Ashley-Willis House · National Register of Historic Places
Williston’s story
Williston in pictures
1 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Explore the history →WillistonSC
A town of 2,870. A typical home worth about $151K.
Population
2,870
−8.3% since 2010
Typical home
$151K
−6% in a year
Household income
$39K
median
Median age
40.4
years
Jobs based here
662
A commuter town
What makes Williston stand out
The 3 things Williston does most differently from other towns.
$151Ktypical home
Housing
$151K typical home
51% below the SC typical home
Down 6% in a year.
100 U.S. towns● Williston
Health
95% of U.S. towns are healthier
on CDC estimates
Better than SC on 2 measures, worse on 22.
100 U.S. towns● Williston
Safety
Safer than 5%
of U.S. towns we grade
Safety Grade D. FBI data, crimes reported to police.
A commuter town
90% of working residents leave Williston for work
Where Williston’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
662jobs based in Williston
10%of working residents work in town
21 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
Williston’s report card
Housing$151K51% below the SC typical homeHealthD−Healthier than 5% of U.S. townsSafetyDLess crime than 5% of U.S. townsCommute21 miHalf of commuters travel lessClimate93°/35°Summer high · winter low · 1″ snowSchoolsB−Beats 45% of SC districtsHazards49/100Moderate risk of storm & flood damageOutdoors1 miof trails · 0% conserved
Now in Williston
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Residents weigh in
Williston is #82 of 83 in SC for “Most trails”. Fair?
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Weather
Forecast →55°
Clear
H 82° · L 57°
Local news
All →- Barnwell County man charged with attempted murder in Williston shootingWRDW · Sep 4
- Barnwell County man charged with 4 counts of sexual exploitation of a minorWRDW · Jul 7
- Barnwell County man arrested on Child Sexual Abuse Material charges, S.C. AG sayswjbf.com · Jul 6
Upcoming events
Nothing on the calendar.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Williston. Another town gets a different order.
Housing
A typical Williston home is worth about $151K
The typical Williston home is worth about $151,000, down 6% in a year, 51% below the South Carolina typical home.
$151KZillow home value
Typical home value
Williston$151K
South Carolina$306K
−6%
value change, 1 year
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data CenterHousing market →
Health
Healthier than 5% of U.S. towns
Williston beats the South Carolina average on 2 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 22.
D−Health Grade
32 measures vs. South Carolina
2 better8 too close to call22 worse
| What stands out | Williston | SC |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer binge drinkers | 12.2% | 15.7% |
| More adults treating high blood pressure | 82.8% | 80.2% |
| More adults facing a utility shut-off | 16.7% | 8.9% |
Aiken Regional Medical Center
23.2 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
15th
percentile among SC towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSAFull health report →
Safety
Less crime per resident than 5% of U.S. towns
Williston reports more crime per resident than most U.S. towns we grade: about 95% report less. Within South Carolina, it does better than 33% of towns.
DSafety Grade
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Williston6.3
South Carolina3.9
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Williston34.4
South Carolina17.1
U.S.15.5
5th
percentile among U.S. towns we grade
33rd
percentile among SC towns
18
violent crimes reported in 2025
99
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to policeFull safety report →
Work & commute
About one in ten working residents works right in Williston
Most working residents leave Williston for work: only 10% work in town. The top destinations are Aiken (11%), Barnwell (5%) and Columbia (4%). Half commute less than 21 miles.
10%work in town
Where working residents work
In Williston10%
Aiken11%
Barnwell5%
Columbia4%
Elko2%
21 mi
median commute distance
662
jobs based in Williston
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACSCommute map →
Climate
Mild winters, hot summers
Williston has mild winters and hot summers, with plenty of rain. A typical July afternoon reaches 93°, a January night drops to 35°, and snow is almost unheard of.
93°summer high
Typical low → high °F
Winter36–60°
Spring51–77°
Summer69–91°
Fall53–77°
Nov 13
typical first frost
Mar 20
typical last frost
+0.9°
vs. the 20th-century average
93°
typical summer high
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020Full climate →
Schools
Williston’s public schools outperform 45% of South Carolina districts
The public schools Williston’s kids attend, from kindergarten through graduation, trail 55% of South Carolina’s districts on state tests and graduation. Among towns with similar incomes, they sit near the middle.
B−School Grade
| School | Grades | Students | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kelly Edwards Elementary | PK–5 | 296 | Not graded |
| Winfield Heights Christian Kindergarten Private | PK–K | 35 | |
| Williston-Elko Middle | 6–8 | 149 | Not graded |
| Williston-Elko High | 9–12 | 192 | Not graded |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within SC on state tests and graduationAll 4 schools →
Natural hazards
Moderate risk, with hurricanes at the top
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 49% of U.S. communities.
49risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
HurricanesInland floodingTornadoes
4
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMANatural hazards →
Outdoors
0% of Williston is conserved land
1.3 miles of trails across 1 parks and preserves.
0%conserved
0%
conserved · 0 of 5,736 acres
1.3 mi
of trails · 0.1 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Williston Town Park | — | 16 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-USParks & trails →
About Williston
Town in South Carolina, United States
Williston is a town in Barnwell County, South Carolina, United States. The population was 3,139 at the 2010 census. The town lies in the center of the Charleston-Hamburg railroad line, the line of the Best Friend locomotive. The train tracks were removed in the 1990s, but the track site has been designated as historically significant by the South Carolina Department of Archives. This section of the train route is now part of the South Carolina Heritage Corridor. The small-town community once had its own newspaper, The Williston Way, founded in 1921.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Population
- 2,877
- Area
- 9.0 sq mi
- Elevation
- 354 ft
- ZIP code
- 29853
- Area code
- 803