Allendale makes South Carolina’s top 10 on 4 lists
Allendale is ranked on 31 lists against the 173 South Carolina towns with 2,500+ residents. It makes the top 10 on 4 and the top quarter on 5.
A podium finish, and more
Each list ranks every SC town with 2,500+ residents. Tap one to see the whole list with Allendale marked.
Allendale lands in the top half on 6 of 20 lists
Each dot is Allendale’s spot on one list: the left end is #1 in SC, the right end is last. Areas where Allendale does best come first.
More vacation homes than 89% of South Carolina
Not better or worse, just Allendale’s character, from the lists where neither end is the “good” one. The most distinctive come first.
1 spot from the top 3 for affordability
Lists where Allendale sits just outside a milestone, and what it would take to get in.
Every SC list, and where Allendale lands
38 lists from Census, school, health, library, crime, climate and land data. Tap any list to see every town on it.
Cost of living
Most affordable#1 Denmark · 0.9 yrs
#4
Cheapest rent#1 Landrum · $486/mo
#3
Lowest property tax#1 Cherryvale · $199/yr
#21
Rent easiest to afford#1 North Augusta · 38.3%
Schools
Best schools#1 Lake Murray of Richland · +36.8 pts
Highest graduation rate#1 Fort Mill · 96%
#50 Health
Healthiest#1 Mount Pleasant · 98 / 100
#159
Lowest obesity#1 Isle of Palms · 25%
#172
Fewest smokers#1 Isle of Palms · 6%
#154
Most active#1 Isle of Palms · 14%
#168
Fewest uninsured#1 Isle of Palms · 4%
#135
Lowest depression#1 Hilton Head Island · 17%
#7
Closest to a top hospital#1 Summerville · 0.0 mi
#170 Outdoors
Most conserved land#1 Northlake · 36.2%
#121
Most trails#1 Pine Ridge · 3.2 mi / sq mi
S
Most walkable#1 Surfside Beach · 200 / sq mi
#10 People
C Most educated#1 Clemson University · 100% #107 C Youngest#1 Clemson University · 19.2 #99 K Oldest#1 Keowee Key · 65.6 #75
Most residents 65+#1 Litchfield Beach · 48.2%
#75
Most kids#1 Wellford · 39.2%
#36 Getting around
Shortest commute#1 Cheraw · 13.8 min
#151 Safety
Safest#1 Tega Cay · 7.7
#79 
The number on the right is Allendale’s spot. All of South Carolina’s rankings, with the map → · National lists and other states: all rankings.
Do the numbers ring true?
The lists count what can be counted. Neighbors know the rest.
Your answer becomes a post in Town Square.
- 2,500+ residents. Census estimates for smaller towns carry margins of error too wide to rank fairly, so they sit out every SC list.
- One town, one row. A city that is both a city and a town in Census data, or a village inside a town, is counted once.
- Ties share a rank. Towns on one weather station, one school district or one CDC estimate share a figure, so they share a spot (T).
- No “worst” lists. Lists rank toward the good end, and share cards are made only for the top half. Age, snow and the like are character, not grades.
U.S. Census Bureau (American Community Survey 5-year, 2010 and 2020 censuses, Building Permits Survey), U.S. Department of Education, FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, CDC PLACES, Medicare Care Compare, IMLS Public Libraries Survey, FHFA House Price Index, NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, USGS PAD-US and OpenStreetMap. Each list explains its own method.