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

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

Schools

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

Health

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

10Pickens

10Inman

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

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

Left end = #1 in South Carolina. Showing the lists where the towns are furthest apart. All of Pickens’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%

Pickens$1,570/mo

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

Inman$1,770/mo

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

PickensInman

Snow a year1″4″

January low30°F 32°F

July high90°F 90°F

Growing season (days)216d 224d

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

Outdoors & history

PickensInman

Trails1 mi 0 mi

Conserved land3.5%1%

Settled—1882

National Register places3 3

Archive photos15 8

Famous people born here10 4

Community

PickensInman

Library hours a week49 hrs 56 hrs

Posts this month0 0

Neighbors joined1 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

37 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

PickensSC InmanSC

Pickens ↔ Inman37 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

PickensInman

People

Population 3,155Lowest 3,166Highest

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

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

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

Kids under 18 20.6%±5.7Lowest SC: 21.4% 22.7%±6.8Highest 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+ 17.8%±4.6Highest SC: 18.9% 14.7%±4.3Lowest 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+ 19.8%Lowest SC: 32.1% 23.4%Highest SC: 32.1%

Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 3.4%±2.4Lowest SC: 5.7% 3.5%±3.3Highest 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 $55,000±$18kLowest 21% below SC $63,599±$22kHighest 8% 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 $204,100±$23kHighest 21% below SC $192,500±$59kLowest 26% 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 $828±$117Lowest 30% below SC $1,323±$137Highest 12% above SC

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

Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 61.7%±9.8Highest SC: 52.1% 50.5%±21.1Lowest 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 16.7%Highest SC: 14.1% 15.4%Lowest SC: 14.1%

Housing

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

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

Getting to work

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

Work from home 1.9%±2.2Lowest SC: 11.5% 4.3%±3.5Highest 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 6%Highest 2.5%Lowest

Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 17.8 miHighest 12.3 miLowest

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

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

Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in InmanFew work in Pickens

Outdoors

Conserved landshare of the town 3.5%Highest 1%Lowest

Trailsmapped miles 0.9 miHighest 0.4 miLowest

Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.3 miHighest 0.2 miLowest

Parks & preservesnamed on the map 3Highest 2Lowest

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

Schools

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

School district Pickens 01Spartanburg 01

High school in town Pickens HighChapman High

Students per teacherat that high school 14.6Lowest 16.3Highest

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.

Pickens neighborsTown Square →

T Weaver · 1w

Pickens History and Change

1 neighbor in Pickens can answer.

Inman neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Inman’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Pickens and Inman

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

Towns like Pickens

+ Compare

Westminster2,521 people · $178K homes

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Williamston4,170 people · $163K homes

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Ninety Six2,521 people · $121K homes

+ Compare

Varnville2,571 people · $116K homes

Not sure which town to add? Find your place ranks South Carolina towns on what matters to you.Find your place →

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.

Pickens vs Inman

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 Pickens and Inman

Towns like Pickens

Post to Pickens

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