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South Carolina›Sumter County
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PrivateerSC

A town of 2,472.

Population
2,472
Census survey, 2020–24
Median home value
$121K
Census ACS
Household income
$49K
median
Median age
33.5
years
Jobs based here
210
A commuter town

Is Privateer a good place to live?

The best of Privateer’s subject grades is an A− for cost of living; the weakest is a D− for walkability. Only 5 of South Carolina’s 262 towns score lower on walkability. The median household income is $49K, and 21% of residents live below the poverty line. Only 2 of the 170 South Carolina towns we compare have a lower share of adults with a bachelor’s degree than Privateer. Only 4 of South Carolina’s 263 towns score lower on history. Privateer has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.

StrongestA−Cost of livingWeakestD−WalkabilityDJobs & incomeC−SchoolsC−Health
A shrinking town

Privateer has shrunk 16% from 2010 to 2020

2,349 counted in 2010 and 1,980 in 2020.

2,3492010
1,9802020

U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts

How Privateer grades

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

How grading works

WalkabilityEPA walkability 4 of 20; 16.2% of households have no car; 0% of workers walk, bike or ride transitD−Open →Jobs & incomeDOpen →Cost of livingTypical home $121K, 2.1 years of the Sumter metro’s $57K median household incomeA−Open →SchoolsC−Open →HealthPrisma Health Tuomey Hospital 7.9 miles awayC−Open →Hazard riskFEMA risk higher than 46% of U.S. communities; hurricanes tops the listB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
OutdoorsConserved land, trails and parksD−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 33.5; 8% of adults have a four-year degree–Open →

How TownRatings grades towns →

Getting set up

Moving to Privateer: who provides what

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

PowerBlack River Electric Coop15.1¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterQuail Hollow S/D (Sc4350014) 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 codes29154, 2915029154 99% · 29150 1%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 Privateer.

SchoolsC−

Privateer’s public schools trail 82% of South Carolina districts

Its public schools are run by the Sumter 01 school district. One of its 2 schools is below, with why it’s listed.

18%of SC districts it outscoresC−School Grade
SchoolLevelStudentsLetter
Furman MiddleLargest public middle schoolGrades 6–8Grades 6–8700D
Full pagePrivateer’s schools pageOpen the page
The districtsSumter 01Every school2 schools · Furman MiddleQuestions“Are Privateer’s schools good?”

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

HealthC−

Health in Privateer trails 77% of U.S. towns

Privateer beats the South Carolina average on 0 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 4. 41% of Privateer adults have obesity, against 37% in South Carolina’s towns and 35% across U.S. towns. 17% of adults smoke cigarettes in Privateer.

23%healthier than U.S. townsC−Health Grade
PrivateerSouth Carolina townsU.S. towns
Obesity (CDC PLACES)41%37%35%
Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES)17%15%14%
Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES)16%15%14%
Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES)39%38%36%
32 measures vs. South Carolina
0 better28 too close to call4 worse
What stands outPrivateerSC
More smokers17.3%13.3%
More adults with COPD9.4%7.5%
More adults with heart disease7.9%6.8%
Prisma Health Tuomey Hospital
7.9 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
Full pagePrivateer’s health reportOpen the page
Everyday habitsMore smokersHospitals & doctors nearby7.9 miles to an ER · Prisma Health Tuomey HospitalHow adults are doingMore adults in frequent physical distressEvery CDC estimateBetter than SC on 0 of 32

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

Work & commuteJobs & income grade D

Most of Privateer’s workers commute out: the town has 0.3 jobs for each of them

Most working residents leave Privateer for work: only 1% work in town. Privateer’s average trip to work is 20 minutes, below both South Carolina’s towns (24 minutes) and U.S. towns (25 minutes). Since 2013, Privateer has lost 70 jobs, to 210 in 2023.

1%work in town
PrivateerSouth Carolina townsU.S. towns
Average trip to work20 minutes24 minutes25 minutes
Median household income$49,000$57,000$80,000
Working residents who work in town0.9%6.1%8%

Where working residents work

In Privateer1%
Sumter26%
Columbia7%
Manning2%
North Charleston2%
11 mi
median commute distance
210
jobs based in Privateer
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
D−
Walkability grade: more walkable than 3% of U.S. towns
Full pagePrivateer’s work & commute pageOpen the page
The jobs here210 jobs based here · A commuter townWhere people work1% work in PrivateerCommute times20 minutes · The average commuteHow far they goHalf commute less than 11 miles

Census LEHD 2023 · ACS

Climate

In Privateer, expect mild winters and hot summers

Privateer has mild winters and warm summers. The July high in Privateer 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
+0.6°
vs. the 20th-century average
91°
typical summer high
Full pagePrivateer’s climate pageOpen the page
A year of weatherJuly highs 91°, January lows 35°Rain & snow48″ of rain a year · Snow is almost unheard ofHeating & coolingBoth heating and coolingThen and now+0.6° vs. the 20th century · Warmer than the 20th-century average

NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020

Natural hazardsHazard risk grade B−

Privateer faces a moderate natural-hazard risk, led by hurricanes

Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 54% of U.S. communities.

46risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
46Moderate riskLowerHigher
HurricanesInland floodingEarthquakes
Full pagePrivateer’s hazards pageOpen the page
What it facesModerate riskFlood claims0 paid flood claims · No paid flood claims on recordPast disasters19 disaster declarations · Declared for the countyGet ready0.3 events a year, on average · Ready for hurricanes

FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA

HousingCost of living grade A−

Homes in Privateer sell for about $215K

Privateer’s median rent is $837 a month.

$215Kmedian sale price
PrivateerSouth Carolina townsU.S. towns
Households that own their home79%65%73%
Median rent$837 a month$1,060 a month$1,185 a month
2
homes sold in March
Full pagePrivateer’s housing & cost-of-living pageOpen the page
Prices over the yearsPrices over the yearsYears of income to buyA typical home costs 4.4 years of incomeRents$837 a month · Median rent

Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center

Keep exploring

Everything we know about Privateer

15pages on Privateer
The big questions
SchoolsC−Behind 82% of SC districts · 2 schoolsHealthC−Better than SC on 0 of 32 CDC measuresCost of livingA−Work & commuteD$49K median household income · 210 jobs hereNatural hazardsB−FEMA risk higher than 46% of U.S. communities · hurricanes
Out and about
PlacesAttractions12 nearby · Congaree National Park 13 miLibrarySouth Sumter Branch LibraryCollegesCentral Carolina Technical College is 8.1 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 Privateer

Central Carolina Technical CollegeCommunity college · Public · Sumter8.1 mi$5,715 in-state tuitionUniversity of South Carolina-SumterCommunity college · Public · Sumter8.2 mi$7,558 in-state tuitionMorris CollegeUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Sumter8.8 mi$16,664 tuition

About 4 of every 100 Privateer residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across South Carolina.

Prices by family income, graduation and earnings →

A commuter town

99% of working residents leave Privateer for work

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

26% → Sumter Sumter 26% 7% → Columbia Columbia 7% 2% → Manning Manning 2% 2% → North Charleston North Charleston 2% 2% → Florence Florence 2% 1% → Pinewood Pinewood 1% Privateer · 1% stay
210jobs based in Privateer
1%of working residents work in town
11 mimedian commute distance

Census LEHD 2023

About Privateer

CDP in South Carolina, United States

Privateer is a census-designated place (CDP) in Sumter County, South Carolina, United States. The population was 2,118 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
8.2 sq mi
Elevation
171 ft

Questions about Privateer

Short answers, built from the data on this page.

Is Privateer, SC expensive?

Not for the area. The typical home is worth about $121,000, 60% below the South Carolina typical home. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades A−.