Places › South Carolina › Anderson

Living in Anderson, SC

Small city in South Carolina

Anderson is a small city in South Carolina, home to about 30,000 people, with 427,000 living within 31 mi. Day to day, there is some transit, though many people drive. Life moves at a relaxed pace, and homes are a mix of apartments and houses.

Is Anderson a good place to live? Pros and cons

👍 Pros

  • Affordable housing: a typical 3-bedroom home is about $276k and rents for $1,520 a month
  • Low taxes: about $1,296 state income tax per resident, 0.67% property tax
  • Strong healthcare: 7 top-rated (4–5★) hospitals within 31 mi
  • Low natural disaster risk: 6 federally declared disasters since 2000

👎 Cons

  • Quieter on culture: few museums and attractions nearby
  • Smaller job market: about 427,000 people live within 31 mi
  • Fewer graduates: 27% of adults have a bachelor's degree or higher
  • Fewer family amenities than most places

Whether it's a good place for you depends on what you value. Take the quiz to see how Anderson ranks against your own priorities.

Key facts

Population
30,000
427,000 within 31 mi
Winter / summer highs
55°F / 89°F
Average daily highs
3-bedroom home
$276k
Typical value (Zillow)
3-bedroom rent
$1,520/mo
Incl. utilities (HUD)
Cost of living
93
US average = 100 (BEA)
Taxes
$1,296
State income tax per resident · 0.67% property tax
Safety
No data
Not in FBI 2019 city table
Natural disasters
6 since 2000
Declared in the county · mainly flooding, cold waves
Top-rated hospitals
7
4–5★ within 31 mi (CMS)
Public schools
Average
Tests close to US average · 14 students per teacher
Adults with a degree
27%
1 research university within 31 mi
Nearest major airport
CLT
107 mi away

Living in Anderson: common questions

What is the cost of living in Anderson?

A typical 3-bedroom home is worth about $276k, and a 3-bedroom rents for about $1,520 a month including utilities. Overall living costs are below the US average (index 93, where the US is 100).

What are taxes like in Anderson?

South Carolina collects about $1,296 in state income tax per resident, and homeowners here pay about 0.67% of their home's value in property tax each year.

Is Anderson safe?

Anderson isn't in the FBI's 2019 city crime table, so Best Life Fit Me counts its safety as average.

How are the schools in Anderson?

Public schools in Anderson test close to the US average in math and reading (2018–19 state tests, put on one national scale with NAEP), with about 14 students per teacher.

What is the weather like in Anderson?

Anderson has mild winters: winter days average around 55°F and summer days around 89°F.

Does Anderson get natural disasters?

Natural disaster risk is low, mainly from flooding, cold waves and tornadoes: 6 federally declared disasters have hit the county since 2000, and FEMA expects about 0.76 deaths or injuries per 100,000 residents a year.

What is the nearest major airport to Anderson?

The nearest major airport is CLT, about 107 mi away.

How Anderson scores

Each bar compares Anderson with the other 1,990 places in Best Life Fit Me. A dot shows where it sits between two ends, such as major metro and small town; neither end is better. Coloured bars run from poor (red) to excellent (green).

🏙️City sizeSmall town Major metroSmall town
🏘️Urban or quietSuburban Dense & urbanQuiet / rural
🚶Getting aroundSome transit Walk & transitCar essential
🌲Culture or natureNature nearby Culture & nightlifeNature on the doorstep
🌡️ClimateMild winters Warm all yearLong, snowy winters
💰Cost of livingVery affordable Very expensiveVery affordable
⏱️PaceRelaxed Very fast-pacedSlow & calm
🤝CommunityPrivate AnonymousTight-knit community
🏡HousingApartments & houses ApartmentsHouses with yards
🏷️Affordable housingExcellent
💸Low taxesExcellent
💼Job marketPoor
🏥HealthcareGood
🏫SchoolsAverage
🎓EducationBelow average
🧸Kids & familyBelow average
🐕Dog-friendlyBelow average
⛰️OutdoorsBelow average
🎭CulturePoor
👮SafetyNo crime data (counted as average)
🌪️Few natural disastersGood
☀️SunnyGood
🌤️Mild summersAverage
✈️AirportBelow average

Places like Anderson

These places have the most similar overall profile across all 24 aspects.

The circle is each place's all-round score out of 100: the average of its 15 quality scores, from red (poor) to green (excellent).

Russellville, ARSmall city46 $209k$1,250/moModerate crime Rome, GASmall city45 $246k$1,540/moNo crime data Gulfport, MSSmall city45 $188k$1,470/moSafe LaGrange, GASmall city46 $204k$1,460/moNo crime data Lynchburg, VASmall city50 $279k$1,640/moSafe Florence, ALSmall city45 $221k$1,240/moNo crime data

Nearby

Greenville, SCSmall city · 27 mi away61 $311k$1,610/moModerate crime Greer, SCSmall city · 37 mi away66 $309k$1,610/moModerate crime Spartanburg, SCSmall city · 50 mi away54 $220k$1,440/moHigher crime Athens, GACollege town · 57 mi away50 $329k$1,730/moNo crime data Gainesville, GASmall city · 69 mi away52 $340k$1,830/moNo crime data Evans, GASuburb · 72 mi away63 $308k$1,630/moNo crime data

See all the best places to live in South Carolina.

Is Anderson right for you?

Answer 27 quick questions and see how it ranks against your priorities.

Take the free quiz →

Sources: US Census ACS 2019–2023, Census State Tax Collections FY2025, Zillow 3-bedroom ZHVI, HUD Fair Market Rents, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, FBI 2019, FEMA National Risk Index v1.20, OpenFEMA disaster declarations, NOAA Normals 1991–2020, NASA POWER, CMS, NCES IPEDS 2023, IMLS, OpenStreetMap. How scores work.