Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
Blackville’s best subject grade is an A− for cost of living; its weakest is a D− for incomes. 33% of residents live below the poverty line in Blackville, above both South Carolina’s towns (17%) and U.S. towns (9.6%). Only 2 of South Carolina’s 261 towns score lower on incomes. Most errands need a car: it is less walkable than 90% of U.S. towns. Blackville's civic life (library use, community groups, volunteering) trails 85% of U.S. towns. The biggest park or preserve is Barnwell State Park, at 65 acres. Blackville has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
Where Blackville beats most towns, and one thing worth knowing.
| Widest gap | Blackville | SC |
|---|---|---|
| More adults facing a utility shut-off | 19.2% | 8.9% |
2,406 counted in 2010 and 1,923 in 2020; an estimated 1,925 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 Blackville is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Census counts: 684 in 1880, a peak of 2,973 in 2000, 1,923 in 2020. The archive holds 11 old photos and papers going back to 1912 and 3 maps from 1927 on.
Who provides power, water and the rest in Blackville, 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 Blackville.
The typical Blackville home is worth about $112,000, down 3.8% in a year, 63% below the South Carolina typical home. 60% of households own their home in Blackville, against 65% in South Carolina’s towns and 73% across U.S. towns.
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Its public schools are run by the Barnwell school district. Two of its 3 schools are below, each with why it’s listed.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Macedonia Elementary-MiddleLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–8 | Grades PK–8 | 349 | – |
| Blackville-Hilda HighLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 140 | – |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within SC on state tests and graduation
23% of adults have diabetes in Blackville. Among 170 South Carolina towns, just 3 have a higher share of adults who have obesity than Blackville. 51% of adults have high blood pressure in Blackville.
| Blackville | South Carolina towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 23% | 15% | 12% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 39% | 28% | 25% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 11% | 15% | 16% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 51% | 38% | 36% |
| What stands out | Blackville | SC |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer binge drinkers | 10.6% | 15.7% |
| Fewer adults who have had cancer | 6.6% | 8.6% |
| More adults facing a utility shut-off | 19.2% | 8.9% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Most working residents leave Blackville for work: only 6% work in town. Since 2013, Blackville has lost 186 jobs, to 339 in 2023. The top destinations are Barnwell (8%), Aiken (7%) and Columbia (5%).
| Blackville | South Carolina towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 23 minutes | 24 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Working residents who work in town | 5.7% | 6.1% | 8% |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Blackville has mild winters and hot summers, with plenty of rain. The July high in Blackville is 92°F.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Blackville's reported crime rate is above South Carolina's. Blackville’s violent crime rate is 9.5 per 1,000 residents. Most reported incidents are property crimes.
| Blackville | South Carolina towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2024) | 9.5 per 1,000 residents | 4.6 | 1.7 |
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2024) | 22.6 per 1,000 residents | 27.4 | 11.5 |
FBI crime data, 2024 · crimes reported to police
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 53% of U.S. communities. Since 2020, 2 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Blackville.
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
| Blackville | South Carolina towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conserved land | 1.1% | 1.8% | 4.3% |
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.5 miles per square mile | 0.3 | 0.4 |
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Barnwell State Park | 0.5 mi | 65 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
2 within 15 miles of the center of Blackville
About 3 of every 100 Blackville residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across South Carolina.
Where Blackville’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2023
5 notable people were born in Blackville.
Town in South Carolina, United States
Blackville is a small town in Barnwell County, South Carolina, United States. As of the 2020 census, Blackville had a population of 1,923. The town was named after Alexander Black, a railroad promoter.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Not for the area. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades A−.
5 notable people were born here, including J. B. Hutto and Marvin Sease.
