Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
Barnwell grades D− overall, ranked 153rd of 167 in South Carolina, mostly because of incomes and safety. The median household income is $52K, and 24% of residents live below the poverty line. Its police reported 36 violent crimes reported to the FBI in 2025, a higher rate per resident than 97% of U.S. towns. It also has a long history, with 5 places on the National Register. Barnwell’s violent crime rate is 7.9 per 1,000 residents, above both the South Carolina town median (3.9) and the median of U.S. towns (1.6). Residents are less healthy than 95% of U.S. towns on CDC estimates. Its National Register listings include Church of the Holy Apostles Rectory and Old Presbyterian Church.
Where Barnwell beats most towns, and one thing worth knowing.
Census counts: 648 in 1880, 4,652 in 2020. The archive holds 9 old photos and papers going back to 1940 and 2 maps from 1943 on.
5 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within South Carolina), ordered by how far Barnwell is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Who provides power, water and the rest in Barnwell, 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 Barnwell.
Barnwell has more 90° days than nearly all U.S. towns, but it is a long drive from an emergency room and reports violent crime at about twice the South Carolina rate.
Violent crime runs at 7.9 per 1,000 residents, about twice the South Carolina rate; the Safety Grade counts each violent crime four times, so this weighs most on its D−. Reported crimes fell from 278 to 159 over the last three FBI years, a drop beyond ordinary year-to-year swings.
The property crime rate in Barnwell is 26.9 per 1,000 residents. Barnwell reports more crime per resident than most U.S. towns we grade: about 97% report less.
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
Its public schools are run by the Barnwell school district. Two of its 4 schools are below, each with why it’s listed. The largest public high school is Barnwell High, with 557 students.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Barnwell PrimaryLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–3 | Grades PK–3 | 680 | C+ |
| Barnwell HighLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 557 | B |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within SC on state tests and graduation
The nearest emergency room, Allendale County Hospital, is 20.3 miles away in a straight line.
46% of adults sleep under 7 hours in Barnwell. Barnwell beats the South Carolina average on 1 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 22. 36% of adults get no exercise outside work in Barnwell.
| Barnwell | South Carolina towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 46% | 38% | 36% |
| Food insecurity (CDC PLACES) | 33% | 21% | 14% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 18% | 15% | 12% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 36% | 28% | 25% |
| What stands out | Barnwell | SC |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults who have had cancer | 7% | 8.6% |
| More adults facing a utility shut-off | 16.9% | 8.9% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
The typical value, about $183K, is 10% below its May 2023 peak. At about $183K, home values are down 2% in five years, against a rise of 24% across South Carolina.
The typical Barnwell home is worth about $183,000, up 4.6% in a year, 40% below the South Carolina typical home. Barnwell’s median rent is $678 a month.
| Barnwell | South Carolina towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $678 a month | $1,062 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 64% | 65% | 73% |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
| Barnwell | South Carolina towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conserved land | 3% | 1.7% | 4.3% |
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.3 miles per square mile | 0.3 | 0.4 |
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Lemon Park Sports Complex | 0.8 mi | 18 |
| 2. Fuller Park | 0.6 mi | 12 |
| 3. Veteran's Park | 0.4 mi | 7 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
The Bamberg weather station, 20 miles away, records that about 63 days a year reach 90°, more than in 95% of U.S. towns.
Barnwell has mild winters and hot summers. July afternoons reach 93°, January nights drop to 35° and snow is almost unheard of.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Barnwell has about as many jobs (2,193) as working residents, but only 310 people both live and work here.
Most working residents leave Barnwell for work: only 17% work in town. Jobs based in Barnwell grew to 2,193 in 2023, 396 more than in 2013. The top destinations are Aiken (6%), Columbia (4%) and Snelling (2%).
| Barnwell | South Carolina towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working residents who work in town | 17% | 6.1% | 8% |
| Median household income | $52,000 | $57,000 | $80,000 |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 53% of U.S. communities.
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
2 within 15 miles of the center of Barnwell
About 4 of every 100 Barnwell residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across South Carolina.
5 places in Barnwell on the National Register of Historic Places.
11 notable people were born in Barnwell.
City in South Carolina, United States
Barnwell is a city in and county seat of Barnwell County, South Carolina, United States, located along U.S. Route 278. As of the 2020 census, Barnwell had a population of 4,652.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Barnwell grades D− overall, better than 2% of U.S. towns and #153 of 167 in South Carolina. It grades D for health, D− for safety and C for schools. Jobs & income is its weak spot, with a D−.
Within South Carolina, it does better than 27% of towns.
That is 3.9 years of the area's median household income ($46,626 across the county). Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades B.
11 notable people were born here, including Troy Brown and Barry Miller.
