Aiken, SC

Census Place

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2024 Population
32,521
US Senator
Lindsey Graham
Republican Party
US Senator
Tim Scott
Republican Party
2024 Median Age
46.6
0.215% 1-year increase
2024 Poverty Rate
17%
4.5% 1-year increase
2024 Median Household Income
$76,746
9.89% 1-year growth
2024 Median Property Value
$286,800
9.55% 1-year growth
2024 Employed Population
13,843
1.13% 1-year growth

About

None of the households in Aiken, SC reported speaking a non-English language at home as their primary shared language. This does not consider the potential multi-lingual nature of households, but only the primary self-reported language spoken by all members of the household.

98.8% of the residents in Aiken, SC are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Aiken, SC are Aiken School of Cosmetology and Barbering (33 degrees awarded in 2022).

In 2024, the median property value in Aiken, SC was $286,800, and the homeownership rate was 68.1%.

Most people in Aiken, SC drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 24.2 minutes. The average car ownership in Aiken, SC was 2 cars per household.

United StatesSouth CarolinaAiken County, SCAugusta-Richmond County, GA-SCAiken County--Aiken & North Augusta Cities PUMA, SC

Population & Diversity

Aiken, SC is home to a population of 32.5k people, from which 98.8% are citizens. As of 2024, 3.3% of Aiken, SC residents were born outside of the country (1.07k people).

In 2024, there were 1.96 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (19.2k people) in Aiken, SC than any other race or ethnicity. There were 9.8k Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) and 820 Two Races Excluding Other, & Three or More Races (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

98.8%
2024 Citizenship
98.4%
2023 Citizenship

As of 2024, 98.8% of Aiken, SC residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.2%. In 2023, the percentage of US citizens in Aiken, SC was 98.4%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been increasing.

The following chart shows US citizenship percentages in Aiken, SC compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

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Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Aiken, SC
  1. White (Non-Hispanic)
    19.2k ± 1.12k
  2. Black or African American (Non-Hispanic)
    9.8k ± 1.15k
  3. Two Races Excluding Other, & Three or More Races (Non-Hispanic)
    820 ± 252
4.68%
Hispanic Population
1.52k people

In 2024, there were 1.96 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (19.2k people) in Aiken, SC than any other race or ethnicity. There were 9.8k Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) and 820 Two Races Excluding Other, & Three or More Races (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

4.68% of the people in Aiken, SC are hispanic (1.52k people).

The following chart shows the 8 races represented in Aiken, SC as a share of the total population.

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Global Diversity

The PUMS dataset is not available at the Place level, so we are showing data for South Carolina.
Most Common Origin
  1. Mexico
    63,986 ± 6,172 people
  2. India
    20,779 ± 3,532 people
  3. Honduras
    17,281 ± 3,222 people

In 2023, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of South Carolina was Mexico, the natal country of 63,986 South Carolina residents, followed by India with 20,779 and Honduras with 17,281.

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Foreign-Born Population

3.3%
2024 Foreign-Born Population
1.07k people
3.72%
2023 Foreign-Born Population
1.2k people

As of 2024, 3.3% of Aiken, SC residents (1.07k people) were born outside of the United States, which is approximately the same as the national average of 14%. In 2023, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Aiken, SC was 3.72%, meaning that the rate has been decreasing.

The following chart shows the percentage of foreign-born residents in Aiken, SC compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

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Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period
  1. Vietnam
    910 ± 188
  2. Gulf War (2001-)
    771 ± 263
  3. Gulf War (1990s)
    398 ± 169

Aiken, SC has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 1.18 times greater than any other conflict.

The chart shows the distribution of veterans by conflict in Aiken, SC.

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Economy

The economy of Aiken, SC employs 13.8k people. In 2024, the largest industries in Aiken, SC were Educational Services (1,651 people), Retail Trade (1,545 people), and Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services (1,539 people), and the highest paying industries were Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services ($90,133), Professional, Scientific, & Management, & Administrative & Waste Management Services ($82,909), and Administrative & Support & Waste Management Services ($73,125).

Employment

Occupations

13.8k
2024 Value
± 1,180
1.13%
1 Year growth
± 11.7%

From 2023 to 2024, employment in Aiken, SC grew at a rate of 1.13%, from 13.7k employees to 13.8k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Aiken, SC, are Office & Administrative Support Occupations (1,417 people), Management Occupations (1,302 people), and Sales & Related Occupations (1,273 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Aiken, SC.

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Unemployment Insurance Claims

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for South Carolina.

This chart shows weekly unemployment insurance claims in South Carolina (not-seasonally adjusted) compared with the four states with the most similar impact.

The most recent data point uses Advance State Claims data, which can be revised in subsequent weeks.

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Industries

Employment by Industries

13.8k
2024 Value
± 1,180
1.13%
1 Year growth
± 11.7%

From 2023 to 2024, employment in Aiken, SC grew at a rate of 1.13%, from 13.7k employees to 13.8k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Aiken, SC, are Educational Services (1,651 people), Retail Trade (1,545 people), and Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services (1,539 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Aiken, SC, though some of these residents may live in Aiken, SC and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

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Median Earnings by Industry

$56,383
Median earning men ± $8,176
$37,382
Median earning women ± $2,262

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2024 are Wholesale Trade ($141,250), Professional, Scientific, & Management, & Administrative & Waste Management Services ($97,714), and Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($88,676).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2024 are Professional, Scientific, & Management, & Administrative & Waste Management Services ($44,976), Manufacturing ($43,735), and Educational Services, & Health Care & Social Assistance ($41,213).

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Employment by Industry Sector

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for South Carolina.
Y-Axis
2.54%
Year-over-year growth
Employment change between February 2022 and February 2023

As of February 2023, there are 2.26M people employed in South Carolina. This represents a 2.54% increase in employment when compared to February 2022.

Right after the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, during April 2020, a general dip can be seen across industry sectors, resulting in an overall decline in employment by 13.4%.

The following chart shows monthly employment numbers for each industry sector in South Carolina.

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Education

In 2022, universities in Aiken, SC awarded 33 degrees. The student population of Aiken, SC in 2021 is skewed towards women, with 12 male students and 60 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Aiken, SC are White (17 and 51.5%), Black or African American (12 and 36.4%), Two or More Races (2 and 6.06%), and Hispanic or Latino (1 and 3.03%).

The largest universities in Aiken, SC by number of degrees awarded are Aiken School of Cosmetology and Barbering (33 and 100%).

The most popular majors in Aiken, SC are General Cosmetology (13 and 39.4%), Aesthetician & Skin Care Specialist (12 and 36.4%), and Nail Specialist & Manicurist (6 and 18.2%).

Admissions & Enrollments

Enrollments by Gender and Races

In 2021 there were 72 students enrolled in Aiken, SC, 16.7% men and 83.3% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in Black or African American with 38 records, of which 71.1% were women and 28.9% men.

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Completions

Concentrations

Most Common
  1. Aesthetician & Skin Care Specialist
    12 degrees awarded
  2. Nail Specialist & Manicurist
    6 degrees awarded

In 2022, the most common concentation for Certificate of at least 1 but less than 2 academic years recipients in Aiken, SC was Aesthetician & Skin Care Specialist with 12 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of students graduating with a Certificate of at least 1 but less than 2 academic years from schools in Aiken, SC according to their major.

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Universities

Gender
Race
Aiken School of Cosmetology and Barbering
Largest Universities by degrees awarded
33 degrees awarded

In 2022, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was Aiken School of Cosmetology and Barbering with 33 degrees awarded.

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Student Diversity

In 2022, 1 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Aiken, SC, which is 0.0313 times less than the 32 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2022, the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was White students. These 17 degrees mean that there were 1.42 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Black or African American, with 12 degrees awarded.

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Awarded Degrees over Time

The graph shows the evolution of awarded degrees by degrees. Under the paragraphs, the average number of awarded degrees by university in each degree is shown.

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Housing & Living

The median property value in Aiken, SC was $286,800 in 2024, which is 0.862 times smaller than the national average of $332,700. Between 2023 and 2024 the median property value increased from $261,800 to $286,800, a 9.55% increase. The homeownership rate in Aiken, SC is 68.1%, which is higher than the national average of 65.2%.

People in Aiken, SC have an average commute time of 24.2 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Aiken, SC is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Housing

Property

$286,800
Median Property Value 2024
±$14,782
$9,037
Median Property Taxes
±$770

The following chart display owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Aiken, SC the largest share of households pay taxes in the $800 - $1,499 range.

The chart underneath the paragraph shows the property taxes in Aiken, SC compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies.

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Rent vs Own

68.1%
Homeownership
2024
64.7%
Homeowners with Mortgage
2024

In 2024, 68.1% of the housing units in Aiken, SC were occupied by their owner. This percentage declined from the previous year's rate of 69.7%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Aiken, SC compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

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Equity

Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.
$76,746
Median Household Income
± $5,591
13.3k
Number of Households
± 1,021

In 2024, the median household income of the 13.3k households in Aiken, SC grew to $76,746 from the previous year's value of $69,837.

The following chart displays the households in Aiken, SC distributed between a series of income buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households have an income in the $75k - $100k range.

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Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Aiken, SC is from South Carolina.
0.464
2023 Wage GINI in South Carolina
0.464
2022 Wage GINI in South Carolina

In 2023, the income inequality in South Carolina was 0.464 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.102% decline from 2022 to 2023, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more even. The GINI for South Carolina was lower than than the national average of 0.476. In other words, wages are distributed more evenly in South Carolina in comparison to the national average.

This chart shows the number of workers in South Carolina across various wage buckets compared to the national average.

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Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2024
  1. Drove Alone (77.1%)
  2. Worked At Home (12.2%)
  3. Carpooled (7.77%)

In 2024, 77.1% of workers in Aiken, SC drove alone to work, followed by those who worked at home (12.2%) and those who carpooled to work (7.77%).

The following chart shows the number of households using each mode of transportation over time, using a logarithmic scale on the y-axis to help better show variations in the smaller means of commuting.

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Commute Time

24.2 minutes
Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Aiken, SC have a shorter commute time (24.2 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.4 minutes). Additionally, 1.68% of the workforce in Aiken, SC have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in Aiken, SC compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

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Car Ownership

2 cars
Average Number

The following chart displays the households in Aiken, SC distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Aiken, SC have 2 cars.

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Poverty

Poverty & Diversity

17% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Aiken, SC (5.32k out of 31.3k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is higher than the national average of 12.5%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Males 25 - 34, followed by Females 75+ and then Females 65 - 74.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Aiken, SC is Black, followed by White and Two Or More.

The Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who classifies as impoverished. If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold than that family and every individual in it is considered to be living in poverty.

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Health

94.2% of the population of Aiken, SC has health coverage, with 41.4% on employee plans, 12.9% on Medicaid, 21.8% on Medicare, 14% on non-group plans, and 4.09% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in South Carolina see 1,485 patients per year on average, which represents a 0% change from the previous year (1,485 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1682 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 437 patients per year.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 45.1% were men and 54.9% were women.

Coverage

Health Care Diversity

In 2024, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 19.7% under 18 years, 19.5% between 18 and 34 years, 32.4% between 35 and 64 years, and 28.4% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 45.1% were men and 54.9% were women.

The following chart shows the number of people with health coverage by gender.

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Uninsured People

5.81%
Uninsured
41.4%
Employer Coverage
12.9%
Medicaid
21.8%
Medicare
14%
Non-Group
4.09%
Military or VA

Between 2023 and 2024, the percent of uninsured citizens in Aiken, SC grew by 1.54% from 5.72% to 5.81%.

The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in Aiken, SC changed over time compared with the percent of individuals enrolled in various types of health insurance.

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