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.

Safety

CInmanSafer than 34% of U.S. towns DPickensSafer than 10% of U.S. towns

Schools

AInmanBetter than 87% of districts in the state A−PickensBetter than 77% of districts in the state

Health

C−InmanHealthier than 21% of U.S. towns C+PickensHealthier than 40% of U.S. towns

10Inman

10Pickens

Lists won, of 20 where both are ranked. Ties go to nobody.

Cheapest rentCost of living · 170 towns #135#39 Shortest commuteGetting around · 173 towns #66#152 Most walkableOutdoors · 173 towns #6#77 Most conserved landOutdoors · 148 towns #100#45 Lowest property taxCost of living · 172 towns #109#52 Fastest growingGrowth · 157 towns #25#68 Most activeHealth · 173 towns #111#69 Fewest uninsuredHealth · 173 towns #92#57

Left end = #1 in South Carolina. Showing the lists where the towns are furthest apart. All of Inman’s rankings →

Monthly cost

A typical home costs $200 more a month in Inman

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%

Inman$1,770/mo

Typical home $304K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.67% · or rent about $1,323/mo · Housing →

Pickens$1,570/mo

Typical home $280K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.44% · or rent about $828/mo · Housing →

The difference: $200 a month, about $2,400 a year, between Inman and Pickens.

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.

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

InmanPickens

Snow a year4″1″

January low32°F 30°F

July high90°F 90°F

Growing season (days)224d 216d

Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)33rd 32nd

Outdoors & history

InmanPickens

Trails0 mi 1 mi

Conserved land1%3.5%

Settled1882 —

National Register places3 3

Archive photos8 10

Famous people born here4 10

Community

InmanPickens

Library hours a week56 hrs 49 hrs

Posts this month0 0

Neighbors joined0 1

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

37 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

InmanSC PickensSC

Inman ↔ Pickens37 miles apart

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

InmanPickens

People

Population 3,166Highest 3,155Lowest

Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +28.8%Highest SC: +10.7% +8.4%Lowest SC: +10.7%

Median age 36.6±9.4Lowest 9% below SC 40.6±10.2Highest about the SC average

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

Kids under 18 22.7%±6.8Highest SC: 21.4% 20.6%±5.7Lowest SC: 21.4%

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

Age 65+ 14.7%±4.3Lowest SC: 18.9% 17.8%±4.6Highest SC: 18.9%

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

Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 23.4%Highest SC: 32.1% 19.8%Lowest SC: 32.1%

Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 3.5%±3.3Highest SC: 5.7% 3.4%±2.4Lowest SC: 5.7%

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

Cost of living

Household incomemedian $63,599±$22kHighest 8% below SC $55,000±$18kLowest 21% below SC

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

Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $192,500±$59kLowest 26% below SC $204,100±$23kHighest 21% below SC

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

Rentmedian gross, monthly $1,323±$137Highest 12% above SC $828±$117Lowest 30% below SC

Property taxmedian, yearly $1,293Highest 3% above SC $894Lowest 29% below SC

Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 50.5%±21.1Lowest SC: 52.1% 61.7%±9.8Highest SC: 52.1%

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

Below poverty line 15.4%Lowest SC: 14.1% 16.7%Highest SC: 14.1%

Housing

Homeownersof occupied homes 63.8%Lowest SC: 71.9% 68%Highest SC: 71.9%

Typical home builtmedian year 1986Highest 6 yrs older than SC 1964Lowest 28 yrs older than SC

Getting to work

Average commuteone way 23 minLowest 12% below SC 30 minHighest 16% above SC

Work from home 4.3%±3.5Highest SC: 11.5% 1.9%±2.2Lowest SC: 11.5%

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

Work in townworking residents 2.5%Lowest 6%Highest

Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 12.3 miLowest 17.8 miHighest

Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.70Lowest 1.30Highest

Top workplaceoutside town Spartanburg (14%)Greenville (14%)

Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in PickensFew work in Inman

Outdoors

Conserved landshare of the town 1%Lowest 3.5%Highest

Trailsmapped miles 0.4 miLowest 0.9 miHighest

Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.2 miLowest 0.3 miHighest

Parks & preservesnamed on the map 2Lowest 3Highest

Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 111Highest 63.0Lowest

Schools

Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #37 of 141 in SC #65 of 141 in SC

School district Spartanburg 01Pickens 01

High school in town Chapman HighPickens High

Students per teacherat that high school 16.3Highest 14.6Lowest

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.

Inman neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Inman’s Town Square.

Pickens neighborsTown Square →

T Weaver · 6d

Pickens History and Change

1 neighbor in Pickens can answer.

Add a town

Set another town beside Inman and Pickens

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

Bordering Inman

+ Compare

Inman Mills923 people · $109K homes

Towns like Inman

+ Compare

Springdale2,742 people · $222K homes

+ Compare

Barnwell4,613 people · $145K homes

+ Compare

Varnville2,571 people · $116K homes

+ Compare

Williamston4,170 people · $163K 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.

Inman vs Pickens

Two towns, two different strengths

Where they part ways

Grades and rankings, side by side

A typical home costs $200 more a month in Inman

What daily life feels like in each

37 miles apart

What matters to you?

Ask the people who live there

Pickens History and Change

Set another town beside Inman and Pickens

Bordering Inman

Towns like Inman

Post to Inman

Check your email