John J. Kaminer House · National Register of Historic Places
Gadsden’s story
184 years in pictures
1 place on the National Register of Historic Places.
- 1842Gadsden is settled
GadsdenSC
John J. Kaminer House · Photo: Eastward Gypsy · CC BY-SA 4.0
Population
1,443
Census survey, 2020–24
Typical home
$101K
−9.1% in a year
Household income
$53K
median
Median age
42.5
years
Jobs based here
18
A commuter town
Is Gadsden a good place to live?
The best of Gadsden’s subject grades is an A for cost of living; the weakest is a C− for incomes. 29% of residents live below the poverty line in Gadsden, above both the South Carolina town median (17%) and the median of U.S. towns (9.6%). No town among the 170 in South Carolina we compare has a lower share of working residents who work in town than Gadsden. On the outdoors, just 24 of South Carolina’s 263 towns do worse. John J. Kaminer House is on the National Register of Historic Places. Gadsden has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
What makes Gadsden stand out
Where Gadsden beats most towns.
Typical home value
Gadsden$101K
South Carolina$304K
Cost of livingA
1.5 years of income buys a home
More affordable than 89% of U.S. towns
Zillow Home Value Index; area median household income, Census ACS.
John J. Kaminer HouseHistory
Settled in 1842
1 place on the National Register
A history going back 184 years.
A shrinking town
Gadsden has shrunk 20% from 2010 to 2020
1,632 counted in 2010 and 1,301 in 2020.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts
How Gadsden grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within South Carolina), ordered by how far Gadsden is from typical.
Cost of livingAOpen →Jobs & income$53K median household income; 18 jobs based hereC−Open →HealthLess healthy than 74% of U.S. towns; Prisma Health Baptist 15.2 miles awayCOpen →SchoolsCOpen →WalkabilityEPA walkability 8 of 20; 12.7% of households have no car; 0% of workers walk, bike or ride transitCOpen →Hazard riskinland flooding tops the listB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
Moving to Gadsden: who provides what
Gadsden is unincorporated, so Richland County and regional agencies provide most services.
PowerDominion Energy South Carolina16.4¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
Internet5 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & county servicesRichland CountyRichland County provides services here
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 hereRichland Board of Voter RegistrationRichland County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jan 2024
ZIP codes29052, 2906129052 95% · 29061 5%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 Gadsden.
HousingCost of living grade A
A typical Gadsden home is worth about $101K
The typical Gadsden home is worth about $101,000, down 9.1% in a year, 67% below the South Carolina typical home. 90% of Gadsden households own their home, against 65% in South Carolina’s towns and 73% across U.S. towns.
$101KZillow home value
Typical home value
Gadsden$101K
South Carolina$304K
−9.1%
value change, 1 year
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
SchoolsC
Gadsden’s public schools trail 71% of South Carolina districts
Its public schools are run by the Richland 01 school district. Its one school is below.
29%of SC districts it outscoresCSchool Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gadsden ElementaryLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–5 | Grades PK–5 | 133 | C |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within SC on state tests and graduation
Work & commuteJobs & income grade C−
Gadsden has 0.0 jobs for every working resident, so most commute out
Gadsden’s average trip to work is 27 minutes. The top destinations are Columbia (33%), Arthurtown (3%) and Seven Oaks (3%). Half commute less than 20 miles.
0%work in town
Where working residents work
In Gadsden0%
Columbia33%
Arthurtown3%
Seven Oaks3%
West Columbia3%
20 mi
median commute distance
18
jobs based in Gadsden
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
C
Walkability grade: more walkable than 33% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
HealthC
Gadsden stands out in South Carolina and nationally: a larger share of its adults sleep under 7 hours
47% of Gadsden adults sleep under 7 hours. Among 170 South Carolina towns, just 6 have a lower share of adults who binge drink than Gadsden. 30% of Gadsden adults get no exercise outside work.
26%healthier than U.S. townsCHealth Grade
| Gadsden | South Carolina towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 22% | 15% | 12% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 47% | 38% | 36% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 52% | 40% | 35% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 11% | 15% | 16% |
32 measures vs. South Carolina
7 better10 too close to call15 worse
| What stands out | Gadsden | SC |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer binge drinkers | 11% | 15.7% |
| Fewer adults who have had cancer | 6.7% | 8.6% |
| More adults facing a utility shut-off | 14.3% | 8.9% |
Columbia SC VA Medical Center
14.3 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Climate
In Gadsden, expect mild winters and hot summers
Gadsden has mild winters and hot summers. The July high in Gadsden is 92°F.
92°summer high
Typical low → high °F
Winter37–59°
Spring52–76°
Summer70–91°
Fall53–76°
Nov 13
typical first frost
Mar 21
typical last frost
+0.9°
vs. the 20th-century average
92°
typical summer high
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade B−
Inland flooding leads a moderate hazard risk in Gadsden
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 51% of U.S. communities.
51risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingHurricanesEarthquakes
3
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Nearby attractions
All 11 attractions →Congaree National Park and 8 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Gadsden. Close and well known come first.
2 mi National ParkCongaree National Park288K visitors a year
17 mi Stadium & arenaWilliams-Brice Stadium21 mi LakeAlcohol and Drug Abuse Lake
36 mi LakeLake Murray
40 mi LakeLake Marion
18 mi Stadium & arenaColonial Life ArenaSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
Congaree National Park: Unknown, Public domain · Williams-Brice Stadium: SRA MARVIN PRESTON, Public domain · Lake Murray: Greygh0st at English Wikipedia, Public domain · Lake Marion: http://www.terraprints.com, CC BY 2.5 · Colonial Life Arena: Dfscgt21, CC BY-SA 3.0
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Gadsden
16pages on Gadsden
The big questions
Out and about
Day to day
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Gadsden; the nearest are
University of South Carolina-ColumbiaUniversity or college · Public · Columbia18 mi$12,688 in-state tuitionMidlands Technical CollegeCommunity college · Public · West Columbia21.1 mi$5,100 in-state tuition
About 5 of every 100 Gadsden residents are enrolled in college, about the same as South Carolina.
Small town
1,443 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns