Data / Rankings / Poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate) / Cities in South Carolina

Cities in South Carolina by poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2024

Clemson, SC had the highest poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate) of 43 cities in 2024, at 36%. Tega Cay, SC had the lowest, at 1.5%. The median was 12.3% and the figure for South Carolina was 14.1%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

Keep it in a collection in your library.
Highest36Clemson, SC
Lowest1.5Tega Cay, SC
Median12.343 cities
South Carolina14.1History

All cities, 2024

Clemson, SC: 36 %Clemson, SC36Orangeburg, SC: 32.7 %Orangeburg, SC32.7Newberry, SC: 31.5 %Newberry, SC31.5Gaffney, SC: 29.1 %Gaffney, SC29.1Columbia, SC: 24 %Columbia, SC24Spartanburg, SC: 23.8 %Spartanburg, SC23.8Greenwood, SC: 21.6 %Greenwood, SC21.6Conway, SC: 21 %Conway, SC21Anderson, SC: 21 %Anderson, SC21Myrtle Beach, SC: 19 %Myrtle Beach, SC19Florence, SC: 18.9 %Florence, SC18.9Aiken, SC: 17 %Aiken, SC17Sumter, SC: 16.7 %Sumter, SC16.7York, SC: 15.9 %York, SC15.9North Charleston, SC: 14.4 %North Charleston, SC14.4Greenville, SC: 14 %Greenville, SC14Easley, SC: 13.9 %Easley, SC13.9Cayce, SC: 13.7 %Cayce, SC13.7West Columbia, SC: 13.7 %West Columbia, SC13.7Rock Hill, SC: 12.6 %Rock Hill, SC12.6Beaufort, SC: 12.5 %Beaufort, SC12.5Charleston, SC: 12.3 %Charleston, SC12.3Hardeeville, SC: 11.8 %Hardeeville, SC11.8Hanahan, SC: 11.7 %Hanahan, SC11.7Greer, SC: 10.1 %Greer, SC10.1Summerville, SC: 10.1 %Summerville, SC10.1Irmo, SC: 9.2 %Irmo, SC9.2Hilton Head Island, SC: 8.6 %Hilton Head Island, SC8.6Mauldin, SC: 8.4 %Mauldin, SC8.4Port Royal, SC: 8.4 %Port Royal, SC8.4Moncks Corner, SC: 8.3 %Moncks Corner, SC8.3Forest Acres, SC: 8.2 %Forest Acres, SC8.2Fountain Inn, SC: 7.7 %Fountain Inn, SC7.7Lexington, SC: 7.4 %Lexington, SC7.4North Myrtle Beach, SC: 7.4 %North Myrtle Beach, SC7.4North Augusta, SC: 6.6 %North Augusta, SC6.6Goose Creek, SC: 6.5 %Goose Creek, SC6.5Mount Pleasant, SC: 6.1 %Mount Pleasant, SC6.1Simpsonville, SC: 6.1 %Simpsonville, SC6.1James Island, SC: 5.6 %James Island, SC5.6Fort Mill, SC: 4.8 %Fort Mill, SC4.8Bluffton, SC: 4.3 %Bluffton, SC4.3Tega Cay, SC: 1.5 %Tega Cay, SC1.5Clemson, SC: 36 %Clemson, SC36Orangeburg, SC: 32.7 %Orangeburg, SC32.7Newberry, SC: 31.5 %Newberry, SC31.5Gaffney, SC: 29.1 %Gaffney, SC29.1Columbia, SC: 24 %Columbia, SC24Spartanburg, SC: 23.8 %Spartanburg, SC23.8Greenwood, SC: 21.6 %Greenwood, SC21.6Conway, SC: 21 %Conway, SC21Anderson, SC: 21 %Anderson, SC21Myrtle Beach, SC: 19 %Myrtle Beach, SC19Florence, SC: 18.9 %Florence, SC18.9Aiken, SC: 17 %Aiken, SC17Sumter, SC: 16.7 %Sumter, SC16.7York, SC: 15.9 %York, SC15.9North Charleston, SC: 14.4 %North Charleston, SC14.4Greenville, SC: 14 %Greenville, SC14Easley, SC: 13.9 %Easley, SC13.9Cayce, SC: 13.7 %Cayce, SC13.7West Columbia, SC: 13.7 %West Columbia, SC13.7Rock Hill, SC: 12.6 %Rock Hill, SC12.6Beaufort, SC: 12.5 %Beaufort, SC12.5Charleston, SC: 12.3 %Charleston, SC12.3Hardeeville, SC: 11.8 %Hardeeville, SC11.8Hanahan, SC: 11.7 %Hanahan, SC11.7Greer, SC: 10.1 %Greer, SC10.1Summerville, SC: 10.1 %Summerville, SC10.1Irmo, SC: 9.2 %Irmo, SC9.2Hilton Head Island, SC: 8.6 %Hilton Head Island, SC8.6Mauldin, SC: 8.4 %Mauldin, SC8.4Port Royal, SC: 8.4 %Port Royal, SC8.4Moncks Corner, SC: 8.3 %Moncks Corner, SC8.3Forest Acres, SC: 8.2 %Forest Acres, SC8.2Fountain Inn, SC: 7.7 %Fountain Inn, SC7.7Lexington, SC: 7.4 %Lexington, SC7.4North Myrtle Beach, SC: 7.4 %North Myrtle Beach, SC7.4North Augusta, SC: 6.6 %North Augusta, SC6.6Goose Creek, SC: 6.5 %Goose Creek, SC6.5Mount Pleasant, SC: 6.1 %Mount Pleasant, SC6.1Simpsonville, SC: 6.1 %Simpsonville, SC6.1James Island, SC: 5.6 %James Island, SC5.6Fort Mill, SC: 4.8 %Fort Mill, SC4.8Bluffton, SC: 4.3 %Bluffton, SC4.3Tega Cay, SC: 1.5 %Tega Cay, SC1.5
%. Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCities2024 (%)Change on 2023
1Clemson, SC36-0.1 pts
2Orangeburg, SC32.7+1.1 pts
3Newberry, SC31.5+4.5 pts
4Gaffney, SC29.1+4.2 pts
5Columbia, SC24+0.7 pts
6Spartanburg, SC23.8-0.3 pts
7Greenwood, SC21.6-3.5 pts
8Conway, SC21+0.8 pts
9Anderson, SC21-1.3 pts
10Myrtle Beach, SC19+2.1 pts
11Florence, SC18.9+0.8 pts
12Aiken, SC17+0.7 pts
13Sumter, SC16.7+0.9 pts
14York, SC15.9-0.2 pts
15North Charleston, SC14.4-1.1 pts
16Greenville, SC14-0 pts
17Easley, SC13.9-0.3 pts
18Cayce, SC13.7-4.1 pts
19West Columbia, SC13.7-0.4 pts
20Rock Hill, SC12.6-0.7 pts
21Beaufort, SC12.5-5.5 pts
22Charleston, SC12.3+0.3 pts
23Hardeeville, SC11.8+0.9 pts
24Hanahan, SC11.7+0.7 pts
25Greer, SC10.1+0.3 pts
26Summerville, SC10.1-0.2 pts
27Irmo, SC9.2+1.1 pts
28Hilton Head Island, SC8.6+0.2 pts
29Mauldin, SC8.4+0.1 pts
30Port Royal, SC8.4-2.3 pts
31Moncks Corner, SC8.3+2.7 pts
32Forest Acres, SC8.20 pts
33Fountain Inn, SC7.7-5.3 pts
34Lexington, SC7.40 pts
35North Myrtle Beach, SC7.4+1.2 pts
36North Augusta, SC6.6-0.3 pts
37Goose Creek, SC6.5-0.1 pts
38Mount Pleasant, SC6.1+0.3 pts
39Simpsonville, SC6.10 pts
40James Island, SC5.6+0.2 pts
41Fort Mill, SC4.8+1.1 pts
42Bluffton, SC4.3-0.5 pts
43Tega Cay, SC1.5+0.9 pts

Other periods

About this ranking

People with income in the past 12 months below the official US poverty thresholds, as a percentage of people whose poverty status is determined. United States: American Community Survey five-year estimate, where the period shown is the last year of the five-year span.

The headline single-year rate for states and counties is poverty_rate (SAIPE). Poverty status is not determined for people in institutions, military group quarters or college dormitories, or for unrelated children under 15. Absolute thresholds set by the US government, so not comparable with the EU at_risk_of_poverty_rate.

Every value in the ranking comes from the same publisher and the same period, so the cities are compared on one definition. Equal values share a rank.

How to cite

U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B17001: population with income in the past 12 months below the poverty level as a percentage of the population for whom poverty status is determined, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more). https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2024-b17001.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Citation styles

The publisher is the author. Invokely is named only as the place the figures were read, where a style asks for it.

APA 7

U.S. Census Bureau. (2026). American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B17001: population with income in the past 12 months below the poverty level as a percentage of the population for whom poverty status is determined, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more) (Cities in South Carolina by poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2024) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2024-b17001.dat

MLA 9

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B17001: population with income in the past 12 months below the poverty level as a percentage of the population for whom poverty status is determined, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more), Cities in South Carolina by poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2024. U.S. Census Bureau, 29 Jan. 2026, https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2024-b17001.dat. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/poverty-rate-acs/south-carolina-cities. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

U.S. Census Bureau. 2026. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B17001: population with income in the past 12 months below the poverty level as a percentage of the population for whom poverty status is determined, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more). Cities in South Carolina by poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2024. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2024-b17001.dat. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/poverty-rate-acs/south-carolina-cities.

Harvard

U.S. Census Bureau (2026) American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B17001: population with income in the past 12 months below the poverty level as a percentage of the population for whom poverty status is determined, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more), Cities in South Carolina by poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2024 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2024-b17001.dat, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/poverty-rate-acs/south-carolina-cities (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_cities_in_south_carolina_2024,
  author = {{U.S. Census Bureau}},
  title = {{American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B17001: population with income in the past 12 months below the poverty level as a percentage of the population for whom poverty status is determined, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more): Cities in South Carolina by poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2024}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2024-b17001.dat},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/poverty-rate-acs/south-carolina-cities. Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B17001: population with income in the past 12 months below the poverty level as a percentage of the population for whom poverty status is determined, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more). https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary\_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2024-b17001.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-12.},
}
RIS
TY  - DATA
AU  - U.S. Census Bureau
TI  - American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B17001: population with income in the past 12 months below the poverty level as a percentage of the population for whom poverty status is determined, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more): Cities in South Carolina by poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2024
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/01/29
PB  - U.S. Census Bureau
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2024-b17001.dat
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/poverty-rate-acs/south-carolina-cities
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/poverty-rate-acs/south-carolina-cities.
N1  - Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B17001: population with income in the past 12 months below the poverty level as a percentage of the population for whom poverty status is determined, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more). https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2024-b17001.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  -
Embed this chart

Paste this code into a web page or a blog post. The chart shows the latest figures as they are published, with the source and a link back to this page.

Sites that read oEmbed links, such as WordPress, can show the chart when you paste the link to this page.

Use this data in your AI agent

Invokely serves this figure to AI assistants through MCP and to code through a REST API, with the source and citation attached. Ask your assistant:

Rank Cities in South Carolina by poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate) using official data, and cite the source.
rank_places {"indicator":"poverty_rate_acs","level":"municipality","within":"South Carolina","limit":10}
GET https://invokely.ai/api/v1/rank?indicator=poverty_rate_acs&level=municipality&within=South%20Carolina&limit=10

Connect Claude, ChatGPT or Cursor in one step. The trial answers 25 calls a day without an account.

Questions

Which city has the highest poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate)?

Clemson, SC, with 36% in 2024, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which city has the lowest poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate)?

Tega Cay, SC, with 1.5% in 2024.

Where does this ranking come from?

Every value comes from one source and one period, so the places are comparable: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B17001: population with income in the past 12 months below the poverty level as a percentage of the population for whom poverty status is determined, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more). Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate): other rankings

Cities in South Carolina: more rankings