Signals
Clemson
Berea
Opportunity
67 · Top 28%
vs69 · Top 24%
Climate
79 · Top 18%
vs70 · Bottom 48%
Physical resilience
63 · Top 46%
vs64 · Top 44%
Housing affordability
46 · Bottom 7%
vs69 · Bottom 33%
Access
85 · Bottom 29%
vs97 · Top 29%
Economic stability
27 · Bottom 5%
vs38 · Bottom 15%
Measured values
| Metric | Clemson | Berea | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 18,072 | 16,862 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $49,520 | $49,829 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $37,246 | $25,163 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,275/sq mi | 2,190/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $398,400 | $204,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,007 | $1,076 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 34.3% | 63.9% | 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 | 59.4% | 21.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 36.0% | 22.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Average July high | 89°F | 91°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 34°F | 35°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 49.0" | 47.0" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 25 mi | 10 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 20.3 min | 27.0 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 24.8 | 36.7 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 1 | 8 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 14.70 | 13.51 | 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
Clemson
Elevated or high exposure: ice storm, cold wave, earthquake.
Berea
Elevated or high exposure: ice storm, earthquake.
Full profiles: Clemson, SC · Berea, SC · How this is calculated: methodology