Citytistics
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Cost of living, pay and housing

35.00° N · 81.23° W · GEOID 4579630

York

York County, South Carolina · part of the Charlotte, NC metro

Computed by Citytistics from 13 public sources · Data bundle checked 2026-11-14 · How we calculate

South CarolinaYork, SCYorkYork

The short answer

York is home to 8,969 people. Median household income is $56,176 a year and median rent is $896 a month, 19.1% of income (a ratio of two medians, not any one household's burden). Rent pressure is lighter than in most places. The median home is valued at $198,600, about 3.5x annual median household income.

York stands out on how people work. Unemployment is 2.2%, against 7.4% in its closest peers. Also notable: The population grew 24.9% since 2020, faster than in 95% of places its size. So far it looks sustainable: pay is keeping up with rent, home prices have tracked incomes, there is some slack in the housing stock and rent burden is moderate.

32OF 100

CTXCitytistics Index

Below average

York scores better than 32% of the 6,612 places we rate, and ranks 51st of 101 in South Carolina.

How the CTX is built

Category ratings · 0 to 100, typical place 50

Affordability 20%59
Economy 20%58
Safety 20%11
Amenities 15%61
Education 10%17
Commute 10%17
Growth 5%96
Median gross rent
$896
34% below the median place
Median household income
$56,176
30% below the median place
Median home value
$198,600
38% below the median place
Unemployment
2.2%
56% below the median place

Compared with the median of the 6,645 places we track. The bundle was checked 2026-11-14; each measure may refer to an older release.

What stands out about York

  • GrowthCompared with the 17 places most like it in size, age, education, housing and region (such as Kings Mountain, NC, Red Bank, SC and Conover, NC), population growth since 2020 here is higher: 24.9% against a typical 5.6%.
01

Moving to York

York County gains about 9.6 residents per 1,000 a year to moves between counties.

Moved in15,694
Moved out13,317
Net+2,377

Where people come from and where they go, top counties

Mecklenburg County, NC4,0282,163+1,865
Lancaster County, SC8991,135−236
Gaston County, NC669577+92
Chester County, SC507730−223
Union County, NC327318+9
Richland County, SC193449−256
Greenville County, SC165233−68
Spartanburg County, SC216

Within South Carolina, other states or abroad

Arrivals
Leavers
Within South CarolinaOther statesAbroad

Income per tax return

Arrivals$84K
Leavers$70K

People on tax returns who moved between counties, from IRS migration data, 2022 to 2023. Figures are for all of York County; flows under 20 returns are not published.

Who moves here
2.7% of residents arrived from another county in the past year, 3.6% from another state.
Who arrives and who leaves
Households moving into York County report $84,000 a year in income on average; those leaving, $70,100, so newcomers earn more than leavers.
Income you would need
$35,800 a year to rent the median home at the 30% line. From your city
Rent or buy
Median rent is $896 a month; owners with a mortgage pay $1,540 a month including taxes and insurance, on a median home of $198,600.
Getting to work
32 minutes each way on average; 7.0% work from home.
If it is close but not quite
Arab, AL matches it on character for less of your income. Compare the two
Moved here in the past year1
2.7%
53% below the median place
Net movers per 1,000 people8
9.6
above the median place (median -0.6)
Moved from another state1
3.6%
83% above the median place
All 5 moving measures
MeasureYorkAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Moved here in the past year12.7%53% below
Moved from another state1County figure3.6%83% above
Net movers per 1,000 people8County figure9.6above (median -0.6)
Income of households moving in8County figure$84,01819% above
Income of households moving out8County figure$70,0540% below
02

What it costs to live here

After the median rent, with other prices set to the US average, the median household keeps about $46,700 a year, less than in 82% of the 1,875 places under 10,000 people we track.

York19.1%
Typical place20.4%

Share of the median household income that goes to the median rent. Above 30% is the usual stress line.

Income needed to rent
$35,840
a year, at the 30% line
Rent to income
19.1%
6% below the median place
Home price to income
3.5x
7% below the median place

Could you afford it?

The median rent would take
19%
comfortably under the 30% line
Left after rent, in US prices
$46,500
a year
Vs the typical household here
Same
as the median household

Uses the median rent in York, $896 a month, and local prices for everything else (97.3 against a US average of 100). It runs in your browser and stores nothing.

Like York, but easier on the budget

Places that match York on character (size, age, education, homeownership, household size, housing age, remote work and climate) but where rent takes a clearly smaller share of income. Cost was left out of the match on purpose.

PlaceMatchRent to incomeMore left a year
Arab, AL9813.4% vs 19.1%n/aCompare
Hartsville/Trousdale County, TN9714.1% vs 19.1%$19,400Compare
Lone Grove, OK9614.1% vs 19.1%n/aCompare
Sand Springs, OK9515.9% vs 19.1%$21,300Compare

Moving from somewhere else? Work out the salary you would need in York.

Sponsored · exampleMoving to York? Compare quotes from licensed movers. No partner is signed yet. Sponsored offers are always labelled and never change the data.
Property tax paid (median)1
$1,383
58% below the median place
Vacant homes1
12.7%
80% above the median place
Median home value1
$198,600
38% below the median place
All 16 cost and housing measures
MeasureYorkAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Median gross rent1$89634% below
Rent to income119.1%6% below
Property tax rate10.7%23% below
Home price to income13.5x7% below
Prices vs US average2Metro figure97.34% below
Fair market rent, 2 bedrooms3County figure$1,78511% above
HUD area median income4County figure$117,4009% above
Property tax paid (median)1$1,38358% below
Median home value1$198,60038% below
Home prices, 1-year change5County figure2.5%20% below
Home prices, 5-year change5County figure63.1%23% above
Homeownership167.0%1% above
Renters paying 30%+150.1%1% below
Owner costs with a mortgage1$1,54018% below
Vacant homes112.7%80% above
Median year built119840% above
03

Work and pay

Unemployment averaged 2.2% over the survey period, lower than in 96% of the 1,242 places under 10,000 people we track. It is the 3rd-lowest of 72 South Carolina places we track.

Commutes by transit1
0.0%
below the median place (median 0.8%)
Unemployment1
2.2%
56% below the median place
Income per person1
$25,624
36% below the median place

More on work and pay, against the typical place

Mean commute32 min +27%
Median household income$56,176 −30%
Works from home7.0% −43%
Poverty rate15.9% +48%
All 10 work and pay measures
MeasureYorkAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Median household income1$56,17630% below
Income per person1$25,62436% below
Unemployment12.2%56% below
Average annual pay6County figure$63,0025% below
Pay growth, 1 year6County figure3.2%14% below
Jobs6County figure106,23629% below
Poverty rate115.9%48% above
Mean commute132 min27% above
Works from home17.0%43% below
Commutes by transit10.0%below (median 0.8%)
04

Who lives here

Population change since 2020 is 24.9%, above the median place (median 1.1%).

Population change since 20207
24.9%
above the median place (median 1.1%)
Born abroad1
2.9%
68% below the median place
High school or higher1
84.8%
8% below the median place

More about who lives here, against the typical place

Bachelor's or higher18.6% −42%
Median age35.0 −10%
No health insurance10.3% +61%
Homes with broadband89.2% −3%
Household size2.6 +3%
All 9 people measures
MeasureYorkAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Population18,9694505th largest
Population change since 2020724.9%above (median 1.1%)
Median age135.010% below
Bachelor's or higher118.6%42% below
High school or higher184.8%8% below
Household size12.63% above
Born abroad12.9%68% below
No health insurance110.3%61% above
Homes with broadband189.2%3% below
05

Life in York

The nearest National Park Service site is Kings Mountain National Military Park, about 13 miles away.

8 sites are on the National Register of Historic Places, one of them a National Historic Landmark. Its history on Wikipedia

  • Wilson House listed 1974
  • Hart House listed 1977
  • Witherspoon-Hunter House listed 1978
  • York Historic District listed 1979
  • Allison Plantation listed 1980
  • York County Courthouse listed 1981

Out the door, against the typical place

Parks per 10k residents20.1 +97%
Playgrounds per 10k16.7 +78%
Grocery stores per 10k6.7 3.2×
Restaurants, cafes and bars per 10k16.7 +50%
Libraries per 10k2.2 2.6×
Named paths and bike trails1 km −70%
Bus and rail stops per sq mi0.0 −100%

Mapped by volunteers in OpenStreetMap inside the city limits (Census boundaries), so coverage is fuller in some places than others. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.

National Park Service sites nearby

  • Kings Mountain National Military Park 13 miles
  • Cowpens National Battlefield 35 miles
  • Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site 71 miles

Businesses per 10,000 residents (county figures)

Restaurants and bars17.9 −14%
Shops25.3 −17%
Arts, recreation and fitness3.9 −5%
Doctors' offices and clinics17.1 −15%
Child care centers2.2 −4%

Counts businesses with paid staff, so small owner-run shops are not included.

Nearest National Park Service site11
13.2
57% below the median place
Students per teacher14
13.9
10% below the median place
Public schools14
8
11% below the median place
All 18 schools and local life measures
MeasureYorkAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Public schools14811% below
Public school students144,5457% below
Students per teacher1413.910% below
Restaurants and bars per 10k9County figure17.914% below
Shops per 10k9County figure25.317% below
Arts, recreation and fitness per 10k9County figure3.95% below
Doctors' offices and clinics per 10k9County figure17.115% below
Child care centers per 10k9County figure2.24% below
Parks per 10k1020.197% above
Playgrounds per 10k1016.778% above
Grocery stores per 10k106.7216% above
Restaurants, cafes and bars per 10k1016.750% above
Libraries per 10k102.2156% above
Named paths and bike trails100.670% below
Transit stops per sq mi100.0below (median 0.2)
Nearest National Park Service site1113.257% below
National Park Service sites within 60 miles1120% above
National Register listings12838% below
06

Safety, weather and risk

Violent crime per 100k is 491, 156% above the median place.

Violent crime per 100k
491
156% above the median place
Property crime per 100k
3,015
149% above the median place
Months reported
12 of 12
by the city police department to the FBI

Counts only offenses reported by the city police department. Sheriff, state and campus police are not included, and some departments do not report to the FBI at all, so compare with care.

Tornado risk16
96.9
19% above the median place
July average high15
90°F
4% above the median place
Heat wave risk16
75.4
16% below the median place
All 11 weather and risk measures
MeasureYorkAmong 6,645 placesVs median
July average high15County figure90°F4% above
January average low15County figure31°F22% above
Average temperature15County figure61°F11% above
Annual precipitation15County figure44.0 in0% above
Natural hazard risk16County figure88.74% below
Hurricane risk16County figure75.57% above
Tornado risk16County figure96.919% above
Wildfire risk16County figure63.74% above
Heat wave risk16County figure75.416% below
Median air quality index17County figure430% above
Good air days17County figure76.5%12% above
08

York in 2030: where the trends point

If recent trends hold, the median rent will take about 19% of the median income in 2030, about the same as 19% now.

Citytistics projections to 2030: each figure's own trend, blended with the typical trend across the places we rate, eased toward long-run US growth and carried forward from the latest release. The range is where 80% of places landed when we tested the same method on past releases. On projected 2030 affordability, York does better than 60% of places. Its projected home value growth beats 23%.

MeasureLatest2030 projectionLikely rangeAvg. per year
Median rent$896/mo (2024)$1,160/mo$950 to $1,410/mo+4.3%
Median household income$56,176 (2024)$71,500$60,500 to $85,000+4.1%
Median home value$198,600 (2024)$280,000$203,000 to $385,000+5.9%
Population10,620 (2025)11,90011,420 to 12,410+2.3%

The median home would be worth 3.9 years of the median income in 2030, against 3.5 now.

A projection of recent trends, not a prediction of the economy or advice to buy or sell. How we project.

09

Places like York

The closest matches on income, rent, home value, education and age, and the places nearby.

PlaceRentIncome
Brainerd, MN$827$56,111Compare
Albertville, AL$872$56,099Compare
Woodward, OK$839$54,463Compare
Milton, PA$922$54,577Compare
Milton, PAWoodward, OKAlbertville, ALBrainerd, MNYork, SCYorkBrainerdAlbertvilleWoodwardMiltonYorkBrainerdAlbertvilleWoodwardMilton

Places built like York

Its statistical peers: the closest matches on size, age, education, homeownership, household size, housing age, origin and remote work, in the same part of the country. Cost and outcomes are left out of the match, so the table shows how York performs against places like it.

PlaceRent to incomeIncome growthPop. change
York, SC19.1%7.0%/yr24.9%
Kings Mountain, NC23.2%4.8%/yr7.5%Compare
Red Bank, SC20.5%4.8%/yrn/aCompare
Conover, NC16.3%4.8%/yr6.0%Compare
Springfield, FL28.8%7.0%/yr5.6%Compare
Dade City, FL18.2%8.5%/yr42.4%Compare
Bartow, FL20.1%7.4%/yr20.0%Compare

Common questions

Is York a good place to live?

It depends on what you need, so here is what the numbers say. Its Citytistics Index is 32 out of 100, better than 32% of the places we rate and 51st of 101 in South Carolina. Compared with the 17 places most like it in size, age, education, housing and region (such as Kings Mountain, NC, Red Bank, SC and Conover, NC), population growth since 2020 here is higher: 24.9% against a typical 5.6%. On cost, space and class size it scores 60 out of 100 for families. See how it ranks with your own weights.

Is York expensive to live in?

The median rent takes 19.1% of the median household income, against 20.4% in the typical place we track. Housing is a lighter load here than usual. The median home is valued at $198,600.

What salary do you need to live in York?

To rent the median home without spending more than 30% of income on rent, a household needs about $35,840 a year. Work it out from your current city.

Is York safe?

There were 491 reported violent crimes per 100,000 residents, against 192 in the typical place.

What places are similar to York?

On income, rent, home value, education and age, the closest matches are Brainerd, MN, Albertville, AL, Woodward, OK and Milton, PA.

Sources and methods

The small numbers beside each measure point here. Every dataset is public; links go to the publisher.

  1. American Community Survey 5-year estimates · US Census Bureau · 2020 to 2024 estimatesTables B01002, B01003, B05002, B07003, B08013, B08301, B15003, B17001, B19013, B19301, B23025, B25002, B25003, B25010, B25035, B25064, B25070, B25077, B25088, B25103, B28002, S2701
  2. Regional Price Parities · US Bureau of Economic Analysis · Latest release, retrieved 2026-11-14
  3. Fair Market Rents · US Department of Housing and Urban Development · Fiscal year 2027
  4. Income Limits · US Department of Housing and Urban Development · Fiscal year 2026
  5. House Price Index · Federal Housing Finance Agency · Latest release, retrieved 2026-11-14
  6. Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages · US Bureau of Labor Statistics · 2025 annual averages
  7. Population Estimates · US Census Bureau · Vintage 2025
  8. SOI Tax Stats, county-to-county migration · Internal Revenue Service · Tax years 2022 to 2023Counts tax returns and the people on them; flows under 20 returns are suppressed.
  9. County Business Patterns · US Census Bureau · 2023 data
  10. OpenStreetMap · © OpenStreetMap contributors, available under the Open Database License (ODbL) · Map data as of 2026-11
  11. National Park Service sites · Wikidata (CC0), units operated by the National Park Service · Retrieved 2026-11
  12. National Register of Historic Places · National Park Service · Listings through 2026-05-22
  13. Crime Data Explorer · Federal Bureau of Investigation · 2025 data
  14. Common Core of Data · National Center for Education Statistics · 2024 release
  15. 1991-2020 climate normals · NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information · Series updated 2026-11-05Averages for 1991 to 2020 computed from NOAA's county climate series (nClimDiv).nClimDiv county series
  16. National Risk Index · Federal Emergency Management Agency · Latest release, retrieved 2026-11-14NRI data and maps
  17. Air Quality System, annual AQI by county · US Environmental Protection Agency · 2025 dataAirData download files

Derived by Citytistics from the tables above: rent to income (B25064, B19013); property tax rate (B25103, B25077); home price to income (B25077, B19013).

What stands out compares York with places of a similar size, using only figures measured for York itself; county and metro figures never count. Survey figures are estimates with margins of error. Formulas and definitions: methodology. API: /api/v1/places/york-south-carolina

Citytistics. “York, South Carolina.” Data as of 2026-11-14. https://www.citytistics.com/city/york-south-carolina/

This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.