Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
A town of 1,209, settled in 1886.
The best of Iva’s subject grades are an A+ for cost of living and an A for schools; the weakest is a D− for incomes. 39% of residents live below the poverty line in Iva, against 17% in South Carolina’s towns and 9.6% across U.S. towns. Only 12 of South Carolina’s 261 towns score higher on cost of living. Most errands need a car: it is less walkable than 87% of U.S. towns. Iva's civic life (library use, community groups, volunteering) trails 98% of U.S. towns. Iva has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
Where Iva beats most towns, and one thing worth knowing.
1,218 counted in 2010 and 1,015 in 2020; an estimated 1,209 in 2025.
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 Iva is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Census counts: 804 in 1910, a peak of 1,369 in 1980, 1,015 in 2020. The archive holds 1 old photo or paper and 3 maps from 1893 on.
Who provides power, water and the rest in Iva, 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 Iva.
Iva’s property crime rate is 36.5 per 1,000 residents, above both the South Carolina town median (21.4) and the median of U.S. towns (9.9). Iva’s violent crime rate is 2.5 per 1,000 residents.
| Iva | South Carolina towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 36.5 per 1,000 residents | 21.4 | 9.9 |
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 2.5 per 1,000 residents | 4.1 | 1.6 |
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
28% of Iva adults have been diagnosed with depression. Iva beats the South Carolina average on 0 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 14. 42% of Iva adults have high blood pressure.
| Iva | South Carolina towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 18% | 15% | 14% |
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 28% | 23% | 23% |
| Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES) | 26% | 23% | 19% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 32% | 28% | 25% |
| What stands out | Iva | SC |
|---|---|---|
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 22.4% | 13.9% |
| More adults with COPD | 11.5% | 7.5% |
| More adults with heart disease | 9.5% | 6.8% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
The typical Iva home is worth about $219,000, up 1.1% in a year, 28% below the South Carolina typical home. 53% of households own their home in Iva.
| Iva | South Carolina towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 53% | 65% | 73% |
| Median rent | $774 a month | $1,060 a month | $1,185 a month |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 68% of U.S. communities.
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Iva has mild winters and warm summers, with plenty of rain. The July high in Iva is 90°F.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Only 1 of the 169 South Carolina towns we compare have a lower median household income than Iva. Jobs based in Iva grew to 647 in 2023, 109 more than in 2013. Most working residents leave Iva for work: only 7% work in town.
| Iva | South Carolina towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $25,000 | $57,000 | $80,000 |
| Average trip to work | 20 minutes | 24 minutes | 25 minutes |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
0.2 miles of trail in 1 park or preserve.
| Iva | South Carolina towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.2 miles per square mile | 0.3 | 0.4 |
| Conserved land | 4.4% | 1.8% | 4.3% |
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Iva Civic Center | 0.2 mi | 3 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
1 within 15 miles of the center of Iva
About 0 of every 100 Iva residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across South Carolina.
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Town in South Carolina, United States
Iva is a town in Anderson County, South Carolina. The population was 1,015 at the 2020 census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
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+.