Lake City 66 Good
Lake City Livability #103 ranked city in South Carolina#10,955 ranked city in the USARanks better than 62% of areas

Pros and Cons of Living in Lake City

PROS
  • Cost Of Living

    Residents in this area benefit from an affordable cost of living. This includes goods and services, transportation, housing, utilities, groceries and healthcare.

  • Housing

    The housing category in this area boasts higher than average scores, likely influenced by a positive home affordability ratio, robust appreciation rates or elevated home values.

  • Health & Safety

    Earning a high health and safety score depends on factors such as good air quality and the availability of essential health facilities like hospitals, clinics, doctors, and fire stations.

CONS
  • Commute

    Commuters in this area may experience longer-than-average work commute times due to limited public transportation access.

  • Crime

    High crime rates per 100,000 people are reported in this area, potentially indicating that it is an unsafe place to live. These statistics consider both violent and property offenses.

  • Schools

    Factors such as lower than average graduation rates, lackluster reading and math scores and the limited accessibility of local elementary and high schools could contribute to the low schools score.

New Real Estate Listings in Lake City Area
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What's it like Living in Lake City?

Lake City is a small city located in the state of South Carolina. The city has a population of 6,562 residents. With a total of 73%, the Black or African American racial group makes up the majority of the population in Lake City. The next most represented races are 22% White and 0% Asian. Lake City is very likely to be a great place to live for singles as only 35%, of the population (over fifteen) are classified as married.

Whether you’re moving to a new area to be closer to family, friends or for a new job, living in Lake City could be a positive experience compared to other cities in South Carolina if you know where to search. Don't forget to determine what matters most to you in a neighborhood. Consider factors such as safety, proximity to work or school, access to amenities (like parks, fitness facilities, grocery stores, restaurants), public transportation options, community atmosphere and the overall vibe you're looking for. With useful information like amenities, commute, health & safety, education and other key data points, finding the best places to live in Lake City and in the areas around Lake City is a much easier task.

Lake City has a livability score of 64 out of 100 and is ranked #115 in South Carolina and #12,136 in the USA. If we dig down a little deeper into each category within the livability score, we see that Lake City has higher than average grades for the following: cost of living (A+) and housing (A). On a more negative note, Lake City does not have favorable scores for the following: crime (F), education (F) and employment (D-). If we take a look at the data, we can find out why.

The Lake City unemployment rate of 2.08% has continued to decrease over the years and is now well below the national average. The result could lead to reduced poverty and inequality in the area, higher wages and increased economic growth. This is a positive sign in the overall health of the local economy.

For home buyers, real estate will be the largest purchase they will ever make and it will also be their most valuable asset. For renters, the monthly rent paid on their Lake City apartments will most likely be their largest expense. Based on tangible metrics like home and rental affordability and appreciation rates, housing in this area has received a score that is well above the average of every other US city. A thriving real estate market can also generate strong local economic activity and job creation.

Certain items on your wish list like shopping, restaurants, nightlife, parks and proximity to public transportation are all important things to look for. Having said that, perhaps the most important metric to consider when contemplating a move to Lake City is real estate affordability. The median home price for Lake City homes is $84,800, which is 40.9% lower than the South Carolina average. If we take a closer look at the affordability of homes in Lake City, we’ll see that the home price to income ratio is 2.2, which is 29% lower than the South Carolina average.

Best Places to Live in and Around Lake City

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How Do You Rate The Livability In Lake City?

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Compare Lake City, SC Livability

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      Lake City transportation information

      Statistic Lake City South Carolina National
      Average one way commute22min24min26min
      Workers who drive to work75.3%82.8%76.4%
      Workers who carpool19.7%9.3%9.3%
      Workers who take public transit1.4%0.6%5.1%
      Workers who bicycle0.0%0.3%0.6%
      Workers who walk2.5%2.2%2.8%
      Working from home0.7%3.6%4.6%
      Source: The Lake City, SC data and statistics displayed above are derived from the United States Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS).