Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
Home to University of South Carolina-Salkehatchie.
Allendale’s weakest subject grade is a D− for incomes. 45% of residents live below the poverty line in Allendale, where South Carolina’s towns sit at 17% and U.S. towns at 9.6%. No town in South Carolina scores lower than Allendale on incomes. Allendale's public schools trail 95% of South Carolina towns on state tests and graduation. Allendale is home to University of South Carolina-Salkehatchie. Allendale has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
Where Allendale beats most towns, and one thing worth knowing.
| College | Students |
|---|---|
| University of South Carolina-Salkehatchie | 624 |
Allendale County Courthouse3,482 counted in 2010 and 2,694 in 2020; an estimated 2,427 in 2025.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts · Census Bureau estimate, July 1, 2025
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within South Carolina), ordered by how far Allendale is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Census counts: 1,030 in 1900, a peak of 4,410 in 1990, 2,694 in 2020. The archive holds 10 old photos and papers going back to 1905 and 3 maps from 1919 on.
2 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Who provides power, water and the rest in Allendale, and how to reach them.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Sep 12, 2025.
Ordered by what stands out in Allendale.
Allendale’s median rent is $568 a month, below both the South Carolina town median ($1,060 a month) and the median of U.S. towns ($1,185 a month). 57% of Allendale households own their home. The typical Allendale home is worth about $67,000, down 2.3% in a year, 78% below the South Carolina typical home.
| Allendale | South Carolina towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $568 a month | $1,060 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 57% | 65% | 73% |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Allendale reports more crime per resident than most U.S. towns we grade: about 99% report less. The property crime rate in Allendale is 13.1 per 1,000 residents.
| Allendale | South Carolina towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 13.1 per 1,000 residents | 21.4 | 9.9 |
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 4.1 per 1,000 residents | 4.1 | 1.6 |
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
50% of adults have obesity in Allendale. No town among the 170 in South Carolina we compare has a higher share of adults who have diabetes than Allendale. 55% of adults have high blood pressure in Allendale.
| Allendale | South Carolina towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES) | 34% | 23% | 19% |
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 50% | 37% | 35% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 25% | 15% | 12% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 41% | 28% | 25% |
| What stands out | Allendale | SC |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer binge drinkers | 9.9% | 15.7% |
| Fewer adults who have had cancer | 6.8% | 8.6% |
| More adults facing a utility shut-off | 21.2% | 8.9% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Most working residents leave Allendale for work: only 10% work in town. Allendale’s median household income is $24,000. Jobs based in Allendale fell to 529 in 2023, 513 fewer than in 2013.
| Allendale | South Carolina towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $24,000 | $57,000 | $80,000 |
| Average trip to work | 30 minutes | 24 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Working residents who work in town | 10% | 6.1% | 8% |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 78% of U.S. communities.
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Allendale has mild winters and hot summers. July afternoons reach 92°, January nights drop to 35° and snow is almost unheard of.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
1 within 15 miles of the center of Allendale
About 4 of every 100 Allendale residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across South Carolina.
3 notable people were born in Allendale.
Town in South Carolina, United States
Allendale is a town in and the county seat of Allendale County, South Carolina, United States. The population was 3,482 at the 2010 census, a decline from 4,052 in 2000. The majority of residents are African American.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Home to University of South Carolina-Salkehatchie.
Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades C+.
3 notable people were born here, including Bashaud Breeland and Larcenia Bullard.
