Scores by category

Each category averages its indicators' percentile scores among US cities and towns.

Safety1#15,547/15,637
Economy7#14,490/15,631
Housing34#9,956/14,977
Health13#13,558/15,609
Healthcare18#12,825/15,650
Environment27#11,336/15,453
Education19#12,618/15,649
Infrastructure33#10,440/15,650
Community26#11,515/15,651
Leisure & amenities28#11,329/15,651

Strengths · Weaknesses

Indicators where Walterboro, South Carolina ranks highest and lowest among US cities and towns (score = percentile, 100 = best). Values marked “Colleton County value” are the county’s: the source publishes no figure for this city or town, and the county holding most of its residents stands in.

Strengths

Comfortable days · high33.4%
91/100South Carolina 31.6%United States 26.8%2016-2025NOAA National Centers for Environmental InformationColleton County value
Public EV charging ports · high11.9 /10k
87/100South Carolina 4.0 /10kUnited States 7.7 /10kOct 2026U.S. Department of EnergyColleton County value
Time spent in the emergency room · low124 min
85/100South Carolina 163 minUnited States 170 minOct 2024–Sep 2025Centers for Medicare & Medicaid ServicesColleton County value
New business applications · high17.3 /1k
79/100South Carolina 16.9 /1kUnited States 16.6 /1k2025U.S. Census BureauColleton County value
Effective property tax rate · low0.63%
76/100South Carolina 0.49%United States 0.94%2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B25090
Public libraries · high1.0 /10k
76/100South Carolina 0.4 /10kUnited States 0.5 /10k2024Institute of Museum and Library ServicesColleton County value

Weaknesses

Traffic deaths · high58.7 /100k
1/100South Carolina 20.5 /100kUnited States 12.3 /100k2020-2024National Highway Traffic Safety AdministrationProvisional dataColleton County value
Firearm deaths · high41.2 /100k
1/100South Carolina 18.7 /100kUnited States 12.1 /100k2024Centers for Disease Control and PreventionColleton County value
Reading scores · low2.32
1/100South Carolina 2.93United States 3.052019University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteColleton County value
Math scores · low2.25
1/100South Carolina 2.92United States 3.032019University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteColleton County value
Homicide rate · high19.3 /100k
1/100South Carolina 8.4 /100kUnited States 4.8 /100k2024Centers for Disease Control and PreventionModel-based estimateColleton County value
Premature death · high17,174 /100k
2/100South Carolina 10,517 /100kUnited States 8,123 /100k2021-2023University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteColleton County value

Trends

The largest changes over about five years, next to the country's over the same periods.

New homes permittedImproving
0.5 /1k (2021) → 3.3 /1k (Sep 2025–Aug 2026)
+504%5 yearsUS 5.2 /1k → 4.2 /1k
Rent-burdened householdsWorsening
33.2% (2015-2019) → 60.9% (2020-2024)
+28 pts5 yearsCensus table B25070US 49.6% → 51.1%
Broadband subscriptionsImproving
74.7% (2015-2019) → 94.0% (2020-2024)
+19 pts5 yearsCensus table B28002US 82.7% → 91.0%
Median household incomeImproving
$32,900 (2015-2019) → $56,457 (2020-2024)
+72%5 yearsCensus table B19013US $65,712 → $81,604
Rent as share of incomeWorsening
25.7% (2015-2019) → 34.3% (2020-2024)
+8.6 pts5 yearsCensus table B25071US 29.8% → 30.6%
Poverty rateWorsening
21.0% (2015-2019) → 28.2% (2020-2024)
+7.2 pts5 yearsCensus table B17001US 12.3% → 12.1%

What changed in five years

How each measure moved between two periods about five years apart, read against whether more or less is better, the published margin of error and the same change in other places.

Over about five years, Walterboro, South Carolina improved on 2 of 13 measures with a comparison and declined on 2. 9 moved within the margin of error and 0 barely changed.

Earlier (2015-2019)
Latest (2020-2024)
Lower standingHigher standing

Position is the place's standing among cities and towns: further right is better, whichever way the measure counts.

Improved2

Household income+72%$32,900 → $56,457
Broadband+19 points74.7% → 94.0%

Declined2

Rent burden+28 points33.2% → 60.9%
Rent / income+8.6 points25.7% → 34.3%

All 13 measures

Change of every measure of Walterboro, South Carolina between two periods about five years apart
Measure	Before	After	Change	Reading	Favourable vs peers
Average commute time	27.6 min2015-2019	26.3 min2020-2024	−1.3 min	Within the margin of error	63%
Bachelor's degree or higher	21.8%2015-2019	25.0%2020-2024	+3.2 points	Within the margin of error	53%
Broadband subscriptions	74.7%2015-2019	94.0%2020-2024	+19 points	Improved	89%
Child poverty rate	45.3%2015-2019	40.5%2020-2024	−4.8 points	Within the margin of error	68%
Effective property tax rate	0.64%2015-2019	0.63%2020-2024	−0 points	Within the margin of error	17%
High school diploma or higher	87.7%2015-2019	84.0%2020-2024	−3.8 points	Within the margin of error	8%
Home price to income ratio	3.3×2015-2019	3.3×2020-2024	−0.0×	Within the margin of error	80%
Income inequality (Gini index)	0.4312015-2019	0.4622020-2024	+0.031	Within the margin of error	26%
Median household income	$32,9002015-2019	$56,4572020-2024	+72%	Improved	95%
Poverty rate	21.0%2015-2019	28.2%2020-2024	+7.2 points	Within the margin of error	8%
Rent as share of income	25.7%2015-2019	34.3%2020-2024	+8.6 points	Declined	12%
Rent-burdened households	33.2%2015-2019	60.9%2020-2024	+28 points	Declined	4%
Uninsured residents (under 65)	9.6%2015-2019	12.3%2020-2024	+2.7 points	Within the margin of error	21%

“Against peers” compares the change with the same change in the 14640 cities and towns that have the same two periods. It describes how common a change is, not why it happened.

Sources: American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates. Values are the latest and the one five years earlier of the same publisher dataset; datasets that changed publisher in between are never compared.

Survey estimates (American Community Survey) compare the two most recent 5-year windows that do not share years, so the margin of error of the difference holds. The 2015-2019 window predates the pandemic and 2020-2024 includes it.
A change counts only when it is larger than 1.645 times the square root of the two standard errors squared, summed (a 90% margin). Measures published without a margin must change by at least 5% to count.
“Against peers” compares the change with the same change in the 15651 cities and towns that have the same two periods. It describes how common a change is, not why it happened.
Standing is a percentile among the same places: 0 is the lowest value on the measure (or the worst when lower is better), 100 the best.

Cities and towns like Walterboro, South Carolina five years ago that improved

The places whose measures looked most like those of Walterboro, South Carolina in the earlier period, ranked by how many measures improved beyond the margin of error, minus how many declined. A comparison of published data, not a forecast and not advice.

For comparison, Walterboro, South Carolina itself moved −8 points in standing on average over the same 10 measures (standings of all places average about zero).

How the ranking works

Similarity is the root-mean-square difference of standings in the earlier period over the measures most places have. Places are ranked by measures that improved beyond the margin of error minus those that declined (a count that estimation noise in small places cannot inflate), then by the mean change of standing over the measures a place has in both periods. Only places with more improvements than declines and a rise in standing are listed. Standings are relative, so a place can improve in absolute terms and still lose standing.

Who lives here

Age, race and education of residents, from the American Community Survey. Shares are of all residents (age), residents of every origin (race) or adults 25 and over (education).

Age and sex

5,480 residents (±17)

Men
Women

80 and over†
70–79†
60–69†
50–59†
40–49†
30–39†
20–29†
10–19†
Under 10†

Share of all residents, each sex

Biggest shift since 2015–2019: 80 and over men (−1.5 points).

† Wide margin of error (more than 30% of the estimate): read with care.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B01001View table on data.census.gov

Race and Hispanic origin

5,480 residents (±17)

Walterboro, South Carolina
South Carolina share

White41%2,273
Black50%2,750
Hispanic or Latino4.2%†230

Education

3,773 residents (±281)

Walterboro, South Carolina
South Carolina share

No high school diploma16%†605
High school or GED29%1,079
Some college19%†735

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Income

How household income is spread, not just the middle: each bar is the share of households in that income range.

Household income

2,330 households (±184)

Walterboro, South Carolina
South Carolina share

Under $25k31%†729
$25k–50k11%†254
$50k–75k23%†533
$75k–100k11%†263
$100k–150k16%†367
$150k–200k3.3%†78
$200k or more4.5%†106

Biggest shift since 2015–2019: $25k–50k (−32.2 points).

† Wide margin of error (more than 30% of the estimate): read with care.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B19001View table on data.census.gov

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Homes

Who owns and who rents, what homes cost, and what the housing stock looks like.

Owners and renters

2,330 households (±184)

Walterboro, South Carolina
South Carolina share

Own51%1,181
Rent49%1,149

No change since 2015–2019 is larger than the margin of error.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B25003View table on data.census.gov

Rent paid

975 households (±303)

Walterboro, South Carolina
South Carolina share

Under $75029%†287
$750–1,00026%†257
$1,000–1,50025%†

Home values

1,181 homes (±214)

Walterboro, South Carolina
South Carolina share

Under $150k31%†363
$150k–250k42%†495
$250k–400k25%†290

Age of homes

2,602 homes (±257)

Walterboro, South Carolina
South Carolina share

2010 or later1.9%†50
2000–20096.1%†159
1980–199933%848

Size of homes

2,602 homes (±257)

Walterboro, South Carolina
South Carolina share

Studio0.8%†21
1 bedroom6.3%†163
2 bedrooms37%965

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Getting to work

How workers travel to their job and how long it takes them.

How people get to work

2,506 workers (±369)

Walterboro, South Carolina
South Carolina share

Drive alone72%1,816
Carpool13%†314
Public transit0.0%0
Walk0.0%0
Bike0.0%0
Work from home13%†325
Other2.0%†51

Biggest shift since 2015–2019: Drive alone (−12.2 points).

† Wide margin of error (more than 30% of the estimate): read with care.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B08301View table on data.census.gov

Time to get to work

2,181 workers (±355)

Walterboro, South Carolina
South Carolina share

Under 15 min39%846
15–29 min19%†408
30–44 min18%†382

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Local businesses

Employer businesses and sole proprietors by industry, per resident and against the state and the nation. Counts of businesses next to counts of people, not a measure of demand.

The Census Bureau publishes business counts by county, not by city, so these are the figures of Colleton County, the county holding most of Walterboro's residents.

Colleton County has 793 employer establishments, 203 for every 10,000 residents (0.82× the US rate of 248; 0.89× South Carolina's), with 7,333 paid employees at an average annual pay of $46,580. The Census Bureau also counts 3,630 nonemployer businesses, mostly sole proprietors.

Establishments: 793; 3,630 nonemployers
Per 10,000 residents: 203; US 248 · South Carolina 228
Paid employees: 7,333
Average annual pay: $46,580; US $68,342

Employer establishments, employees, average pay and nonemployers of Colleton County by industry, with the density per resident against the nation

Specialty trade contractors	62	15.8	1.02×About typical	388	$57,216	392
Ambulatory health care services	61	15.6	0.75×Fewer than typical	355	$75,293	146
Restaurants and other eating places	61	15.6	0.85×About typical	1,126	$20,806	22
Religious organizations	35	8.9	1.61×More than typical	133	$16,241	—
Gasoline stations	33	8.4	2.60×More than typical	270	$27,011	—
Limited-service restaurants	32	8.2	1.02×About typical	563	$18,249	6
Lessors of real estate	31	7.9	0.64×Fewer than typical	84	$48,286	269
Offices of physicians	31	7.9	1.22×About typical	189	$92,635	8
Full-service restaurants	23	5.9	0.77×Fewer than typical	492	$23,441	10
Other specialty trade contractors	23	5.9	2.34×More than typical	239	$64,527	112
Services to buildings and dwellings	22	5.6	0.83×About typical	113	$42,372	441
Legal services	19	4.9	0.90×About typical	48	$49,667	15

Rank places for an industry Open Colleton County

County Business Patterns (2023); Nonemployer Statistics (2024)

Per-resident figures divide by the population estimate of 2023: 39,129 residents here, 336,755,052 in the United States. County Business Patterns counts establishments in 2023; the Nonemployer Statistics count businesses in 2024.
“More than typical” is a density at least 1.25 times the nation's per resident, “fewer” at most 0.8 times, with at least 10 establishments. It compares counts of businesses with counts of people: it says nothing about demand, incomes, size, quality or profit, and visitors and commuters are not residents.
The Census Bureau adds noise to employment and payroll to protect confidentiality, and withholds some figures: an industry with few establishments can show employees or pay as unavailable.
Industries overlap: a narrower industry (full-service restaurants) is part of a broader one (restaurants), so the rows do not add up.
Industries follow the North American Industry Classification System; the two surveys use different editions (NAICS 2017 and 2022), which this page matches industry by industry.

Federal contracts performed here

In FY2026, an estimated $0 of federal contract obligations were for work performed in Walterboro, South Carolina: $0 per resident (US $2,008).

Obligations: $0; −100% vs FY2025
Per resident: $0; US $2,008
Sole-source: —; US 30%
Single offer: —; US 8.7%

A signal is a reason to look closer, not evidence of wrongdoing: most sole-source awards are lawful and justified.

Top buying agencies

Top recipients

Spending by fiscal year

3.9KFY2017
5.7KFY2018
1.6KFY2019
1.3KFY2020
455.5FY2021
4.8KFY2022
656.4FY2023
2.2KFY2024
283.2FY2025

What was bought

Source: Federal contract transactions (Federal Procurement Data System) (U.S. Department of the Treasury, USAspending.gov), data current to Oct 10, 2026, loaded Oct 10, 2026.

How this is estimated

Agencies report each contract action's place of performance as a county and a ZIP code. A ZIP code's money is split among the cities it covers by the share of its land inside each (Census 2020 ZIP code tabulation areas); the part outside city limits stays with the county.

The place of performance is what the contracting agency reports, often the contractor's office rather than where the work happens.
Shares are of land, not of people or businesses: a ZIP code that is mostly rural land but has its offices in town gives the town less than it should.
ZIP codes that are not mapped areas (post office boxes, the unique ZIP codes of large federal sites and companies) stay with their county, unless one city covers nearly all of it.
Counts of actions and awards include those only partly in Walterboro, South Carolina, so they do not add up across cities.

Walterboro, South Carolina's figures are part of those of Colleton County, SC ($393.3K in FY2026), never added to them: 0.0% of that total.

Grants and other federal assistance are counted by county here, not split among cities: Walterboro is mostly in Colleton County.

See federal money in Colleton County

Representation in Congress

Members serving today, with their record in the current Congress (party-unity votes cast with their caucus, roll calls missed). Not a grade.

Walterboro, South Carolina is split between congressional districts: each representative is shown with the share of its residents in their district (current boundaries).