The Town Files

Estill, South Carolina

Town in Hampton County · population 1,821 (2020 Census)

Map: where Estill is in South CarolinaEstill
Median home
$94,100
Household income
$36,111
Jan low / Jul high
39° / 92°
Snow a year
0 in
Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
6
Median age
33.4

Estill is a town of 1,821 people in Hampton County, South Carolina. The median home is worth $94,100, below the typical South Carolina town ($183,100). It ranks quieter than 94% of South Carolina towns, better transit than 72% of South Carolina towns.

Estill in our rankings:

How Estill 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.

Estill lifestyle rankings vs other South Carolina townsRetirement25th pctFamilies22nd pctQuiet94th pctWalkability8th pctFirst-time buyers46th pctYoung professionals36th pctVibrancy16th pctHip & trendy31st pctCollege townbottomUpscale9th pctVacation homesbottomSeaside characterbottomCyclingbottomTransit72nd pctDriving38th pcttypical
The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025).

Homes and cost of living

The median home in Estill is worth $94,100, below the typical South Carolina town ($183,100). Homes cost about 2.6 times the median household income of $36,111, which is more affordable than 79% of South Carolina towns. Median rent is $745 a month. 57.5% of households own their home.

Estill vs Hampton County vs typical South Carolina townEstillHampton CountyTypical South Carolina townHome value$94,100$112,000$183,100Household income$36,111$44,711$53,875Monthly rent$745$843$937
Census ACS 5-year estimates, 2020–2024. "Typical town" = median of South Carolina towns with 500+ people.
HousingEstillTypical South Carolina town
Median home value$94,100$183,100
Median rent$745$937
Median household income$36,111$53,875
Home value ÷ income2.6×3.4×
Homeownership57.5%68.0%
Median year built19771981
Seasonal / vacation homes5.9%—

Who lives in Estill

PeopleEstillTypical South Carolina town
Median age33.440.0
Age 65 and over17.9%17.9%
Under 1822.2%—
Bachelor's degree or higher5.5%20.0%
Below the poverty line24.4%17.8%
Veterans5.7%—
Born outside the U.S.2.3%—
Work from home4.2%6.8%
Average commute36.6 min25.3 min
Homes with broadband85.2%87.8%

Weather in Estill

July highs average 92.2°F and January lows 39.2°F. About 45.2 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.1 inches of snow (typical South Carolina town: 0.8 in). Expect about 70 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 27 nights at or below freezing.

Estill monthly temperatures and precipitation30°40°50°60°70°80°90°100°32° freezing62°39°Jan66°42°Feb72°47°Mar79°54°Apr86°62°May90°69°Jun92°72°Jul91°72°Aug87°67°Sep79°56°Oct70°47°Nov64°41°DecPrecipitation (in) · snow (in) in blue3.83.13.83.32.55.34.85.94.23.03.02.70.1
NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals: average daily high and low by month; precipitation and snowfall in inches. Temperatures from the Hampton 1S station (9.3 mi away).

Tornadoes, storms and disasters

6 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Estill since 1950, compared with 17 for the typical South Carolina town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF4, struck on April 13, 2020 about 1.9 miles from the town center and killed 5. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 5 deaths and 66 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on April 13, 2020.

Tornadoes within 10 miles of Estill by decade11950s01960s11970s11980s01990s12000s12010s12020s
NOAA Storm Events Database, tornado tracks (start to end point) passing within 10 miles of the town center, 1950–2026.

Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 7 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on May 22, 2020.

Severe weather in Hampton County since 1996

Storm events in Hampton County since 1996 by typeHail43Heat5Drought22Tornado11High Wind5Ice Storm7Heavy Snow4Flash Flood17
NOAA Storm Events Database, Hampton County, 1996–2026 (all event types recorded since 1996). 9 deaths recorded.

Hampton County has been included in 25 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for drought, hurricane, biological.

DeclaredIncidentDeclaration
January 23, 2026Winter StormEM-3632: Severe Winter Storm
September 29, 2024HurricaneDR-4829: Hurricane Helene
September 29, 2024Tropical StormDR-4835: Tropical Storm Debby
September 26, 2024Tropical StormEM-3619: Hurricane Helene
August 5, 2024Tropical StormEM-3606: Hurricane Debby

Jobs and pay in Hampton County

Hampton County had 4,867 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $50,768 a year. Unemployment was 2.8% in 2023; in Estill itself the ACS puts it at 6.4%.

Largest industries in Hampton CountyRetail548 jobs · $29,874Manufacturing425 jobs · $60,414Wholesale trade348 jobs · $70,799Agriculture, forestry & fishi…327 jobs · $62,784Construction256 jobs · $60,245Professional & technical serv…159 jobs · $102,398
BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024, private-sector jobs and average annual pay.
Unemployment rate in Hampton County, 2000–20230%4%8%12%16%2000200420082012201620202023Hampton 2.8%
Annual average unemployment rate (BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics via USDA ERS).

Public schools in Estill

2 public schools with 366 students, about 15.9 students per teacher.

SchoolGradesStudentsPer teacher
Estill ElementaryPK-524614.5
Estill Middle6-812020.0

Towns near Estill

Estill questions

Is Estill, South Carolina a good place to retire?

On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Estill scores better for retirees than 25% of South Carolina towns and quieter than 94%. 17.9% of residents are 65 or older (median age 33.4).

How much does a house cost in Estill?

The median owner-occupied home in Estill is valued at $94,100 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $36,111, so homes cost about 2.6 times income. Median rent is $745 a month.

What is the weather like in Estill?

July highs average 92.2°F and January lows 39.2°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 45.2 inches of precipitation a year and 0.1 inches of snow.

Does Estill get tornadoes?

6 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Estill since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF4 on April 13, 2020. The typical South Carolina town has had 17.

How this page is made. Every number comes from public data, matched to Estill's Census boundary (GEOID 4523830). Comparisons use the median of South Carolina towns with at least 500 people. Weather comes from the nearest NOAA normals station; storm counts use NOAA tornado tracks within 10 miles of the town center. Data snapshot 2026-11-13.