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Arial vs Liberty

5 miles apart. The biggest differences: homeowners (+10.8 pts renters in Liberty) and jobs per worker (+67% in Liberty).

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Arial, SCOne of the healthiest townsSouth Carolina · 1,919 people

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Liberty, SCKnown for its schoolsSouth Carolina · 3,350 people

Where each one shines

Two towns, two different strengths

What each town does better than most of its state (not better than each other). Tap one to see the page behind it.

ArialOne of the healthiest towns

Health80% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates All about Arial →

LibertyKnown for its schools

Schools#57 for schools in SCof 141 towns Housing$270K typical home12% below the SC typical home Health64% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates All about Liberty →

The biggest differences

Where they differ most

The rows below where the towns are furthest apart, beyond the Census margin of error. The full table is further down.

Homeowners+10.8 pts renters

Liberty has more renters

Arial 89.6%Liberty 78.8%

Jobs per worker+67%

Liberty is more of a job hub

Liberty 0.70Arial 0.42

Property tax bill+18%

Tax bills are bigger in Liberty

Liberty $684Arial $581

Growth since 2010+4.3 pts

Arial has grown faster since 2010

Arial +7.3%Liberty +3%

★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $500 more a month in Liberty

A typical home in each town, bought with 20% down at 6.3% for 30 years, plus property tax at the town’s own rate and insurance. Change the numbers to fit you.

Down paymentRate%

Arial$1,000/mo

Typical home $181K (Census) · tax rate 0.32% · or rent about $1,003/mo · Housing →

Liberty$1,500/mo

Typical home $270K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.39% · or rent about $687/mo · Housing →

The difference: $500 a month, about $6,100 a year, between Liberty and Arial.

Estimates, not a quote: your price, rate, tax bill and insurance will differ. Tax rate = the Census median tax bill over the median home value.

Report cards

Grades and rankings, side by side

Our letter grades for safety, schools and health, then every South Carolina ranking list both towns are on. A grade is one measure; read the page behind it.

Schools

–ArialNot graded A−LibertyBetter than 77% of districts in the state

Health

C−ArialHealthier than 20% of U.S. towns C+LibertyHealthier than 36% of U.S. towns

Life in each

What daily life feels like in each

The weather, the land, the history and the people, row by row. None of it is a grade: more snow is a plus to a skier.

Seasons

ArialLiberty

Snow a year1″1″

January low30°F 30°F

July high90°F 90°F

Growing season (days)216d 216d

Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)37th 45th

Outdoors & history

ArialLiberty

Conserved land—1%

National Register places1 2

Archive photos—2

Famous people born here—2

Community

ArialLiberty

Library hours a week—42 hrs

Posts this month0 0

Neighbors joined0 0

A dot marks the most on each row. Climate: NOAA 1991–2020 normals at the nearest station. Hazard risk: FEMA National Risk Index, expected yearly damage vs U.S. towns.

Where they are

5 miles apart

And the people who already live in one and work in the other.

ArialLiberty

Arial ↔ Liberty4.9 miles apart

Who commutes between them

23 Arial residents work in Liberty (2.2% of its workers)

Work & commute in Arial →

Everything, side by side

What matters to you?

Pick a few. Those rows jump to the top and the best fit on each is marked. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.

Only big differences vs South Carolina average

ArialLiberty

People

Population 1,919Lowest 3,350Highest

Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +7.3%Highest SC: +10.7% +3%Lowest SC: +10.7%

Median age 40.9±9.8Highest about the SC average 39.3±6.9Lowest about the SC average

Arial and Liberty are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Kids under 18 15.9%±6.3Lowest SC: 21.4% 29.6%±7.5Highest SC: 21.4%

Liberty and Arial are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Age 65+ 22.5%±6.6Highest SC: 18.9% 20.8%±6.3Lowest SC: 18.9%

Arial and Liberty are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 15.3%Lowest SC: 32.1% 19.2%Highest SC: 32.1%

Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 4.2%±2.5Highest SC: 5.7% 4.1%±2.4Lowest SC: 5.7%

Arial and Liberty are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Cost of living

Household incomemedian $54,286±$24kHighest 22% below SC $42,206±$9kLowest 39% below SC

Arial and Liberty are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $181,300±$21kHighest 30% below SC $174,300±$19kLowest 33% below SC

Arial and Liberty are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Rentmedian gross, monthly $1,003±$377Highest 15% below SC $687±$257Lowest 42% below SC

Arial and Liberty are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Property taxmedian, yearly $581Lowest 54% below SC $684Highest 45% below SC

Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 49.5%±51.4Lowest SC: 52.1% 64.9%±70.7Highest SC: 52.1%

Liberty and Arial are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Below poverty line 7.9%Lowest SC: 14.1% 21.5%Highest SC: 14.1%

Housing

Homeownersof occupied homes 89.6%Highest SC: 71.9% 78.8%Lowest SC: 71.9%

Typical home builtmedian year 1974Highest 18 yrs older than SC 1972Lowest 20 yrs older than SC

Getting to work

Average commuteone way 28 minHighest 8% above SC 25 minLowest about the SC average

Work from home 5.2%±3.7Lowest SC: 11.5% 6.8%±5.3Highest SC: 11.5%

Liberty and Arial are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Work in townworking residents 0.5%Lowest 3.5%Highest

Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 14.8 miLowest 16.8 miHighest

Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.42Lowest 0.70Highest

Top workplaceoutside town Greenville (15%)Greenville (11%)

Between these townsresidents who work in the others 2% work in LibertyFew work in Arial

Outdoors

Conserved landshare of the town 0%Lowest 1%Highest

Trailsmapped miles 0.6 miHighest 0.4 miLowest

Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.1 mi 0.1 mi

Parks & preservesnamed on the map 0Lowest 1Highest

Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 36.3Lowest 47.9Highest

Schools

Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading —#57 of 141 in SC

School district —Pickens 01

High school in town —Liberty High

Students per teacherat that high school — 13.5

South Carolina average“±” Census margin of errorACS 2020–2024

Deciding?

Ask the people who live there

The numbers stop at the town line. Neighbors can tell you about the commute at 7am, the schools, the winters and the feel of the place.

Arial neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Arial’s Town Square.

Liberty neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Liberty’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Arial and Liberty

One tap adds it. Up to 4 towns at once.

Bordering Arial

Easley24,841 people · $264K homes

Towns like Arial

Cottageville1,196 people · $165K homes

Burnettown3,135 people · $190K homes

Ravenel2,615 people · $239K homes

Johnsonville1,251 people · $167K homes

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2010 & 2020 censuses, LEHD commute flows; Zillow Home Value Index; NCES Common Core of Data; FBI crime reporting; CDC PLACES; FEMA National Risk Index; NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020; USGS PAD-US and OpenStreetMap. “±” is the Census margin of error; differences inside it are never called. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. There is no overall score: which town is better depends on what matters to you.