Fountain Inn receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Fountain Inn
Clemson
Opportunity
80 · Top 8%
vs67 · Top 28%
Growth
87 · Top 1%
vs76 · Top 9%
Climate
76 · Top 25%
vs79 · Top 18%
Physical resilience
60 · Top 48%
vs63 · Top 46%
Housing affordability
89 · Top 35%
vs46 · Bottom 7%
Access
98 · Top 15%
vs85 · Bottom 29%
Economic stability
74 · Top 18%
vs27 · Bottom 5%
Measured values
| Metric | Fountain Inn | Clemson | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 12,020 | 18,072 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $73,585 | $49,520 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $35,254 | $37,246 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,398/sq mi | 2,275/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $275,300 | $398,400 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,184 | $1,007 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 75.1% | 34.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.7% | 4.4% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 3.9% | 3.9% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 33.5% | 59.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 7.7% | 36.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 505 | 267 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 42.0 | 14.8 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 95.0% | 14.1% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 90°F | 89°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 32°F | 34°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 49.7" | 49.0" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 11 mi | 25 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 22.6 min | 20.3 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 35.2 | 24.8 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 2 | 1 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 18.48 | 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
Fountain Inn
Elevated or high exposure: ice storm, cold wave, earthquake.
Clemson
Elevated or high exposure: ice storm, cold wave, earthquake.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Fountain Inn
81
Your Score
79
Area Score
Clemson
63
Your Score
65
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Fountain Inn, SC · Clemson, SC · How this is calculated: methodology