South SumterSC
A town of 1,626.
Is South Sumter a good place to live?
South Sumter’s best subject grade is a B+ for cost of living; its weakest is a D− for health. 30% of residents live below the poverty line in South Sumter, against 17% in South Carolina’s towns and 9.6% across U.S. towns. South Sumter's public schools trail 82% of South Carolina towns on state tests and graduation. Among 170 South Carolina towns, just 3 have a lower average trip to work than South Sumter. Only 13 of South Carolina’s 263 towns score lower on history. South Sumter has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
South Sumter has shrunk 18% from 2010 to 2020
2,411 counted in 2010 and 1,989 in 2020.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts
How South Sumter grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within South Carolina), ordered by how far South Sumter is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Moving to South Sumter: who provides what
South Sumter is unincorporated, so Sumter County and regional agencies provide most services.
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 South Sumter.
A larger share of adults have obesity in South Sumter than in most of South Carolina or the rest of the country
51% of adults have obesity in South Sumter, where South Carolina’s towns sit at 37% and U.S. towns at 35%. 23% of adults have diabetes in South Sumter. Only 2 of the 170 South Carolina towns we compare have a higher share of adults who have high blood pressure than South Sumter.
| South Sumter | South Carolina towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 51% | 37% | 35% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 23% | 15% | 12% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 10% | 15% | 16% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 50% | 38% | 36% |
| What stands out | South Sumter | SC |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer binge drinkers | 10.2% | 15.7% |
| Fewer adults who have had cancer | 6% | 8.6% |
| More adults facing a utility shut-off | 20.8% | 8.9% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
With 0.5 jobs for every working resident, most of South Sumter’s workers commute out
Most working residents leave South Sumter for work: only 1% work in town. Jobs based in South Sumter fell to 384 in 2023, 784 fewer than in 2013. South Sumter’s median household income is $46,000.
| South Sumter | South Carolina towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $46,000 | $57,000 | $80,000 |
| Working residents who work in town | 1.3% | 6.1% | 8% |
Where working residents work
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
South Sumter has mild winters and hot summers
South Sumter has mild winters and warm summers. The July high in South Sumter is 91°F.
Typical low → high °F
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Moderate risk in South Sumter, with inland flooding at the top
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 51% of U.S. communities.
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
The median home in South Sumter sells for about $125K
51% of South Sumter households own their home.
| South Sumter | South Carolina towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 51% | 65% | 73% |
| Median rent | $917 a month | $1,060 a month | $1,185 a month |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Everything we know about South Sumter
Colleges nearby
3 within 15 miles of the center of South Sumter
About 1 of every 100 South Sumter residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across South Carolina.
99% of working residents leave South Sumter for work
Where South Sumter’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2023
About South Sumter
CDP in South Carolina, United States
South Sumter is a census-designated place (CDP) in Sumter County, South Carolina, United States. The population was 3,365 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
- 2.4 sq mi
- Elevation
- 161 ft
South Sumter’s neighbors
2 towns share a border with South Sumter.
| Town | SC rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Sumter | — | — | B+ | — | C− | D− |
| Sumter | #155 | D− | C | D− | C− | C |
| Lakewood | #160 | D− | C | — | C− | D |
South Sumter has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade. South Sumter and Lakewood report no FBI crime data of their own. Compare South Sumter with a neighbor →
Questions about South Sumter
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is South Sumter, SC expensive?
Not for the area. The typical home is worth about $70,000, 77% 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 B+.