Livability Score

68
/100
i The AreaVibes Livability Score evaluates 9 different categories and creates an overall score out of 100. The higher the score, the better the area.

amenities B

There are some amenities close to this location.
Coffee (3) F
New Moon Cafe
Coffee Shop
Polo Ground Café
Coffee Shop
Starbucks
Coffee Shop
Starbucks
Coffee Shop
The Station
Coffee Shop
Entertainment (6) A+
Aiken Community Playhouse
Theatre Arts
Center for African American History, Art & Culture
Museum
Savannah River Site Museum
Museum
Aiken Train Depot Museum
Museum
Aiken County Historical Museum
Museum
Food and Drink (42) C+
The Pizza Joint
Fast Food
Alley Downtown Taproom
Bar
Vampire Penguin
Fast Food
Aiken Brewing Company
Bar
Cyndi's Sweet Shop
Sweets
Wendy's
Fast Food
Sonic
Fast Food
KFC
Fast Food
Little Caesars
Fast Food
Taco Bell
Fast Food
Subway
Fast Food
Jimmy John's
Fast Food
Harvards Wine & Beverage
Alcohol
Moe's Southwest Grill
Fast Food
Honey Baked Ham
Fast Food
Hardee's
Fast Food
McDonald's
Fast Food
Wendy's
Fast Food
KFC
Fast Food
Dunkin'
Fast Food
Just Julie's
Fast Food
Five Guys
Fast Food
Diablo's Southwest Grill
Fast Food
Panda Express
Fast Food
Panara Bread
Fast Food
Fitness (2) F
Lessie B. Price Aiken Senior and Youth Center
Community Centre
Planet Fitness
Gym
Groceries (11) F
Feaster's Wholesale Foods
Grocery Store
Food Lion
Grocery Store
KJ's Market
Grocery Store
The Fresh Market
Grocery Store
Kroger
Grocery Store
Grice's Butcher Shop
Butcher
Walmart Supercenter
Grocery Store
Walmart Supercenter
Grocery Store
Food Lion
Grocery Store
Publix
Grocery Store
ALDI
Grocery Store
Parks (36) A+
Gyles Park
Park
Library Park
Playground
Library Park
Park
Gateway to Hitchcock Woods
Park
Smith Hazel Park
Park
Perry Memorial Park
Park
Eustis Park
Park
Osbon Park
Park
Hopelands Gardens
Park
Rye Patch
Park
Charleston Street Playground
Park
Hammond/Williams Park
Park
Kennedy Colony Playground
Park
Carolina Bay Nature Preserve
Park
Crosland Park Playground
Park
Virginia Acres Park Playground
Playground
Kalmia Hill Park
Park
Citizens Park
Park
Virginia Acres Park
Park
Generations Park
Park
Shops (52) A+
Beyond Bijoux
Clothing
Ginger Bee Boutique
Clothing
Aiken Antique Mall
Gift Shop
Folly
Interior Decoration
Aiken Center for the Arts
Gift Shop
Equine Divine
Gift Shop
Côte Designs
Florist
Lionel Smith Ltd
Clothing
Aiken Dry Goods
Clothing
Downtown Dog
Pets
Nadina Home and Design
Interior Decoration
Plum Pudding
Houseware
Little Red Fox Shop
Gift Shop
Bone-i-Fide Bakery & Grooming
Pets
Pitter Patter
Clothing
Aiken Emroidery & Design
Fabric
Aiken Barber Shop
Hairdresser
Jeff Scott's Hair Styles on Laurens
Hairdresser
Screenprint Factory
Clothing
City Barber Shop
Hairdresser
York Cottage Antiques
Furniture
3-Way
Convenience Store
Citi Trends
Clothing
Exquisite Braids & Boutique
Hairdresser
Kelley Appliance
Electronics
See more Aiken amenity data

commute F

Of all people who commute, 0.1% take public transportation in Aiken.
Public Transit Stops (1)
Stops & Stations F
Greyhound: Quick Pantry #103 in Aiken
Bus Stop
Workers Taking Public Transit
0.1% F
See more Aiken commute data

cost of living A+

The cost of living in Aiken is 95/100 - which is 2% higher than South Carolina.
Cost of Living
Goods & Services, Housing, etc. B+
Tax Rates
Income & Sales Tax D-
See more Aiken cost of living data

crime F

Aiken crime rates are 4,074 per 100k, which is 46% higher than South Carolina
Property Crime
3,480 crimes per 100k F
Violent Crime
594 crimes per 100k F
See more Aiken crime data

employment C+

The median income in Aiken is $56,202 - which is 20% higher than South Carolina.
Med. Household Income
$56,202 D
Unemployment Rate
2.3% A+
See more Aiken employment data

health A+

There are some hospitals, police and fire stations.
Health & Safety (16)
Dentist, Doctor, Hospital, etc. A+
Augusta University Health Dermatology Aiken
Clinic
Aiken Department of Public Safety
Police
Aiken Department of Public Safety
Fire Station
Medicine Mart
Pharmacy
CVS Pharmacy
Pharmacy
Surgery Center of Aiken
Hospital
Aiken Regional Medical Center
Hospital
Aspen Dental
Dentist
Internal Medicine Associates of Aiken
Doctor
Aiken Endodontics: Weston Charles DMD
Doctor
CVS Pharmacy
Pharmacy
Walgreens
Pharmacy
Hale Dentistry
Dentist
Doctors Care
Clinic
Air Quality
Median Air Quality D-
See more Aiken health & safety data

housing A+

Aiken home prices are $199,100 - which is 39% higher than South Carolina
Home Price
$199,100 B+
Home Appreciation Rate
12% A-
Home Affordability
3.5x (home price to income ratio) C+
See more Aiken housing data

schools B-

The Aiken graduation rate is 87% - which is 7% higher than South Carolina
School Test Scores
46% F
High School Grad. Rates
87% B-
Elementary Schools (21) A+
Aikens Fbc Preschool
St Mary Help Of Christians School
First Presbyterian Church Preschool
Schofield Middle
Mead Hall Episcopal School
North Aiken Elementary
Aiken Middle
Aiken Intermediate
Lloyd-Kennedy Charter
South Aiken Presbyterian Kindergarten
Millbrook Elementary
M. B. Kennedy Middle
East Aiken School Of The Arts
South Aiken Baptist Christian School
Aiken Elementary
Horse Creek Academy
High Schools (7) F
Mead Hall Episcopal School
Aiken High
Aiken Performing Arts Academy Charter
South Aiken High
Aiken Scholars Academy
South Aiken Baptist Christian School
See more Aiken education data

ratings F

Aiken has an overall rating of 32% from 26 reviews.
User Reviews (1)
From AreaVibes F
User Surveys (25)
From AreaVibes A
See more Aiken user rating data
Amenities Commute Cost of Living Crime Employment Health & Safety Housing Schools User Ratings

Aiken, SC Area Guide

Photo of Aiken, SC
( 26 Ratings )

Living in Aiken, SC

Ranks better than 68% of areas Follow

Aiken Area Facts

What do the locals think about Aiken?

Based on 27 votes from AreaVibes users. Take the poll
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Aiken Reviews

Write a review about Aiken Tell people what you like or don't like about Aiken…
Aiken's Dirty Little Secrets 0.5 rating By Mary Pauline ( Mar 18, 2016) The large (2100 acres) urban forest Hitchcock Woods is smack in the middle of Aiken. Hitchcock Woods is owned by the Hitchcock Woods Foundation, a very well-funded non-profit organization managed by a board of directors. Members of the board use prescribed (also referred to as co ...Read More ntrolled) burning to manage their forest. Among the directors' goals is restoration of the natural ecosystems of Hitchcock Woods, to a snapshot view of what this region looked like 10,000 years ago. The burn occurs daily, weather permitting, sometimes more than a hundred acres in one day. Burns are scheduled year-round except during Aiken's robust equestrian seasons, March into early April and for a week or so in October. These are also the best fundraising seasons for the board. (Hitchcock Woods supports many equestrian events.) The board does not risk choking out potential donors by burning during Aiken's busiest tourist seasons. Thus, visitors are often completely unaware of the burns. Smoke dispersal is a chronic concern. The burns' resulting heavy smoke and particulate travel throughout the entire town. Occasionally, especially with an evening weather inversion, the smoke settles at ground level. The burns will continue forever. The adverse health implications of exposure to this type of air contamination are well documented. The Foundation is aware of area residents' push-back and recognizes the resulting health complications as a potential deterrent to continued burning at will. So far, though (and for the past 25 years) the burns continue. And, because their largest neighbor burns, residents are quick to ignite their own debris in backyard pits and drums, further contributing to the region's unhealthy air. The Savannah River Site - www.srs.gov - continues to take nuclear waste, most recently from the Swiss (That's right, as in Europe.) as part of the US federal government's nuclear non-proliferation agreements. There are various versions in the press about what will happen with all this waste, from shipping it to another state to on-site high-tech recycling into usable fuel. In vulgar terms, there is no certainty regarding the best way to flush the very full toilet that Aiken, South Carolina has become. Perhaps the saddest part of the story is that the fallout is common knowledge. Local media, including local television stations, regularly run advertisements that promote health and legal services to former employees and contractors who are suffering from radiation-related chronic illnesses as a result of their service at SRS. Read Less
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Compare Aiken, SC Livability

      vs

      B Amenities

      Are there many local amenities in Aiken? Yes, there are some amenities close to this location.

      Parks

      Gyles Park
      Library Park
      Library Park
      Gateway to Hitchcock Woods
      Smith Hazel Park
      Perry Memorial Park
      Eustis Park
      Osbon Park

      Entertainment

      Aiken Community Playhouse
      Center for African American History, Art & Culture
      Savannah River Site Museum
      Aiken Train Depot Museum
      Aiken County Historical Museum

      Food & Drink

      The Pizza Joint
      Alley Downtown Taproom
      Vampire Penguin
      Aiken Brewing Company
      Cyndi's Sweet Shop
      Wendy's
      Sonic
      KFC

      F Commute

      Is public transit available in Aiken? Of all people who commute, 0.1% take public transportation in Aiken.
      Drive to Work
      83%

      7% higher than the US average

      Take Public Transit
      0%

      5% lower than the US average

      Walk to Work
      2%

      1% lower than the US average

      A+ Cost of Living

      What is the cost of living in Aiken? The cost of living in Aiken is 95/100 - which is 2% higher than South Carolina.
      Aiken
      95

      5% less expensive than average

      South Carolina
      93

      7% less expensive than average

      United States
      100

      National cost of living index

      F Crime

      What is the crime rate in Aiken? Aiken crime rates are 4,074, which are 46% higher than South Carolina
      Total Crime
      4,074 per 100k people

      75% higher than the US average

      Chance of being a victim
      1 in 25

      75% higher than the US average

      Year-over-year crime
      -9%

      Year over year crime is down

      C+ Employment

      What is the median income in Aiken? The median income in Aiken is $56,202 which is 20% higher than South Carolina.
      Median household income
      $56,2022% higher than the US average
      Income per capita
      $35,15618% higher than the US average
      Unemployment rate
      2%

      52% lower than the US average

      C+ Health & Safety

      Is Aiken a healthy and safe place to live? Yes, there are some hospitals, police and fire stations.

      Hospitals

      Aiken Regional Medical Center
      Surgery Center of Aiken

      Pharmacies

      Walgreens
      Medicine Mart
      CVS Pharmacy
      CVS Pharmacy

      Doctors

      Internal Medicine Associates of Aiken
      Aiken Endodontics: Weston Charles DMD

      A+ Housing

      What are Aiken home prices? Aiken home prices are $199,100 - which is 39% higher than South Carolina
      Median home value
      $199,1008% higher than the US average
      Median rent price
      $9712% higher than the US average
      Home Ownership
      66%

      4% higher than the US average

      B- Schools

      Does Aiken have good schools? The Aiken graduation rate is 87% - which is 7% higher than South Carolina
      High school grad. rates
      87%

      5% higher than the US average

      School test scores
      46%

      4% lower than the US average

      Student teacher ratio
      17:1

      7% higher than the US average

      F User Ratings

      Is Aiken a good place to live? Aiken has an overall rating of 32% from 26 reviews.
      Overall user rating
      32%

      26 total ratings

      User reviews rating
      10%

      1 total reviews

      User surveys rating
      82%

      25 total surveys

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