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Sumter vs Anderson

135 miles apart. The biggest differences: trails (2.3× in Sumter) and property tax bill (+22% in Anderson).

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Sumter, SCHometown of 69 notable peopleSouth Carolina · 43,053 people
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Anderson, SCAn outdoors townSouth Carolina · 30,051 people
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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.

SumterHometown of 69 notable people
Famous people69 notable peopleborn in Sumter Outdoors#17 most conserved land in SC20 miles of trails across 16 parks and preserves HistorySettled in 184510 places on the National Register All about Sumter →
AndersonAn outdoors town
Outdoors#18 most walkable in SC8.9 miles of trails across 10 parks and preserves Health73% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates HistorySettled in 182611 places on the National Register All about Anderson →
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.

Trails2.3×
Sumter has more miles of trail
Sumter 20.3 miAnderson 8.9 mi
Property tax bill+22%
Tax bills are bigger in Anderson
Anderson $1,366Sumter $1,123
Kids under 18+4.5 pts
Sumter has more kids
Sumter 26%Anderson 21.5%
Work in town+8.8 pts
More of Sumter’s workers stay in town
Sumter 31%Anderson 22.2%
★ What stands out · Report cards

Sumter places higher on 12 of 22 SC lists

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
D−SumterSafer than 4% of U.S. towns D−AndersonSafer than 3% of U.S. towns
Schools
C−SumterBetter than 22% of districts in the state B+AndersonBetter than 73% of districts in the state
Health
CSumterHealthier than 26% of U.S. towns CAndersonHealthier than 27% of U.S. towns
12Sumter
9Anderson

Lists won, of 22 where both are ranked. Ties go to nobody.

Closest to a top hospitalHealth · 173 towns #138#4 Lowest depressionHealth · 173 towns #22#153 Best schoolsSchools · 141 towns #107#50 Lowest obesityHealth · 173 towns #134#74 Rent easiest to affordCost of living · 42 towns #31#18 Lowest property taxCost of living · 172 towns #86#123 Most walkableOutdoors · 173 towns #53#18 Highest incomeIncome · 172 towns #93#125

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

Monthly cost

A typical home costs $390 more a month in Anderson

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.

Sumter$1,190/mo
Typical home $208K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.56% · or rent about $1,076/mo · Housing →
Anderson$1,580/mo
Typical home $274K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.63% · or rent about $975/mo · Housing →

The difference: $390 a month, about $4,700 a year, between Anderson and Sumter.

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
SumterAnderson
Snow a year0″1″
January low33°F33°F
July high90°F91°F
Growing season (days)230d234d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)45th42nd
Outdoors & history
SumterAnderson
Trails20 mi9 mi
Conserved land7.4%4.1%
Settled18451826
National Register places1011
Archive photos2412
Famous people born here69—
Community
SumterAnderson
Library hours a week40 hrs38 hrs
Colleges in town31
Posts this month00
Neighbors joined01

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

135 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

SumterSCAndersonSC
Sumter ↔ Anderson135 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.

SumterAnderson
People
Population 43,053Highest 30,051Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +7.3%Highest SC: +10.7% +5.3%Lowest SC: +10.7%
Median age 33.6±1.6Highest 16% below SC 32.7±2Lowest 19% below SC
Sumter and Anderson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 26%±2.1Highest SC: 21.4% 21.5%±2.2Lowest SC: 21.4%
Age 65+ 17.6%±1.5Highest SC: 18.9% 17.1%±1.7Lowest SC: 18.9%
Sumter and Anderson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 28.7%Highest SC: 32.1% 28.3%Lowest SC: 32.1%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 6.3%±1Lowest SC: 5.7% 10.1%±1.4Highest SC: 5.7%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $55,592±$4kHighest 20% below SC $46,933±$4kLowest 32% below SC
Sumter and Anderson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $199,100±$11kLowest 23% below SC $218,200±$13kHighest 16% below SC
Anderson and Sumter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly $1,076±$60Highest 9% below SC $975±$58Lowest 17% below SC
Sumter and Anderson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $1,123Lowest 10% below SC $1,366Highest 9% above SC
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 56.2%±5.9Highest SC: 52.1% 50.2%±6.2Lowest SC: 52.1%
Sumter and Anderson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 16.7%Lowest SC: 14.1% 21%Highest SC: 14.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 57.2%Highest SC: 71.9% 51.1%Lowest SC: 71.9%
Typical home builtmedian year 1986Highest 6 yrs older than SC 1975Lowest 17 yrs older than SC
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 20 minLowest 23% below SC 22 minHighest 14% below SC
Work from home 6.1%±1.5Highest SC: 11.5% 5.8%±1.2Lowest SC: 11.5%
Sumter and Anderson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 31%Highest 22.2%Lowest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 13.3 miHighest 11.8 miLowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 1.37Lowest 1.71Highest
Top workplaceoutside town Columbia (7%)Greenville (9%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in AndersonFew work in Sumter
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 7.4%Highest 4.1%Lowest
Trailsmapped miles 20.3 miHighest 8.9 miLowest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.6 miHighest 0.5 miLowest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 16Highest 10Lowest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 70.5Lowest 89.2Highest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #107 of 141 in SC#50 of 141 in SC
School district Sumter 01Anderson 05
High school in town Sumter High SchoolAnderson Five Charter School
Students per teacherat that high school 17.0Highest 3.2Lowest
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.

Sumter neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Sumter’s Town Square.

Anderson neighborsTown Square →
T Weaver · 1w

What Makes Anderson Feel Like Home

1 neighbor in Anderson can answer.

Add a town

Set another town beside Sumter and Anderson

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Bordering Sumter

S
+ Compare
South Sumter1,626 people · $70K homes
M
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Mulberry474 people · $149K homes
E
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East Sumter943 people · $73K homes
L
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Lakewood3,544 people · $294K homes

Towns like Sumter

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Spartanburg38,910 people · $204K homes
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Florence40,408 people · $211K homes
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Rock Hill75,259 people · $295K homes
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Goose Creek48,078 people · $306K 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.

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