Anderson receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Anderson
Clemson
Opportunity
62 · Top 37%
vs67 · Top 28%
Growth
80 · Top 5%
vs76 · Top 9%
Climate
73 · Top 37%
vs79 · Top 18%
Physical resilience
64 · Top 45%
vs63 · Top 46%
Housing affordability
66 · Bottom 28%
vs46 · Bottom 7%
Access
90 · Bottom 44%
vs85 · Bottom 29%
Economic stability
38 · Bottom 16%
vs27 · Bottom 5%
Measured values
| Metric | Anderson | Clemson | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 30,051 | 18,072 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $46,933 | $49,520 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $29,386 | $37,246 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,877/sq mi | 2,275/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $218,200 | $398,400 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $975 | $1,007 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 51.1% | 34.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.4% | 4.4% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 3.9% | 3.9% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 28.3% | 59.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 21.0% | 36.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 281 | 267 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 9.4 | 14.8 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 9.3% | 14.1% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 90°F | 89°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 33°F | 34°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 46.3" | 49.0" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 22 mi | 25 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 23.4 min | 20.3 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 32.7 | 24.8 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 13 | 1 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 15.05 | 14.70 | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Anderson
Elevated or high exposure: cold wave, earthquake.
Clemson
Elevated or high exposure: ice storm, cold wave, earthquake.
Full profiles: Anderson, SC · Clemson, SC · How this is calculated: methodology