Gaffney, SC Profile: Facts & Data

The City of Gaffney had a population of 12,947 as of July 1, 2024. Gaffney ranks in the upper quartile for Population Density and Diversity Index when compared to the other cities, towns and Census Designated Places (CDPs) in South Carolina. See peer rankings below.

The primary coordinate point for Gaffney is located at latitude 35.0718 and longitude -81.6498 in Cherokee County. The formal boundaries for the City of Gaffney encompass a land area of 8.35 sq. miles and a water area of 0.03 sq. miles. Cherokee County is in the Eastern time zone (GMT -5).

The City of Gaffney has a C1 Census Class Code which indicates an active incorporated place that does not serve as a county subdivision equivalent. It also has a Functional Status Code of "A" which identifies an active government providing primary general-purpose functions.

South Carolina is one of 20 states where Census County Divisions (CCDs) are used for statistical tracking of subdivisions within each county. The City of Gaffney is located within Gaffney Division of Cherokee County.

Gaffney, SC Data & Demographics (As of July 1, 2024)

POPULATION
Total Population	12,947 (100%)
Population in Households	11,858 (91.6%)
Population in Families	9,309 (71.9%)
Population in Group Quarters¹	1,089 ( 8.4%)
Population Density	1,443
Diversity Index²	63


INCOME
Median Household Income	$36,455
Average Household Income	$55,057
% of Income for Mortgage⁴	26%
Per Capita Income	$22,526
Wealth Index⁵	36
Socioeconomic Status Index⁶	Low (40.8)

HOUSING
Total HU (Housing Units)	5,987 (100%)
Owner Occupied HU	2,785 (46.5%)
Renter Occupied HU	2,438 (40.7%)
Vacant Housing Units	764 (12.8%)
Median Home Value	$149,263
Average Home Value	$163,483
Housing Affordability Index³	101

HOUSEHOLDS
Total Households	5,223
Average Household Size	2.27
Family Households	2,969
Average Family Size	3.00

NOTES

Group Quarters - a place where people live or stay in a group living arrangement. Includes college residents halls, nursing facilities, military barracks, and correctional facilities.
The Diversity Index is a scale of 0 to 100 that represents the likelihood that two persons, chosen at random from the same area, belong to different races or ethnic groups. If an area's entire population belongs to one race AND one ethnic group, then the area has zero diversity. An area's diversity index increases to 100 when the population is evenly divided into two or more race/ethnic groups.
The Housing Affordability Index base is 100 and represents a balance point where a resident with a median household income can normally qualify to purchase a median price home. Values above 100 indicate increased affordability, while values below 100 indicate decreased affordability.
The % of Income for Mortgage quantifies the percentage of median household income dedicated to mortgage payments on a home priced at the median value (assuming a 30-year mortgage and a 20% down payment).
The Wealth Index is based on a number of indicators of affluence including average household income and average net worth, but it also includes the value of material possessions and resources. It represents the wealth of the area relative to the national level. Values above or below 100 represent above-average wealth or below-average wealth compared to the national level.
The Socioeconomic Index ranges from zero (lowest relative status) to 100 (highest relative status). This measure quantifies disparities in social position of an area's inhabitants and is built from a broad range of demographic, housing, and socioeconomic inputs. More information on this measure can be found in Esri's SEI tutorial.

Gaffney, SC - Peer Comparisons by Rank and Percentile

The table below compares Gaffney to the other 475 incorporated cities, towns and CDPs in South Carolina by rank and percentile using July 1, 2024 data. The location Ranked # 1 has the highest value. A location that ranks higher than 75% of its peers would be in the 75th percentile of the peer group.

GROWTH RATE / YEAR	2020-2024	2024-2029
Population	0.07%	-0.15%
Households	0.09%	0.07%
Families		0.01%
Median Household Income		1.69%
Per Capita Income		2.65%
Owner Occupied HU		1.39%

Variable Description	Rank	Percentile
Total Population	# 52	89th
Population Density	# 77	84th
Median Household Income	# 409	14th
Housing Affordability Index	# 187	39th
Per Capita Income	# 392	18th
Diversity Index	# 87	82nd

Gaffney, SC Profile: Facts & Data

Gaffney, South Carolina - Basic Facts

Gaffney, SC Data & Demographics (As of July 1, 2024)

POPULATION

INCOME

HOUSING

HOUSEHOLDS

GROWTH RATE / YEAR

Gaffney, SC - Peer Comparisons by Rank and Percentile

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