Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
37% of residents live below the poverty line in Bowman, above both South Carolina’s towns (17%) and U.S. towns (9.6%). Among 170 South Carolina towns, just 1 have a lower share of adults with a bachelor’s degree than Bowman. Bowman has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Where Bowman beats most towns.
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Census counts: 134 in 1900, a peak of 1,198 in 2000, 788 in 2020. The archive holds 18 old photos and papers going back to 1943 and 3 maps from 1921 on.
Who provides power, water and the rest in Bowman, 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 Bowman.
The typical Bowman home is worth about $132,000, up 5.1% in a year, 57% below the South Carolina typical home. At $848 a month, Bowman’s median rent is below both the South Carolina town median ($1,060 a month) and the median of U.S. towns ($1,185 a month).
| Bowman | South Carolina towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $848 a month | $1,060 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 68% | 65% | 73% |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Most working residents leave Bowman for work: only 1% work in town. Bowman’s average trip to work is 32 minutes. Since 2013, Bowman has lost 32 jobs, to 42 in 2023.
| Bowman | South Carolina towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 32 minutes | 24 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Median household income | $35,000 | $57,000 | $80,000 |
| Working residents who work in town | 1.2% | 6.1% | 8% |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Bowman has mild winters and hot summers. The July high in Bowman is 93°F.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 65% of U.S. communities.
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
18 crimes were reported in Bowman in 2022: 9 property and 9 violent. In a town this small, a few incidents move the numbers a lot, so rates aren't shown.
Bowman is small, so we show counts rather than rates.
FBI crime data, 2022 · crimes reported to police
Bowman beats the South Carolina average on 4 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 21. 20% of Bowman adults have diabetes. Only 8 of the 170 South Carolina towns we compare have a higher share of adults who have high blood pressure than Bowman.
| Bowman | South Carolina towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 20% | 15% | 12% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 50% | 40% | 35% |
| Food insecurity (CDC PLACES) | 29% | 21% | 14% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 12% | 15% | 16% |
| What stands out | Bowman | SC |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer binge drinkers | 12% | 15.7% |
| Fewer adults who have had cancer | 7.6% | 8.6% |
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 26.7% | 13.9% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
2 within 15 miles of the center of Bowman
About 1 of every 100 Bowman residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across South Carolina.
Where Bowman’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2023
3 notable people were born in Bowman.
Town in South Carolina, United States
Bowman is a town in Orangeburg County, South Carolina, United States. As of the 2020 census, Bowman had a population of 788.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Bowman has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
3 notable people were born here, including Hugh Weathers and John W. Matthews, Jr..
