Lakewood earns a D−, ranked 160th of 167 in South Carolina, mostly because of health and schools. Residents are less healthy than 94% of U.S. towns on CDC estimates. Its schools rank behind 82% of the state's. On history, just 5 of South Carolina’s 263 towns do worse. Most errands need a car: it is less walkable than 80% of U.S. towns. Lakewood’s average trip to work is 29 minutes, against 24 minutes in South Carolina’s towns and 25 minutes across U.S. towns.

WeakestDHealth C⁻Schools C⁻Walkability CJobs & income

A commuter town

99% of working residents leave Lakewood for work

Where Lakewood’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.

303jobs based in Lakewood

1%of working residents work in town

11 mimedian commute distance

Census LEHD 2023

How Lakewood grades

Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within South Carolina), ordered by how far Lakewood is from typical.

How grading works

HealthPrisma Health Tuomey Hospital 6.2 miles awayDOpen →SchoolsC⁻Open →WalkabilityEPA walkability 6.7 of 20; 1.4% of households have no car; 0% of workers walk, bike or ride transitC⁻Open →Jobs & income$57K median household income; 303 jobs based hereCOpen →Cost of livingCOpen →Hazard riskFEMA risk higher than 49% of U.S. communities; inland flooding tops the listB⁻Open →

Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.

Outdoors6 miles of trails; 2% conserved landC⁻Open →HistoryD⁻Open →

Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.

Climate–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 43.0; 17% of adults have a four-year degree–Open →

How TownRatings grades towns →

Getting set up

Moving to Lakewood: who provides what

Lakewood is unincorporated, so Sumter County and regional agencies provide most services.

PowerBlack River Electric Coop15.1¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA

WaterBgwc Pocalla Development (Sc4350007) water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA

Internet3 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC

Trash & county servicesSumter CountySumter County provides services here

SchoolsSumter County Consolidated School DistrictWhich school depends on your addressNCES

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.gov

Who runs elections hereSumter Board of Voter RegistrationSumter County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jun 2025

ZIP code2915029150 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 Lakewood.

HealthD

For health, Lakewood earns a D

19% of Lakewood adults have diabetes. Lakewood beats the South Carolina average on 1 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 20. 46% of Lakewood adults have obesity.

6%healthier than U.S. townsDHealth Grade

	Lakewood	South Carolina towns	U.S. towns
Diabetes (CDC PLACES)	19%	15%	12%
Obesity (CDC PLACES)	46%	37%	35%
High blood pressure (CDC PLACES)	46%	40%	35%
Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES)	18%	15%	14%

32 measures vs. South Carolina

1 better11 too close to call20 worse

What stands out	Lakewood	SC
Fewer binge drinkers	12.7%	15.7%
More older adults who have lost all their teeth	22.4%	13.9%

Prisma Health Tuomey Hospital

6.2 mi away · emergency room

3 of 3

care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health

11th

percentile among SC towns

Full pageLakewood’s health reportOpen the page

Everyday habitsMore smokers Hospitals & doctors nearby6.2 miles to an ER · Prisma Health Tuomey Hospital How adults are doingMore adults in fair or poor health Every CDC estimateBetter than SC on 1 of 32

CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA

SchoolsC⁻

For schools, Lakewood earns a C−

Its public schools are run by the Sumter 01 school district. Its one school is below. The largest public high school is Lakewood High, with 1,013 students.

18%of SC districts it outscoresC⁻School Grade

School	Level	Students	Letter
Lakewood HighLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12	Grades 9–12	1,013	B⁻

Full pageLakewood’s schools pageOpen the page

The districtsSumter 01 Vs. the neighborsBehind its 2 graded neighbors Every school1 school · Lakewood High Questions“Are Lakewood’s schools good?”

NCES · EDFacts · graded within SC on state tests and graduation

OutdoorsC⁻

1.7% of Lakewood is conserved land

5.5 miles of trail in 0 parks and preserves. Lakewood’s trail density is 0.7 miles per square mile.

#27for trails in SC

	Lakewood	South Carolina towns	U.S. towns
Miles of trail per square mile	0.7 miles per square mile	0.3	0.4
Conserved land	1.7%	1.8%	4.3%

1.7%

conserved · 84 of 4,905 acres

5.5 mi

of trails · 0.7 per sq mi

Full pageLakewood’s outdoors pageOpen the page

Trail map5.5 miles of trail, mapped Pick a walkPick a walk Conserved land1.7% conserved · 84 acres protected Questions“Where can I hike in Lakewood?”

Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US

Work & commuteJobs & income grade C

Most working residents commute out of Lakewood

Lakewood has 303 jobs for its 1,064 working residents: even if every job went to a resident, most would still commute out.

Most working residents leave Lakewood for work: only 1% work in town. 8.2% of residents live below the poverty line in Lakewood. The top destinations are Sumter (26%), Columbia (8%) and Manning (3%).

1%work in town

	Lakewood	South Carolina towns	U.S. towns
Below the poverty line	8.2%	17%	9.6%
Working residents who work in town	1.2%	6.3%	8%
Median household income	$57,000	$57,000	$80,000

Where working residents work

In Lakewood1%

Sumter26%

Columbia8%

Manning3%

Florence2%

11 mi

median commute distance

303

jobs based in Lakewood

A commuter town

jobs vs. working residents

C−

Walkability grade: more walkable than 20% of U.S. towns

Full pageLakewood’s work & commute pageOpen the page

The jobs here303 jobs based here · A commuter town Where people work1% work in Lakewood Commute times29 minutes · The average commute How far they goHalf commute less than 11 miles

Census LEHD 2023 · ACS

Climate

Mild winters and hot summers in Lakewood

Lakewood has mild winters and warm summers, with plenty of rain. The July high in Lakewood is 91°F.

91°summer high

Typical low → high °F

Winter36–59°

Spring51–76°

Summer69–90°

Fall53–76°

Nov 7

typical first frost

Mar 24

typical last frost

+0.7°

vs. the 20th-century average

91°

typical summer high

Full pageLakewood’s climate pageOpen the page

A year of weatherJuly highs 91°, January lows 35°Rain & snow48″ of rain a year · Snow is almost unheard of Heating & coolingBoth heating and cooling Then and now+0.7° vs. the 20th century · Warmer than the 20th-century average

NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020

Natural hazardsHazard risk grade B⁻

Inland flooding leads a moderate hazard risk in Lakewood

Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 51% of U.S. communities.

49risk score of 100

FEMA risk score

Inland floodingHurricanesEarthquakes

Full pageLakewood’s hazards pageOpen the page

What it facesModerate risk Flood claims0 paid flood claims · No paid flood claims on record Past disasters19 disaster declarations · Declared for the county Get ready0.4 events a year, on average · Ready for inland flooding

FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA

HousingCost of living grade C

Homes in Lakewood sell for about $298K

$298Kmedian sale price

homes sold in May

Full pageLakewood’s housing & cost-of-living pageOpen the page

Prices over the yearsPrices over the years Years of income to buyA typical home costs 5.3 years of income Rents$939 a month · Median rent Vs. the neighborsBehind its 2 graded neighbors

Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center

Keep exploring

Everything we know about Lakewood

16pages on Lakewood

The big questions

SchoolsC⁻Behind 82% of SC districts · 1 school HealthDBetter than SC on 1 of 32 CDC measures Cost of livingCWork & commuteC$57K median household income · 303 jobs here Natural hazardsB⁻FEMA risk higher than 49% of U.S. communities · inland flooding

Out and about

OutdoorsC⁻6 mi of trails · 2% conserved land PlacesAttractions12 nearby · Congaree National Park 15 mi LibrarySouth Sumter Branch Library CollegesCentral Carolina Technical College is 7 mi away

The story

Climate91° summer highs

Day to day

NewsWeatherHandbookTown SquareNeighbors

After high school

Colleges nearby

3 within 15 miles of the center of Lakewood

Central Carolina Technical CollegeCommunity college · Public · Sumter7 mi$5,715 in-state tuition University of South Carolina-SumterCommunity college · Public · Sumter7.1 mi$7,558 in-state tuition Morris CollegeUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Sumter7.2 mi$16,664 tuition

About 11 of every 100 Lakewood residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across South Carolina.

Prices by family income, graduation and earnings →

About Lakewood

CDP in South Carolina, United States

Lakewood is a census-designated place (CDP) in Sumter County, South Carolina, United States. The population was 2,603 at the 2000 census. It is included in the Sumter, South Carolina Metropolitan Statistical Area.

From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)

Area: 7.7 sq mi
Elevation: 174 ft

Lakewood’s neighbors

2 towns share a border with Lakewood.

Explore the map →

South SumterSumterLakewood

South Sumter

N · 1% of Lakewood workers commute here

Visit

Sumter

N · 26% of Lakewood workers commute here

Visit

How the neighbors grade

Town	SC rank	Overall	Cost	Safety	Schools	Health
Lakewood	#160	D⁻	C	—	C⁻	D
South Sumter	—	—	B⁺	—	C⁻	D⁻
Sumter	#155	D⁻	C	D⁻	C⁻	C

South Sumter has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade. Lakewood and South Sumter report no FBI crime data of their own. Compare Lakewood with a neighbor →

Questions about Lakewood

Short answers, built from the data on this page.

Is Lakewood, SC a good place to live?

Lakewood grades D− overall, in the bottom 2% of U.S. towns and #160 of 167 in South Carolina. It grades D for health and C− for schools. Health is its weak spot, with a D.

Is Lakewood, SC expensive?

Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades C.

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