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)

Clemson, SC had the highest poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate) of 43 cities in 2021, at 36.4%. Tega Cay, SC had the lowest, at 0.5%. The median was 12.2% and the figure for South Carolina was 14.5%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

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Highest36.4Clemson, SC
Lowest0.5Tega Cay, SC
Median12.243 cities
South Carolina14.5History

All cities, 2021

Clemson, SC: 36.4 %Clemson, SC36.4Orangeburg, SC: 32.1 %Orangeburg, SC32.1Greenwood, SC: 25.1 %Greenwood, SC25.1Columbia, SC: 24.3 %Columbia, SC24.3Gaffney, SC: 24.2 %Gaffney, SC24.2Spartanburg, SC: 24 %Spartanburg, SC24York, SC: 23.2 %York, SC23.2Newberry, SC: 22.6 %Newberry, SC22.6Anderson, SC: 21.2 %Anderson, SC21.2Sumter, SC: 20.4 %Sumter, SC20.4Beaufort, SC: 20.1 %Beaufort, SC20.1Myrtle Beach, SC: 19.4 %Myrtle Beach, SC19.4Florence, SC: 18.1 %Florence, SC18.1North Charleston, SC: 18.1 %North Charleston, SC18.1Conway, SC: 17.8 %Conway, SC17.8Cayce, SC: 17.2 %Cayce, SC17.2Aiken, SC: 14.4 %Aiken, SC14.4Greenville, SC: 13.9 %Greenville, SC13.9Rock Hill, SC: 13.5 %Rock Hill, SC13.5West Columbia, SC: 13.3 %West Columbia, SC13.3Fountain Inn, SC: 12.7 %Fountain Inn, SC12.7Hanahan, SC: 12.2 %Hanahan, SC12.2Charleston, SC: 12 %Charleston, SC12Easley, SC: 11.8 %Easley, SC11.8Forest Acres, SC: 11.2 %Forest Acres, SC11.2Summerville, SC: 10.4 %Summerville, SC10.4Greer, SC: 10.2 %Greer, SC10.2Moncks Corner, SC: 10.1 %Moncks Corner, SC10.1Hardeeville, SC: 9.4 %Hardeeville, SC9.4Goose Creek, SC: 8.5 %Goose Creek, SC8.5Lexington, SC: 8.4 %Lexington, SC8.4North Myrtle Beach, SC: 7.8 %North Myrtle Beach, SC7.8North Augusta, SC: 7.7 %North Augusta, SC7.7Hilton Head Island, SC: 7.6 %Hilton Head Island, SC7.6Mauldin, SC: 6.5 %Mauldin, SC6.5Simpsonville, SC: 5.7 %Simpsonville, SC5.7Mount Pleasant, SC: 5.7 %Mount Pleasant, SC5.7Bluffton, SC: 5.6 %Bluffton, SC5.6Port Royal, SC: 5.5 %Port Royal, SC5.5Irmo, SC: 5.3 %Irmo, SC5.3James Island, SC: 4 %James Island, SC4Fort Mill, SC: 3.6 %Fort Mill, SC3.6Tega Cay, SC: 0.5 %Tega Cay, SC0.5Clemson, SC: 36.4 %Clemson, SC36.4Orangeburg, SC: 32.1 %Orangeburg, SC32.1Greenwood, SC: 25.1 %Greenwood, SC25.1Columbia, SC: 24.3 %Columbia, SC24.3Gaffney, SC: 24.2 %Gaffney, SC24.2Spartanburg, SC: 24 %Spartanburg, SC24York, SC: 23.2 %York, SC23.2Newberry, SC: 22.6 %Newberry, SC22.6Anderson, SC: 21.2 %Anderson, SC21.2Sumter, SC: 20.4 %Sumter, SC20.4Beaufort, SC: 20.1 %Beaufort, SC20.1Myrtle Beach, SC: 19.4 %Myrtle Beach, SC19.4Florence, SC: 18.1 %Florence, SC18.1North Charleston, SC: 18.1 %North Charleston, SC18.1Conway, SC: 17.8 %Conway, SC17.8Cayce, SC: 17.2 %Cayce, SC17.2Aiken, SC: 14.4 %Aiken, SC14.4Greenville, SC: 13.9 %Greenville, SC13.9Rock Hill, SC: 13.5 %Rock Hill, SC13.5West Columbia, SC: 13.3 %West Columbia, SC13.3Fountain Inn, SC: 12.7 %Fountain Inn, SC12.7Hanahan, SC: 12.2 %Hanahan, SC12.2Charleston, SC: 12 %Charleston, SC12Easley, SC: 11.8 %Easley, SC11.8Forest Acres, SC: 11.2 %Forest Acres, SC11.2Summerville, SC: 10.4 %Summerville, SC10.4Greer, SC: 10.2 %Greer, SC10.2Moncks Corner, SC: 10.1 %Moncks Corner, SC10.1Hardeeville, SC: 9.4 %Hardeeville, SC9.4Goose Creek, SC: 8.5 %Goose Creek, SC8.5Lexington, SC: 8.4 %Lexington, SC8.4North Myrtle Beach, SC: 7.8 %North Myrtle Beach, SC7.8North Augusta, SC: 7.7 %North Augusta, SC7.7Hilton Head Island, SC: 7.6 %Hilton Head Island, SC7.6Mauldin, SC: 6.5 %Mauldin, SC6.5Simpsonville, SC: 5.7 %Simpsonville, SC5.7Mount Pleasant, SC: 5.7 %Mount Pleasant, SC5.7Bluffton, SC: 5.6 %Bluffton, SC5.6Port Royal, SC: 5.5 %Port Royal, SC5.5Irmo, SC: 5.3 %Irmo, SC5.3James Island, SC: 4 %James Island, SC4Fort Mill, SC: 3.6 %Fort Mill, SC3.6Tega Cay, SC: 0.5 %Tega Cay, SC0.5
%. Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCities2021 (%)
1Clemson, SC36.4
2Orangeburg, SC32.1
3Greenwood, SC25.1
4Columbia, SC24.3
5Gaffney, SC24.2
6Spartanburg, SC24
7York, SC23.2
8Newberry, SC22.6
9Anderson, SC21.2
10Sumter, SC20.4
11Beaufort, SC20.1
12Myrtle Beach, SC19.4
13Florence, SC18.1
14North Charleston, SC18.1
15Conway, SC17.8
16Cayce, SC17.2
17Aiken, SC14.4
18Greenville, SC13.9
19Rock Hill, SC13.5
20West Columbia, SC13.3
21Fountain Inn, SC12.7
22Hanahan, SC12.2
23Charleston, SC12
24Easley, SC11.8
25Forest Acres, SC11.2
26Summerville, SC10.4
27Greer, SC10.2
28Moncks Corner, SC10.1
29Hardeeville, SC9.4
30Goose Creek, SC8.5
31Lexington, SC8.4
32North Myrtle Beach, SC7.8
33North Augusta, SC7.7
34Hilton Head Island, SC7.6
35Mauldin, SC6.5
36Simpsonville, SC5.7
37Mount Pleasant, SC5.7
38Bluffton, SC5.6
39Port Royal, SC5.5
40Irmo, SC5.3
41James Island, SC4
42Fort Mill, SC3.6
43Tega Cay, SC0.5

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/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-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), 2021) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-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), 2021. U.S. Census Bureau, 29 Jan. 2026, https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b17001.dat. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/poverty-rate-acs/south-carolina-cities?period=2021. 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), 2021. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b17001.dat. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/poverty-rate-acs/south-carolina-cities?period=2021.

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), 2021 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b17001.dat, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/poverty-rate-acs/south-carolina-cities?period=2021 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_cities_in_south_carolina_2021,
  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), 2021}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b17001.dat},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/poverty-rate-acs/south-carolina-cities?period=2021. 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/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-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), 2021
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/01/29
PB  - U.S. Census Bureau
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b17001.dat
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/poverty-rate-acs/south-carolina-cities?period=2021
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/poverty-rate-acs/south-carolina-cities?period=2021.
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/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b17001.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  -
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rank_places {"indicator":"poverty_rate_acs","level":"municipality","within":"South Carolina","limit":10}
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Questions

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

Clemson, SC, with 36.4% in 2021, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

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

Tega Cay, SC, with 0.5% in 2021.

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