Aiken, SC — Momentum Score, Home Values & Best-For

All states·South Carolina·Aiken

Aiken County · Augusta-Richmond County · population 32,694

First-time buyers
Aiken, SC
Image: Wikipedia · Aiken, South Carolina
OverviewCost of livingMoving guide
View watchlist →
68
Rising
Momentum score · 0–100

Where Aiken stands

At or near all-time high.

Median home $273,587
1-year +3.1%
5-yr CAGR +5.0%
vs 5-yr peak +0.0%
Population +0.5%/yr

Home value trajectory · last 10 years

Zillow ZHVI · monthly
peak 2026-04$274k$145k$191k$238k$285k201620182020202220242026

Lifestyle scores

🚶
Walkability
32/100
Very car-dependent
Estimated from population density. Higher = denser, more amenities within walking distance.
🚉
Public transit
22/100
Transit limited
Curated list of major US transit systems + population-based estimate. Higher = real subway/rail/bus options.
💻
Remote work fit
85/100
Excellent for remote work
Composite of city size, housing cost, state tax structure, and region's remote-work track record.

Scores are heuristic estimates from population density, state, and known transit/walkable cities. Not based on a paid Walk Score / Transit Score API — see methodology for the formula.

Rent trajectory · last 5 years

Zillow ZORI · monthly
$1,392/mo$1,097$1,297$1,497202220242026

Home value vs rent · indexed to 100

Both rebased at first month of ZORI data (~2015)
Home valueRent113119100120202220242026

Rent vs buy

Price-to-rent ratio: 16.4
Lean buy

At a 16.4 price-to-rent ratio, Aiken is in the 'depends on horizon' zone. Buy if you'll be there 5+ years and value flexibility on the home; rent if you might move, want zero maintenance friction, or expect rates to drop.

How the momentum score breaks down

methodology →
Home YoY
65 · w22%
Home 5-yr CAGR
65 · w22%
Distance from peak
90 · w18%
Population growth
55 · w16%
Rent YoY
62 · w12%
Home 10-yr CAGR
66 · w10%
Long thesis

Aiken has held up across the cycle: home values at $273,587 with +5.0% 5-year CAGR. The bull case is structural — population, location, employer base — and holds even if next year's print is soft.

Short thesis

Aiken's bear case is the boring one: the cycle is real and any market that's run hard can stall. Watch for slowing population growth, rising days-on-market, or builder discounts as the early warning signals.

About Aiken

Aiken is a city in Aiken County, South Carolina, with an estimated population of 32,694. It anchors the Augusta-Richmond County metro area. The population grew 0.5% annually from 2020 to 2024, a moderate gain. The median home value in Aiken is $273,587 as of 2026-04, up 3.1% over the last 12 months. Over the last five years, home values have averaged +5.0% annual growth, with prices at or near the 5-year peak. Rents in Aiken average $1,392 per month, roughly flat year-over-year (+2.6%). The composite momentum score is 68 of 100 (Rising). The market is healthy with prices supported by underlying demand.

▲ Bull case

●Healthy 5-year run: +5.0% annualized over 5 years, outpacing US inflation.
●Quiet strength: +3.1% over the trailing year — not a melt-up, but the market is bid.
●Held the highs: currently +0.0% from the 5-year peak — this market refused to give back gains.

▼ Bear case

○Local nuance: city-level data smooths over neighborhood differences. School zones, HOA rules, and street-level character matter — visit before deciding.

About Aiken (Wikipedia)

Aiken is the most populous city in, and the county seat of, Aiken County, South Carolina, United States. According to 2020 census, the population was 32,025, making it the 15th-most populous city in South Carolina, and one of the two largest cities of the Central Savannah River Area.

Source: Wikipedia · this summary is contributed and licensed under CC-BY-SA.

Playbook

Buyer

You're not in a frenzy but you're not getting bargains either. Make a competitive offer with normal inspection terms. Don't lowball — the listing will move with or without you.

Seller

Price at fair market value; expect movement in 30-45 days. Don't get clever with terms (rent-back, contingencies) — buyers in a Rising market have options.

Investor

Appreciation tailwind exists but cash flow requires discipline on price. Run the numbers conservatively and confirm rent comps before committing.

Local safety & alerts

No active National Weather Service alerts for Aiken County right now.

NWS active alerts (SC)South Carolina Emergency ManagementHow to prepare (NWS)

Public-safety links are official .gov sources, not curated by us. Aiken County routes NWS alerts; check the state EM portal for non-weather emergencies.

Cities like Aiken

Florence, SC68 · RisingGreenville, SC69 · RisingNorth Augusta, SC71 · RisingSpartanburg, SC69 · Rising

Run the numbers for Aiken

ToolCan I afford Aiken?Income → city shortlistToolROI on a Aiken rentalCap rate, cash-on-cash, DSCRToolCompare Aiken to anywhereSide-by-side up to 3 citiesToolAiken cost-of-livingEquivalent income elsewhere

Sources: Zillow ZHVI (home values), Zillow ZORI (rents), US Census ACS + place population. Updated when source agencies publish revisions.

Climate & natural-disaster risk

Winter (Jan)
57° / 36°
avg high / low
Summer (Jul)
91° / 71°
avg high / low
Sunny days/yr
220
~60% of year
Annual precip
50″ rain
2″ snow
Disaster risk (1=very low, 5=very high)
Hurricane
High
Tornado
Moderate
Wildfire
Low
Earthquake
Low
Flood
High

State-level averages from NOAA Climate Normals (1991-2020) and FEMA National Risk Index. City-level conditions can vary significantly within a state.

Current weather

Loading current conditions…

7-day forecast on weather.gov →

Find rentals & listings

Open current Aiken listings on the major real-estate sites.

Links open the live search on the destination site — results are always current.

Local news & community

Updated 2026-05-21 from Google News + Reddit RSS. Headlines link to original sources.

Local sports teams

Major professional teams the Augusta-Richmond County area cheers for. Detailed stats, schedules, and player pages on intherafters.com.

Local economy & environment

Humidity
73%
Humid climate
Median household income
$63,600
South Carolina state median
Top industries (state-level)
Manufacturing (auto)TourismHealthcare

Humidity is annual average relative humidity (NOAA). Income is Census ACS 5-year estimate. Industries are largest employment sectors statewide (BLS); the local mix in a given city may vary.

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