Easley receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Anderson
Easley
Opportunity
62 · Top 37%
vs77 · Top 10%
Growth
80 · Top 5%
vs65 · Top 24%
Climate
73 · Top 37%
vs70 · Bottom 48%
Physical resilience
64 · Top 45%
vs63 · Top 45%
Housing affordability
66 · Bottom 28%
vs89 · Top 34%
Schools
72 · Top 24%
vs51 · Bottom 49%
Access
90 · Bottom 44%
vs95 · Top 35%
Economic stability
38 · Bottom 16%
vs47 · Bottom 27%
Measured values
| Metric | Anderson | Easley | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 30,051 | 24,841 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $46,933 | $66,299 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $29,386 | $47,218 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,877/sq mi | 1,889/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $218,200 | $263,500 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $975 | $947 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 51.1% | 68.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.4% | 3.7% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 3.9% | 3.9% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 28.3% | 31.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 21.0% | 13.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 281 | 189 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 9.4 | 7.6 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 9.3% | -35.7% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 90°F | 91°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 33°F | 35°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 46.3" | 47.0" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 22 mi | 12 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 23.4 min | 28.5 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 32.7 | 39.2 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 13 | 6 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 15.05 | 14.42 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 52.3% | 39.2% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 51.6% | 42.9% | 2019-20 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.
Easley
Elevated or high exposure: ice storm, cold wave, earthquake.
Full profiles: Anderson, SC · Easley, SC · How this is calculated: methodology