Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
Darlington earns a D−, 152nd among South Carolina's 167 graded towns, mostly because of safety and health. Its police reported 61 violent crimes reported to the FBI in 2025, a higher rate per resident than 99% of U.S. towns. CDC estimates put its residents' health behind 93% of the country. It also has a long history, with 21 places on the National Register. 30% of residents live below the poverty line in Darlington, above both the South Carolina town median (17%) and the median of U.S. towns (9.6%). Its National Register listings include St. John's Historic District and Arthur Goodson House. Only 2 of South Carolina’s 152 towns score lower on civic life.
Where Darlington beats most towns, and one thing worth knowing.
Cashua Street-Spring Street Historic District
Buddy Johnson
Census counts: 940 in 1880, 6,149 in 2020. The archive holds 12 old photos and papers going back to 1865 and 2 maps from 1953 on.
17 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within South Carolina), ordered by how far Darlington is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Who provides power, water and the rest in Darlington, 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 Darlington.
Darlington is healthier than towns with similar incomes and has a longer frost-free season than most of the country, though not than most of South Carolina; it also reports violent crime at about twice the South Carolina rate.
Violent crime runs at 10.2 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−. At 103.9 crimes per 1,000 residents a year, it reports more crime than 83% of South Carolina’s graded towns.
Darlington reports more crime per resident than most U.S. towns we grade: about 99% report less. Darlington’s violent crime rate is 10.2 per 1,000 residents. Only 8 of the 90 South Carolina towns we compare have a higher property crime rate than Darlington.
| Darlington | South Carolina towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 10.2 per 1,000 residents | 3.9 | 1.6 |
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 50.3 per 1,000 residents | 21.1 | 9.9 |
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
Its public schools are run by the Darlington 01 school district. Three of its 4 schools are below, each with why it’s listed. The largest public high school is Darlington High, with 965 students.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| St. John's ElementaryLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–5 | Grades PK–5 | 596 | C |
| Darlington HighLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 965 | A− |
| Mayo High For Math Science & TechnologyTop results in townGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 309 | A+ |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within SC on state tests and graduation
Against the 1,086 U.S. towns with household incomes like Darlington’s, it is healthier than 53%, so its D isn’t only a matter of income.
49% of adults have obesity in Darlington. Only 8 of the 169 South Carolina towns we compare have a higher share of adults who have high blood pressure than Darlington. 21% of adults have diabetes in Darlington.
| Darlington | South Carolina towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 49% | 37% | 35% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 21% | 15% | 12% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 50% | 40% | 35% |
| Food insecurity (CDC PLACES) | 31% | 21% | 14% |
| What stands out | Darlington | SC |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer binge drinkers | 11.7% | 15.7% |
| More adults getting a yearly checkup | 85.4% | 80.6% |
| More adults facing a utility shut-off | 16.1% | 8.9% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
71.3% of renter households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, against 52.1% across South Carolina.
The typical Darlington home is worth about $157,000, up 10.2% in a year, 48% below the South Carolina typical home. 52% of Darlington households own their home.
| Darlington | South Carolina towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 52% | 65% | 73% |
| Median rent | $840 a month | $1,062 a month | $1,185 a month |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
The Florence 8 Ne weather station, 7 miles away, records that the frost-free season runs about 235 days: longer than most of the country, but shorter than 77% of South Carolina places with climate records.
Darlington has mild winters and warm summers. The July high in Darlington is 92°F.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
The average commute for its 2,625 working residents takes 18.8 minutes, against 25.6 across South Carolina.
Most working residents leave Darlington for work: only 14% work in town. The top destinations are Florence (21%), Hartsville (4%) and Columbia (3%). Half commute less than 11 miles.
| Darlington | South Carolina towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 19 minutes | 24 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Median household income | $34,000 | $57,000 | $80,000 |
| Working residents who work in town | 14% | 6.1% | 8% |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 62% of U.S. communities. Since 1987, 24 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Darlington.
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
0.5 miles of trail in 1 park or preserve.
| Darlington | South Carolina towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.1 miles per square mile | 0.3 | 0.4 |
| Conserved land | 3.7% | 1.7% | 4.3% |
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Sgt. Terrence Carraway Memorial Park | — | 2 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
3 within 15 miles of the center of Darlington
About 5 of every 100 Darlington residents are enrolled in college, about the same as South Carolina.
17 places in Darlington on the National Register of Historic Places.
19 notable people were born in Darlington.
City in South Carolina, United States
Darlington is a city located in Darlington County, South Carolina, United States. As of the 2020 census, Darlington had a population of 6,149. It is the county seat of Darlington County. It is part of the Florence, South Carolina metropolitan area. Darlington is known for its Darlington Oak and Spanish moss. Darlington is home to the famous Darlington Raceway, which hosts the annual NASCAR Southern 500 race on Labor Day weekend as well as a 400-mile spring race. It is also the site of the National Motorsports Press Association (NMPA) Hall of Fame. Darlington is also a center for tobacco farming. Darlington is located 10 miles (16 km) northwest of Florence and 76 miles (122 km) northeast of …
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Darlington grades D− overall, better than 3% of U.S. towns and #152 of 167 in South Carolina. It grades D for health, D− for safety and B− for schools. Safety is its weak spot, with a D−.
That is 2.9 years of the area's median household income ($54,443 across the Florence, SC metro area). Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades C+.
19 notable people were born here, including Buddy Johnson and Evander M. Law.
