Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
A town of 2,038, settled in 1888.
Kershaw’s best subject grades are an A+ for cost of living and an A− for the outdoors; its weakest is a D for health. On cost of living, just 5 of South Carolina’s 261 towns do better. 13% of the land in Kershaw is conserved, against 1.8% in South Carolina’s towns and 4.3% across U.S. towns. Kershaw's civic life (library use, community groups, volunteering) trails 98% of U.S. towns. On the outdoors, just 10 of South Carolina’s 263 towns do better. Kershaw has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
Where Kershaw beats most towns, and one thing worth knowing.
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within South Carolina), ordered by how far Kershaw is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Census counts: 1,002 in 1900, 1,693 in 2020. The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 1908 and a map from 1969 on.
6 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Who provides power, water and the rest in Kershaw, 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 Kershaw.
Kershaw sits where South Carolina’s towns sit at 15% and U.S. towns at 12% on this measure. Kershaw beats the South Carolina average on 0 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 17. 18% of adults report frequent physical distress in Kershaw.
| Kershaw | South Carolina towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 17% | 15% | 12% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 18% | 15% | 14% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 34% | 28% | 25% |
| Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES) | 26% | 23% | 19% |
| What stands out | Kershaw | SC |
|---|---|---|
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 23.1% | 13.9% |
| More adults with COPD | 10.7% | 7.5% |
| More adults facing food insecurity | 24% | 17.4% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Its public schools are run by the Lancaster 01 school district. Its one school is below.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kershaw ElementaryLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–5 | Grades PK–5 | 512 | C+ |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within SC on state tests and graduation
The typical Kershaw home is worth about $186,000, up 0.8% in a year, 39% below the South Carolina typical home. The median rent in Kershaw is $750 a month.
| Kershaw | South Carolina towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $750 a month | $1,060 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 72% | 65% | 73% |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 76% of U.S. communities.
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Kershaw has mild winters and warm summers. Kershaw’s July high is 91°F.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
0.6 miles of trail in 2 parks and preserves. The biggest park or preserve is Stevens Park, at 20 acres.
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Stevens Park | 0.5 mi | 20 |
| 2. Mullinax Park | — | 4 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Most working residents leave Kershaw for work: only 7% work in town. Since 2013, Kershaw has added 130 jobs, to 637 in 2023. 15% of Kershaw residents live below the poverty line.
| Kershaw | South Carolina towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 31 minutes | 24 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Below the poverty line | 15% | 17% | 9.6% |
| Median household income | $69,000 | $57,000 | $80,000 |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
None within 15 miles of Kershaw; the nearest are
About 3 of every 100 Kershaw residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across South Carolina.
6 places in Kershaw on the National Register of Historic Places.
5 notable people were born in Kershaw.
Town in South Carolina, United States
Kershaw is a town in Lancaster County, South Carolina, United States. It was incorporated in 1888. As of the 2020 census, Kershaw had a population of 1,693. The Haile Gold Mine, where gold was discovered in 1825, is 3 miles (5 km) from town and was at one time the largest single producer of gold in the Appalachian region.
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+.
5 notable people were born here, including Nelson Sullivan and Elizabeth Threatt.
