Housing data for Lake City, SC
Lake City, SC has an estimated 5,988 residents and 3,122 homes (US Census Bureau, 2020–2024 American Community Survey).
It is a city in Florence County.
56.5% of households rent.
The median gross rent is $702 a month.
Its population shrank measurably since 2015–2019 (−9.5%).
Figures last updated on .
- Residents
- 5,988 (±20)
- Housing units
- 3,122 (±359)
- Households that rent
- 56.5%
- Median gross rent
- $702
- Residents since 2015–2019
- −9.5%
What stands out in Lake City
Households without a vehicle: 17.0% (±6.0 points) in Lake City, higher than in Florence County (7.6%).
Households that rent: 56.5% (±9.0 points) in Lake City, higher than in Florence County (35.5%).
Homes built before 1980: 67.7% (±12.5 points) in Lake City, higher than in Florence County (40.6%).
Households that moved in since 2020: 8.6% (±4.6 points) in Lake City, lower than in Florence County (21.8%).
Housing in Lake City at a glance
- Median rent: $702 median gross rent a month
- Rent by bedrooms: $736 median gross rent, 2 bedrooms
- Rent burden: 58.4% of renters pay 30% or more of income
- Renters and owners: 56.5% of households rent
- Income and affordability: $33,600 median household income
- Home values: $144,300 median home value
- Homeowner costs: $1,139 median monthly cost with a mortgage
- Property taxes: $577 median real estate taxes a year
- Types of homes: 11.0% of homes are in buildings of 5 or more units
- Bedrooms: 59.1% of homes have 3 or more bedrooms
- Age of homes: 67.7% of homes were built before 1980
- Vacancy rate: 3.8% rental vacancy rate (Small sample: wide margin of error)
- Heating fuel: 76.5% heat with electricity
- Commute and cars: 24.9 minutes average trip to work
- Crime reported to police: 1,834 violent crimes per 100,000 residents
- Growth: −9.5% residents since 2015–2019
- How long people stay: 8.6% moved in since 2020 (Small sample: wide margin of error)
- Crowding and facilities: 5.7% of homes have more than 1 person per room
Lake City against Florence County, its state and the nation
| Lake City | Florence County | South Carolina | United States | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 5,988 (±20) | 137,117 (exact) | 5,296,225 (exact) | 334,922,499 |
| Housing units | 3,122 (±359) | 62,090 (±48) | 2,443,039 (±311) | 143,775,355 |
| Households that rent | 56.5% (±9.0 points) | 35.5% (±1.8 points) | 28.1% (±0.3 points) | 34.8% |
| Median gross rent | $702 (±$74) | $954 (±$29) | $1,180 (±$9) | $1,413 |
| Median household income | $33,600 (±$8,895) | $58,305 (±$2,979) | $69,324 (±$570) | $80,734 |
| Median home value | $144,300 (±$15,591) | $177,900 (±$7,891) | $259,000 (±$1,421) | $332,700 |
| Median real estate taxes (a year) | $577 (±$143) | $756 (±$30) | $1,251 (±$7) | $3,119 |
| Built before 1980 | 67.7% (±12.5 points) | 40.6% (±2.1 points) | 32.8% (±0.3 points) | 49.7% |
| Average commute | 24.9 minutes (±7.0) | 22.0 minutes (±0.8) | 25.6 minutes (±0.1) | 26.4 minutes |
| Households with broadband | 77.9% (±7.6 points) | 83.3% (±1.4 points) | 88.8% (±0.2 points) | 91.0% |
| Median age of residents | 43.7 years (±3.6) | 39.4 years (±0.4) | 40.2 years (±0.2) | 38.9 years |
Lake City covers 5.4 square miles of land, about 1,100 residents per square mile (Census Bureau Gazetteer).
How Lake City has changed since 2015–2019
| 2015–2019 | 2020–2024 | Amount of change | Verdict | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 6,617 (±24) | 5,988 (±20) | −9.5% | Measurable decrease |
| Housing units | 2,933 (±307) | 3,122 (±359) | +6.4% | Not a measurable change |
| Median gross rent | $719 (±$155) | $702 (±$74) | −2.4% | No measurable change after inflation |
| Median home value | $89,700 (±$16,950) | $144,300 (±$15,591) | +60.9% | Up after inflation |
| Median household income | $38,613 (±$12,857) | $33,600 (±$8,895) | −13.0% | No measurable change after inflation |
| Median owner cost with a mortgage | $954 (±$71) | $1,139 (±$136) | +19.4% | No measurable change after inflation |
| Median real estate taxes | $545 (±$60) | $577 (±$143) | +5.9% | No measurable change after inflation |
| Households that rent | 46.5% (±8.2 points) | 56.5% (±9.0 points) | +10.0 percentage points | Not a measurable change |
| Rental vacancy rate | 14.8% (±8.2 points) | 3.8% (±4.7 points) | −11.0 percentage points | Measurable decrease |
The Census Bureau publishes 2015–2019 dollars in 2019 dollars and 2020–2024 dollars in 2024 dollars.
Prices (the CPI-U, US Bureau of Labor Statistics) rose 22.7% between 2019 and 2024, so a dollar figure’s verdict compares the two after raising the earlier one by that much, using the Census Bureau’s test for a difference.
The two periods do not overlap, as the Census Bureau recommends for 5-year estimates.
Crime reported to police in Lake City
In 2025, the Lake City Police Department reported 1,834 violent and 3,753 property crimes per 100,000 residents to the FBI.
Across Florence County, the departments that report recorded 759 violent and 3,001 property crimes per 100,000 residents that year.
Places near Lake City
| Place | Distance | Median gross rent | Median home value | Households that rent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scranton | 3.5 mi | $829 | $102,300 | 64.6% |
| Coward | 7.6 mi | $883 | $154,700 | 36.3% |
| Olanta | 11 mi | $845 | $115,000 | 41.5% |
| Pamplico | 14 mi | $589 | $142,500 | 51.2% |
| Kingstree | 15 mi | $546 | $177,000 | 51.7% |
| Turbeville | 15 mi | $625 | $80,000 | 44.8% |
| Stuckey | 17 mi | — | $92,700 | 9.3% |
| Timmonsville | 21 mi | $891 | $104,300 | 54.4% |
Places in South Carolina most like Lake City
| Place | Median gross rent | Median home value | Median household income | Households that rent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marion | $651 | $137,300 | $30,662 | 52.2% |
| Orangeburg | $848 | $163,500 | $38,635 | 55.4% |
| Brookdale | $678 | $96,500 | $39,449 | 54.1% |
| Dillon | $630 | $115,500 | $35,891 | 46.1% |
| Blacksburg | $834 | $157,400 | $32,092 | 58.5% |
| Bennettsville | $671 | $92,100 | $37,115 | 55.1% |
Matched on rent, home value, income, the share who rent, the age of the homes, the share in apartment buildings and the commute, each measured against the spread across South Carolina.
HUD Fair Market Rent for Lake City, fiscal year 2027
| Studio | 1 bedroom | 2 bedrooms | 3 bedrooms | 4 bedrooms |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $982 | $987 | $1,121 | $1,444 | $1,545 |
HUD income limits for Lake City, fiscal year 2026
| Household size | Extremely low (30%) | Very low (50%) | Low (80%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 person | $16,700 | $27,800 | $44,450 |
| 2 people | $21,640 | $31,750 | $50,800 |
| 3 people | $27,320 | $35,700 | $57,150 |
| 4 people | $33,000 | $39,650 | $63,450 |
| 5 people | $38,680 | $42,850 | $68,550 |
| 6 people | $44,360 | $46,000 | $73,650 |
| 7 people | $49,200 | $49,200 | $78,700 |
| 8 people | $52,350 | $52,350 | $83,800 |
These are the limits HUD sets for its housing programs in the Florence, SC HUD Metro FMR Area, where HUD’s median family income for fiscal year 2026 is $79,300.
A program can use its own limits; tax-credit and local programs often do.
Survey years: 2020–2024 (American Community Survey 5-year estimates), compared with 2015–2019.
Margins of error are at the 90% confidence level.
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Questions about Lake City
What is the average rent in Lake City, SC?
The Census Bureau publishes the median rather than the average: the median gross rent in Lake City is $702 (±$74) a month (2020–2024 American Community Survey), so half of renting households pay less and half pay more.
How much is a one-bedroom apartment in Lake City?
The median gross rent for a one-bedroom home in Lake City, SC is $426 (±$163) a month (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
Are renters in Lake City rent-burdened?
58.4% of renting households in Lake City pay 30% or more of their income in gross rent, the share housing researchers usually call rent-burdened (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
How many renters are there in Lake City?
Lake City has an estimated 1,475 (±346) renting households, 56.5% of its occupied homes (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
What is the median household income in Lake City?
The median household income in Lake City is $33,600 (±$8,895) a year (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
What is the average home value in Lake City, SC?
The Census Bureau publishes the median: $144,300 (±$15,591) for owner-occupied homes in Lake City (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
Is Lake City growing?
In Lake City, the number of residents went from 6,617 in 2015–2019 to 5,988 in 2020–2024 (−9.5%), a measurable decrease.
Sources
- Demographic and Housing Estimates (DP05), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Lake City city, South Carolina
- Selected Housing Characteristics (DP04), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Lake City city, South Carolina
- Selected Economic Characteristics (DP03), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Lake City city, South Carolina
- Median Real Estate Taxes Paid by Mortgage Status (B25103), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Lake City city, South Carolina
- Selected Social Characteristics (DP02), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Lake City city, South Carolina
- Total Population (B01003), 2015–2019 ACS 5-year estimates — Lake City city, South Carolina
- Median Gross Rent (B25064), 2015–2019 ACS 5-year estimates — Lake City city, South Carolina
- HUD Fair Market Rents, fiscal year 2027: Florence, SC HUD Metro FMR Area
- HUD Income Limits, fiscal year 2026: Florence, SC HUD Metro FMR Area
- FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program, Crime Data Explorer: Lake City Police Department (ORI SC0210200)
- FBI: Uniform Crime Reporting statistics and their proper use
- Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U), US city average, all items, US Bureau of Labor Statistics: annual averages 2019 and 2024
- US Census Bureau, 2024 Gazetteer Files
To check these figures in the Census Bureau’s own API, request the variables below from the 2024 ACS 5-year data profile (acs/acs5/profile) for Lake City city, South Carolina (place:39310, in state:45).
Each estimate (E or PE) has a margin of error beside it (M or PM).
The 2015–2019 figures are B01003_001E, B01003_001M, B25064_001E, B25064_001M from the 2019 release.
The API needs a free key.
DP05_0001E, DP05_0001M, DP04_0001E, DP04_0001M, DP04_0047PE, DP04_0047PM, DP04_0134E, DP04_0134M, DP03_0062E, DP03_0062M, DP04_0089E, DP04_0089M
This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.
Figures are published by the US Census Bureau, HUD, the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the FBI; Seayora reproduces them and does not adjust them, except where a sentence says it compares dollar figures after inflation. They describe the whole place, not any one building or street, and are not an appraisal, a rent determination, a tax bill, a safety rating or legal advice.
Figures last updated on .