Signals
Berea
Easley
Opportunity
69 · Top 24%
vs77 · Top 10%
Climate
70 · Bottom 48%
vs70 · Bottom 48%
Physical resilience
64 · Top 44%
vs63 · Top 45%
Housing affordability
69 · Bottom 33%
vs89 · Top 34%
Schools
24 · Bottom 15%
vs51 · Bottom 49%
Access
97 · Top 29%
vs95 · Top 35%
Economic stability
38 · Bottom 15%
vs47 · Bottom 27%
Measured values
| Metric | Berea | Easley | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 16,862 | 24,841 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $49,829 | $66,299 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $25,163 | $47,218 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,190/sq mi | 1,889/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $204,700 | $263,500 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,076 | $947 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 63.9% | 68.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.7% | 3.7% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 3.9% | 3.9% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 21.3% | 31.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 22.9% | 13.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Average July high | 91°F | 91°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 35°F | 35°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 47.0" | 47.0" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 10 mi | 12 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 27.0 min | 28.5 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 36.7 | 39.2 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 8 | 6 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 13.51 | 14.42 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 26.3% | 39.2% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 26.8% | 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
Berea
Elevated or high exposure: ice storm, earthquake.
Easley
Elevated or high exposure: ice storm, cold wave, earthquake.
Full profiles: Berea, SC · Easley, SC · How this is calculated: methodology