Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
A town of 4,182. Home to 2 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Edgefield gives you more for your money than most places: a typical home costs about $216K, 3.1 years of the Augusta metro’s $69K median household income. It grades C− overall, 113th of 167 graded towns in South Carolina. The low prices come with trade-offs. CDC estimates put its residents' health behind 98% of the country, and the median household income is $40K, and 31% of residents live below the poverty line. 31% of residents live below the poverty line in Edgefield, where South Carolina’s towns sit at 17% and U.S. towns at 9.6%. Only 9 of South Carolina’s 263 towns score higher on history. Edgefield's civic life (library use, community groups, volunteering) trails 88% of U.S. towns.
Where Edgefield beats most towns, and one thing worth knowing.
Edgefield Historic District4,750 counted in 2010 and 2,322 in 2020; an estimated 4,182 in 2025.
The decline has turned around: up 7% since 2020, after a 51.1% drop 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 Edgefield is from typical.
Its best grade is an A for history (#7 of 169 in South Carolina; 2 places on the National Register; 17 notable people born here), which describes the town but isn’t part of the overall grade; its C− comes from the livability subjects above.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Census counts: 518 in 1860, a peak of 4,750 in 2010, 2,322 in 2020. The archive holds 14 old photos and papers going back to 2017 and 2 maps from 1964 on.
2 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Explore the history →Who provides power, water and the rest in Edgefield, 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 Edgefield.
Edgefield trades lower home prices for longer drives to work, but it has poverty well above the South Carolina rate.
22% of Edgefield adults have diabetes. Edgefield beats the South Carolina average on 2 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 22. 48% of Edgefield adults have high blood pressure.
| Edgefield | South Carolina towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES) | 33% | 22% | 19% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 22% | 15% | 12% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 20% | 15% | 14% |
| Food insecurity (CDC PLACES) | 34% | 21% | 14% |
| What stands out | Edgefield | SC |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer binge drinkers | 11.6% | 15.7% |
| More adults treating high blood pressure | 83.9% | 80.2% |
| More adults facing food insecurity | 34.1% | 17.4% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Its public schools are run by the Edgefield 01 school district. Its one school is below.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| W. E. Parker ElementaryLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–5 | Grades PK–5 | 339 | C+ |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within SC on state tests and graduation
Most working residents leave Edgefield for work: only 9% work in town. Edgefield’s average trip to work is 30 minutes. The top destinations are Augusta (6%), Columbia (3%) and North Augusta (3%).
| Edgefield | South Carolina towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 30 minutes | 24 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Median household income | $40,000 | $57,000 | $80,000 |
| Working residents who work in town | 9.5% | 6.1% | 8% |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Homes are within reach (about $216K for the typical one, A for cost of living), but half of working residents commute more than 29 miles. 65.4% of renter households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, against 52.1% across South Carolina.
51% of households own their home in Edgefield. The typical Edgefield home is worth about $216,000, up 2.5% in a year, 29% below the South Carolina typical home. The median rent in Edgefield is $731 a month.
| Edgefield | South Carolina towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 51% | 65% | 73% |
| Median rent | $731 a month | $1,062 a month | $1,185 a month |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Edgefield has mild winters and hot summers. July afternoons reach 92°, January nights drop to 34° and snow is almost unheard of.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 62% of U.S. communities.
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Edgefield's reported crime rate is well below South Carolina's. Among 85 South Carolina towns, just 6 have a lower property crime rate than Edgefield. Most reported incidents are property crimes, mainly thefts.
| Edgefield | South Carolina towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2023) | 10.5 per 1,000 residents | 31.2 | 13.1 |
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2023) | 2.4 per 1,000 residents | 4.8 | 1.8 |
FBI crime data, 2023 · crimes reported to police
None within 15 miles of Edgefield; the nearest are
About 4 of every 100 Edgefield residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across South Carolina.
Where Edgefield’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2023
17 notable people were born in Edgefield.
Town in South Carolina, United States
Edgefield is a town in and the county seat of Edgefield County, South Carolina, United States. As of the 2020 census, Edgefield had a population of 2,322. Edgefield is part of the Augusta Metropolitan Area.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Edgefield grades C− overall, better than 22% of U.S. towns and #113 of 167 in South Carolina. It grades D− for health and C+ for schools. Health is its weak spot, with a D−.
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.
Edgefield has 2 places on the National Register of Historic Places. 17 notable people were born here, including Strom Thurmond and Preston Brooks.