Best Life Index › States › South Carolina › Cities › Sumter

South Carolina city profile

What Is It Like to Live in Sumter?

What it costs to live in Sumter, and how it compares with other South Carolina cities, in plain numbers.

Value score

34

29th best value in South Carolina

How much you get for what you pay, versus other South Carolina cities.

Overall livability

19

39th overall in South Carolina

Cost, safety, schools, jobs and quality of life combined.

Sumter is home to about 42,920 people. A typical home runs $142,100 and a household earns around $43,100, a price-to-income ratio of 3.3. Among South Carolina's largest cities, it ranks 29th for value and 39th overall.

Sumter at a glance

Median home price

$142,100

16th in SC of 39

Median rent

$908/mo

Median household income

$43,100

Home price to income

3.3x

Unemployment

10.1%

38th in SC of 39

School rating

2/10

36th in SC of 39

Air quality (AQI)

45

0th in SC of 39

Walk score

4/100

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‹ See all top South Carolina cities ranked  ยท  South Carolina state profile ›

Sources: Home prices and rent from Zillow; income, unemployment and commute from the U.S. Census; school ratings from state education data; crime from the FBI; air quality from the EPA. City rankings are within South Carolina only. Updated 2026.