an affordable cost of living, below-average home prices.
Trade-offs: Potential downsides include a higher-than-average crime index, longer commutes, an elevated unemployment rate. Whether St. Stephen is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All St. Stephen 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: 89.9St. Stephen's overall cost of living index is 89.9, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in St. Stephen costs roughly 10% less than the average American city.
| Metric | St. Stephen, SC | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $107,100 | $244,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $758 | $1,163 |
| Homeownership Rate | 55.9% | 65.9% |
| Median Household Income | $37,596 | $74,755 |
Crime & Safety
High CrimeSt. Stephen's violent crime rate is 717.5 per 100,000 residents — 89% higher than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
St. Stephen is served primarily by Berkeley 01. The student-to-teacher ratio is 16.1:1 (slightly above the national average of ~16:1).
| Metric | St. Stephen, SC | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| School District | Berkeley 01 | — |
| Elementary Schools | 26 | — |
| Middle Schools | 11 | — |
| High Schools | 9 | — |
| Student/Teacher Ratio | 16.1:1 | 16:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 15.6% | 35.4% |
| High School Diploma or Higher | 81.3% | 91.1% |
Weather & Climate
St. Stephen sees average highs of 58.7°F in January and 93.1°F in July, with 52.3 inches of annual precipitation .
| Metric | St. Stephen, SC |
|---|---|
| Average High — January | 58.7°F |
| Average High — July | 93.1°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 52.3" |
| Annual Snowfall | Trace / None |
Demographics
| Metric | St. Stephen, SC | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 1,386 | — |
| Median Age | 36.5 | 38.9 |
| Unemployment Rate | 8.4% | 3.7% |
| Avg Commute Time | 31.4 min | 26 min |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 55.8% | 59.3% |
| Black or African American | 39.3% | 13.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 3.1% | 18.9% |
| Asian | 0.0% | 6.3% |
| Under 18 | 28.1% | 22.2% |
| 65 and over | 17.2% | 16.8% |