John Lawton House · National Register of Historic Places
Estill’s story
134 years in pictures
The archive holds 5 old photos and papers going back to 1950.
2 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
- 1892Estill is settled
EstillSC
A town of 1,778, settled in 1892.
John Lawton House · Photo: Jud McCranie · CC BY-SA 4.0
Population
1,778
2025 Census estimate · −2.1% since 2020
Typical home
$93K
−10.4% in a year
Household income
$36K
median
Median age
33.4
years
Jobs based here
323
A commuter town
Is Estill a good place to live?
The best of Estill’s subject grades is a B+ for walkability; the weakest is a D− for safety. Estill’s violent crime rate is 11.4 per 1,000 residents, above both South Carolina’s towns (4.1) and U.S. towns (1.6). Only 3 of South Carolina’s 261 towns score lower on incomes. CDC estimates put its residents' health behind 95% of the country. Estill's civic life (library use, community groups, volunteering) trails 97% of U.S. towns. Estill has 2 places on the National Register of Historic Places, among them John Lawton House and Lawtonville Baptist Church. Estill has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
What makes Estill stand out
Where Estill beats most towns, and one thing worth knowing.
WalkabilityB+
More walkable than 73% of U.S. towns
5.6% of workers walk, bike or ride transit
EPA National Walkability Index; Census ACS.
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Estill11.4
South Carolina3.9
U.S.3.3
Worth knowing · SafetyD−
2.9 times the violent crime than SC
More crime per resident than 99% of U.S. towns
FBI data, 2025. Crimes reported to police.
A shrinking town
Estill has shrunk 13% since 2010
2,040 counted in 2010 and 1,821 in 2020; an estimated 1,778 in 2025.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts · Census Bureau estimate, July 1, 2025
How Estill grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within South Carolina), ordered by how far Estill is from typical.
SafetyMore crime per resident than almost any U.S. townD−Open →Jobs & incomeD−Open →HealthHampton Regional Medical Center 11.4 miles awayD−Open →Hazard riskhurricanes tops the listDOpen →WalkabilityEPA walkability 7.2 of 20; 15.5% of households have no carB+Open →SchoolsBehind 62% of South Carolina districts on tests and graduationC+Open →Cost of livingB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors2 miles of trails; 1% conserved landBOpen →History2 places on the National Register; 3 notable people born hereCOpen →Civic life2.2 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsD−Open →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
Climate–Open →Housing market–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 33.4; 6% of adults have a four-year degree–Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Estill: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Estill, and how to reach them.
PowerDominion Energy South Carolina16.4¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterEstill Town of (Sc2510002) water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet5 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Estill’s trash rules yet
Register to voteOnlineIn South Carolina you can register online until 30 days before Election Day, in person until 30 days before Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 30 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereHampton Board of Voter RegistrationHampton County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jan 2024
ZIP code2991829918 100%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Sep 12, 2025.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Estill.
HousingCost of living grade B−
A typical Estill home is worth about $93K
The typical Estill home is worth about $93,000, down 10.4% in a year, 69% below the South Carolina typical home. Estill’s median rent is $745 a month, below both the South Carolina town median ($1,060 a month) and the median of U.S. towns ($1,185 a month). 58% of households own their home in Estill.
$93KZillow home value
| Estill | South Carolina towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 58% | 65% | 73% |
| Median rent | $745 a month | $1,060 a month | $1,185 a month |
Typical home value
Estill$93K
South Carolina$304K
−10.4%
value change, 1 year
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
SafetyD−
More crime per resident than almost any U.S. town
Estill reports more crime per resident than most U.S. towns we grade: about 99% report less. Estill’s property crime rate is 19.9 per 1,000 residents.
1%of U.S. towns report more crimeD−Safety Grade
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Estill11.4
South Carolina3.9
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Estill19.9
South Carolina17.2
U.S.15.5
1st
percentile among U.S. towns we grade
20
violent crimes reported in 2025
35
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
HealthD−
More of Estill’s adults have diabetes than in the typical South Carolina or U.S. town
24% of Estill adults have diabetes. Among 170 South Carolina towns, just 2 have a higher share of adults who have high blood pressure than Estill. 45% of Estill adults have obesity.
5%healthier than U.S. townsD−Health Grade
| Estill | South Carolina towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES) | 33% | 23% | 19% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 24% | 15% | 12% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 39% | 28% | 25% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 11% | 15% | 16% |
32 measures vs. South Carolina
4 better7 too close to call21 worse
| What stands out | Estill | SC |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer binge drinkers | 10.5% | 15.7% |
| Fewer adults who have had cancer | 7.3% | 8.6% |
| More adults facing food insecurity | 36.1% | 17.4% |
Hampton Regional Medical Center
11.4 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade D
Very high risk in Estill, with hurricanes at the top
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 82% of U.S. communities. One flood insurance claim has been paid in Estill since 2016.
82risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
HurricanesInland floodingEarthquakes
1
paid flood claims since 2016
5
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Work & commuteJobs & income grade D−
Estill stands out in South Carolina and nationally: the average trip to work there is longer
The average trip to work in Estill is 37 minutes. Jobs based in Estill fell to 323 in 2023, 304 fewer than in 2013. The median household income in Estill is $36,000.
6%work in town
| Estill | South Carolina towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 37 minutes | 24 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Below the poverty line | 24% | 17% | 9.6% |
| Median household income | $36,000 | $57,000 | $80,000 |
Where working residents work
In Estill6%
Hampton8%
Varnville7%
Bluffton5%
North Charleston3%
36 mi
median commute distance
323
jobs based in Estill
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
B+
Walkability grade: more walkable than 73% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Climate
Mild winters and hot summers in Estill
Estill has mild winters and hot summers, with plenty of rain. July afternoons reach 92°, January nights drop to 36° and snow is almost unheard of.
92°summer high
Typical low → high °F
Winter38–62°
Spring52–77°
Summer70–91°
Fall55–77°
Nov 26
typical first frost
Mar 6
typical last frost
+1.0°
vs. the 20th-century average
92°
typical summer high
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
OutdoorsB
Estill has set aside 1.3% of its land for conservation
1.5 miles of trail in 0 parks and preserves.
1.3%conserved
| Estill | South Carolina towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conserved land | 1.3% | 1.8% | 4.3% |
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.4 miles per square mile | 0.3 | 0.4 |
1.3%
conserved · 34 of 2,516 acres
1.5 mi
of trails · 0.4 per sq mi
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Estill
20pages on Estill
The big questions
SchoolsC+Behind 62% of SC districtsSafetyD−11.4 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2025)HealthD−Better than SC on 4 of 32 CDC measuresCost of livingB−$93K typical home · down 10.4% in a yearWork & commuteD−$36K median household income · 323 jobs hereNatural hazardsDFEMA risk higher than 82% of U.S. communities · hurricanes
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Estill; the nearest are
University of South Carolina-SalkehatchieCommunity college · Public · Allendale18.6 mi$7,558 in-state tuitionUniversity of South Carolina BeaufortUniversity or college · Public · Bluffton34.5 mi$10,730 in-state tuition
About 1 of every 100 Estill residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across South Carolina.
A commuter town
94% of working residents leave Estill for work
Where Estill’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
323jobs based in Estill
6%of working residents work in town
36 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
Landmarks
2 places in Estill on the National Register of Historic Places.
Famous people from Estill
3 notable people were born in Estill.
About Estill
Town in South Carolina, United States
Estill is a town in Hampton County, South Carolina, United States. As of the 2020 census, Estill had a population of 1,821.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 3.2 sq mi
- Elevation
- 112 ft
- ZIP code
- 29918
- Area code
- 803
Questions about Estill
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Estill, SC expensive?
That is 2.1 years of the area's median household income ($44,711 across the county). Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades B−.
What is Estill, SC known for?
3 notable people were born here, including Benny Gordon and Rufe Clarke.