The Town FilesCowpens, South Carolina
Town in Spartanburg County · population 2,023 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $160,300
- Household income
- $39,094
- Jan low / Jul high
- 32° / 90°
- Snow a year
- 2 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 23
- Median age
- 54.3
Cowpens is a town of 2,023 people in Spartanburg County, South Carolina. The median home is worth $160,300, below the typical South Carolina town ($183,100). It ranks quieter than 91% of South Carolina towns, easier by car than 86% of South Carolina towns, better for retirees than 80% of South Carolina towns.
How Cowpens ranks
Percentile among South Carolina towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of South Carolina towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Cowpens is worth $160,300, below the typical South Carolina town ($183,100). Homes cost about 4.1 times the median household income of $39,094, which is more affordable than 30% of South Carolina towns. Median rent is $815 a month. 68.9% of households own their home.
| Housing | Cowpens | Typical South Carolina town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $160,300 | $183,100 |
| Median rent | $815 | $937 |
| Median household income | $39,094 | $53,875 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.1× | 3.4× |
| Homeownership | 68.9% | 68.0% |
| Median year built | 1973 | 1981 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Cowpens
| People | Cowpens | Typical South Carolina town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 54.3 | 40.0 |
| Age 65 and over | 35.9% | 17.9% |
| Under 18 | 13.0% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 15.1% | 20.0% |
| Below the poverty line | 29.1% | 17.8% |
| Veterans | 9.7% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 3.9% | — |
| Work from home | 8.1% | 6.8% |
| Average commute | 24.4 min | 25.3 min |
| Homes with broadband | 90.6% | 87.8% |
Weather in Cowpens
July highs average 90.1°F and January lows 31.5°F. About 50.2 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 1.5 inches of snow (typical South Carolina town: 0.8 in). Expect about 57 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 76 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
23 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Cowpens since 1950, compared with 17 for the typical South Carolina town. 8 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on May 5, 1989 about 8.1 miles from the town center and killed 2. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 2 deaths and 83 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on May 23, 2022.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 62 times; the largest was 4.00 inches on May 2, 1957.
Severe weather in Spartanburg County since 1996
Spartanburg County has been included in 25 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| January 23, 2026 | Winter Storm | EM-3632: Severe Winter Storm |
| September 29, 2024 | Hurricane | DR-4829: Hurricane Helene |
| September 26, 2024 | Tropical Storm | EM-3619: Hurricane Helene |
| August 5, 2024 | Tropical Storm | EM-3606: Hurricane Debby |
| August 31, 2023 | Hurricane | EM-3597: Hurricane Idalia |
Jobs and pay in Spartanburg County
Spartanburg County had 155,484 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $59,564 a year. Unemployment was 2.9% in 2023; in Cowpens itself the ACS puts it at 1.9%.
Public schools in Cowpens
1 public school with 464 students, about 14.5 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cowpens Elementary | PK-5 | 464 | 14.5 |
Towns near Cowpens
- Clifton, SC2.4 mi · 544 people · home $105,200
- Converse, SC2.7 mi · 534 people · home $153,600
- Mayo, SC5.4 mi · 1,567 people · home $224,700
- Drayton, SC6.3 mi · 1,115 people · home $131,300
- Ben Avon, SC7.1 mi · 2,428 people · home $211,300
- Whitney, SC7.1 mi · 4,409 people · home $157,400
- Pacolet, SC8.2 mi · 2,274 people · home $89,600
- Camp Croft, SC8.3 mi · 2,110 people · home $165,000
Cowpens questions
Is Cowpens, South Carolina a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Cowpens scores better for retirees than 80% of South Carolina towns and quieter than 91%. 35.9% of residents are 65 or older (median age 54.3).
How much does a house cost in Cowpens?
The median owner-occupied home in Cowpens is valued at $160,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $39,094, so homes cost about 4.1 times income. Median rent is $815 a month.
What is the weather like in Cowpens?
July highs average 90.1°F and January lows 31.5°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 50.2 inches of precipitation a year and 1.5 inches of snow.
Does Cowpens get tornadoes?
23 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Cowpens since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on May 5, 1989. The typical South Carolina town has had 17.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)