Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
A town of 4,675, settled in 1881. Public schools that outperform most of South Carolina.
Trash day: look up yoursDuncan grades C overall, 91st among South Carolina's 167 graded towns, with clear strengths and some subjects that lag. Its schools outperform 82% of the state's. Its lowest everyday mark is in safety: its police reported 7 violent crimes reported to the FBI in 2025, a higher rate per resident than 65% of U.S. towns. A typical home there costs about $309K, 4.8 years of the Spartanburg metro’s $64K median household income. Duncan's civic life (library use, community groups, volunteering) trails 96% of U.S. towns. Most errands need a car: it is less walkable than 81% of U.S. towns. Among 90 South Carolina towns, just 9 have a lower property crime rate than Duncan.
Where Duncan beats most towns.
3,181 counted in 2010 and 4,041 in 2020; an estimated 4,675 in 2025.
Growth hasn’t slowed: 16.2% since 2020, after 27% in the decade before.
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 Duncan is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Census counts: 149 in 1900, a low of 115 in 1920, 4,041 in 2020. The archive holds 4 old photos and papers going back to 2019 and 4 maps from 1938 on.
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Duncan. Close and well known come first.
15 mi Stadium & arenaBon Secours Wellness Arena
28 mi LandmarkPeachoid
35 mi State parkChimney Rock State Park
23 mi National BattlefieldCowpens National Battlefield175K visitors a year
31 mi Park & preserveDuPont State Forest
29 mi National Historic SiteCarl Sandburg Home National Historic Site95K visitors a yearBon Secours Wellness Arena: Nicolas Henderson from Coppell, Texas, CC BY 2.0 · Peachoid: Carol M. Highsmith, Public domain · Chimney Rock State Park: Jmturner, Public domain · Cowpens National Battlefield: Ken Lund from Reno, Nevada, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0 · DuPont State Forest: Ccalvin, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site: Victoria Stauffenberg, Public domain
Who provides power, water and the rest in Duncan, 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 Duncan.
Duncan is healthier than towns with similar incomes, has seen reported crime fall by about half and has more 90° days than most of the country, though not than most of South Carolina.
Its public schools are run by the Spartanburg 05 school district.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Duncan Elementary School of the ArtsLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–5 | Grades PK–5 | 670 | C+ |
| James F. Byrnes HighLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 2,391 | B+ |
| James Byrnes Freshman AcademyTop results in townGrades 9 | Grades 9 | 792 | A+ |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within SC on state tests and graduation
People 65 and older are 10% of residents (19% statewide); adults 18 to 34 are 28% of residents (22% statewide). Duncan has grown 16% since 2020, to 4,675 residents in the Census Bureau’s 2025 estimate. At 34.4 years, Duncan’s median age is against 38.9 years in South Carolina’s towns and 40.5 years across U.S. towns.
| Duncan | South Carolina towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 34.4 years | 38.9 years | 40.5 years |
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 30% | 23% | 29% |
45% women, 55% men
That’s an even split within the survey’s margin of ±6.5 points. Across South Carolina, 51.3% of residents are women.
| Duncan | SC | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 17.3% | 11.4% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 6.5% | 10.1% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 3.9% | 9.1% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 24.4% | 12.8% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 14% | 12.5% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 16.4% | 12% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 7.6% | 13.2% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 7.5% | 11.4% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 2.4% | 7.4% | 7% |
| No diploma | 10.7% | 9.9% | 10.4% |
| High school | 32.1% | 28.2% | 26% |
| Some college | 15.8% | 19.8% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 12% | 10% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 21.6% | 19.8% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 7.9% | 12.3% | 14.1% |
Census population estimates, 2025 · U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 4,700, single groups can be off by several points
The Greer weather station, 5 miles away, records that about 48 days a year reach 90°: more than most of the country, but fewer than 86% of South Carolina places with climate records. July afternoons average 89.6°: hotter than most of the country, but cooler than 85% of South Carolina places with climate records; January nights average 32.1°.
Duncan has mild winters and warm summers, with plenty of rain. At 32°F, Duncan’s January low is near the South Carolina town median (34°F) and above the median of U.S. towns (22°F). The July high in Duncan is 90°F.
| Duncan | South Carolina towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| January low | 32°F | 34°F | 22°F |
| July high | 90°F | 91°F | 85°F |
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Reported crimes fell from 83 to 49 over the last three FBI years, a drop beyond ordinary year-to-year swings.
Duncan’s violent crime rate is 1.5 per 1,000 residents. Duncan reports more crime per resident than most U.S. towns we grade: about 65% report less. Within South Carolina, it does better than 74% of towns.
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
Jobs based here fell from 4,573 in 2013 to 3,300.
Most working residents leave Duncan for work: only 4% work in town. Since 2013, Duncan has lost 1,273 jobs, to 3,300 in 2023. 12% of residents live below the poverty line in Duncan.
| Duncan | South Carolina towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 28 minutes | 24 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Below the poverty line | 12% | 17% | 9.6% |
| Working residents who work in town | 3.7% | 6.3% | 8% |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 63% of U.S. communities. One flood insurance claim has been paid in Duncan since 2002.
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Against the 6,642 U.S. towns with household incomes like Duncan’s, it is healthier than 74%, so its C+ isn’t only a matter of income.
Duncan beats the South Carolina average on 9 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 12. 41% of Duncan adults sleep under 7 hours.
| Duncan | South Carolina towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 41% | 38% | 36% |
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 35% | 33% | 33% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 18% | 17% |
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 77% | 80% | 79% |
| What stands out | Duncan | SC |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults who have had cancer | 5.9% | 8.6% |
| Fewer adults with heart disease | 4.9% | 6.8% |
| More adults facing housing insecurity | 17.8% | 13.3% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
The typical Duncan home is worth about $309,000, up 0.9% in a year, close to the South Carolina typical home.
| Duncan | South Carolina towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 57% | 65% | 73% |
| Median rent | $1,032 a month | $1,062 a month | $1,185 a month |
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
0.5 miles of trail in 5 parks and preserves. The biggest park or preserve is South Tyger River Blueways Tract, at 64 acres.
| Duncan | South Carolina towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.1 miles per square mile | 0.3 | 0.4 |
| Conserved land | 0.3% | 1.8% | 4.3% |
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. South Tyger River Blueways Tract | — | 64 |
| 2. Stoneledge Park | 0.2 mi | 12 |
| 3. Beech Springs Landing | 0.1 mi | 5 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
8 within 15 miles of the center of Duncan
About 2 of every 100 Duncan residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across South Carolina.
4 notable people were born in Duncan.
Town in South Carolina, United States
Duncan is a town in Spartanburg County, South Carolina, United States. As of the 2020 census, Duncan had a population of 4,041.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
4 towns share a border with Duncan.
All 3 graded towns on its borders grade higher than its C; Wellford (C+) is closest.
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Duncan grades C overall, better than 33% of U.S. towns and #91 of 167 in South Carolina. It grades C+ for health, C+ for safety and A− for schools. Walkability is its weak spot, with a C−.
Within South Carolina, it does better than 74% of towns.
Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades B−.
4 notable people were born here, including Marcus Lattimore and Bradley Robinson.
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