Median Income
$62,425
household / year
Median Home Value
$154,100
owner-occupied
Median Rent
$840
gross / month
Cost of Living
93
national avg = 100

Is Williamston, SC a Good Place to Live?

Williamston is a small town of 4,072 in South Carolina, with a median household income of $62,425 and a 9.1% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 93 (US average = 100), which is 7% below the national average.

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

Trade-offs: Potential downsides include a higher-than-average crime index, an elevated unemployment rate. Whether Williamston is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.

All Williamston 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

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

Metric Williamston, SC National Avg
Median Home Value $154,100 $244,900
Median Monthly Rent $840 $1,163
Homeownership Rate 62.3% 65.9%
Median Household Income $62,425 $74,755

Crime & Safety

Higher than Average

Williamston's violent crime rate is 678.4 per 100,000 residents — 79% higher than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.

Violent Crime
678.4 /100k
Property Crime
2105.3 /100k

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

Schools & Education

Williamston is served primarily by Anderson 01. The student-to-teacher ratio is 15.8:1 (better than the national average of ~16:1).

Metric Williamston, SC National Avg
School District Anderson 01
Elementary Schools 8
Middle Schools 3
High Schools 3
Student/Teacher Ratio 15.8:1 16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 20.4% 35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher 90.8% 91.1%

Weather & Climate

Williamston sees average highs of 52.4°F in January and 90.4°F in July, with 48.0 inches of annual precipitation and 1.4 inches of snow per year.

MetricWilliamston, SC
Average High — January52.4°F
Average High — July90.4°F
Annual Precipitation48.0"
Annual Snowfall1.4"

Demographics

MetricWilliamston, SCNational Avg
Population4,072
Median Age40.138.9
Unemployment Rate9.1%3.7%
Avg Commute Time27.7 min26 min
White (non-Hispanic)85.0%59.3%
Black or African American11.0%13.6%
Hispanic or Latino1.2%18.9%
Asian0.0%6.3%
Under 1815.9%22.2%
65 and over20.4%16.8%

Nearby Cities

ZIP Codes in Williamston

Williamston, SC is covered by 1 ZIP code:

Williamston vs Other Cities

Frequently Asked Questions

Williamston's cost of living index is 93, where 100 is the national average. That makes Williamston roughly 7% less expensive than a typical US city — a meaningful affordability advantage. The median home price is $154,100 and median rent is $840/month.
Williamston's violent crime rate is 678.4 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 2105.3 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
Public schools in Williamston are operated by Anderson 01. The district has 8 elementary, 3 middle, and 3 high schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 15.8:1. 20.4% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Williamston, SC has a population of 4,072, a median household income of $62,425, and an unemployment rate of 9.1%. 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.
Williamston averages 52.4°F in January and 90.4°F in July. Annual rainfall is 48.0 inches with about 1.4 inches of snow per year. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
Williamston, SC is covered by 1 ZIP code: 29697.
The population of Williamston, South Carolina is 4,072 with a median age of 40.1. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Williamston: cost of living index 93 (100 = US average), median home $154,100, median household income $62,425, crime index 147 (100 = US average, lower is safer), schools rated B-. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Williamston side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.