The Town FilesLydia, South Carolina
Community in Darlington County · population 572 (2020 Census)
- Jan low / Jul high
- 33° / 92°
- Snow a year
- 1 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 19
- Median age
- 70.9
Lydia is a community of 572 people in Darlington County, South Carolina. It ranks easier by car than 92% of South Carolina towns, hipper than 89% of South Carolina towns, quieter than 88% of South Carolina towns.
How Lydia 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
100.0% of households own their home.
| Housing | Lydia | Typical South Carolina town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | — | $183,100 |
| Median rent | — | $937 |
| Median household income | — | $53,875 |
| Home value ÷ income | —× | 3.4× |
| Homeownership | 100.0% | 68.0% |
| Median year built | 1983 | 1981 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Lydia
| People | Lydia | Typical South Carolina town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 70.9 | 40.0 |
| Age 65 and over | 81.6% | 17.9% |
| Under 18 | 5.3% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 0.0% | 20.0% |
| Below the poverty line | 18.4% | 17.8% |
| Veterans | 20.0% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.0% | — |
| Work from home | 0.0% | 6.8% |
| Average commute | — min | 25.3 min |
| Homes with broadband | 43.0% | 87.8% |
Weather in Lydia
July highs average 91.5°F and January lows 32.8°F. About 46.6 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.5 inches of snow (typical South Carolina town: 0.8 in). Expect about 63 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 60 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
19 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Lydia since 1950, compared with 17 for the typical South Carolina town. 5 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on April 18, 1969 about 9.2 miles from the town center. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 1 deaths and 30 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on June 16, 2022.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 46 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on May 5, 2020.
Severe weather in Darlington County since 1996
Darlington County has been included in 26 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, biological.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| January 23, 2026 | Winter Storm | EM-3632: Severe Winter Storm |
| 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 |
| November 21, 2022 | Hurricane | DR-4677: Hurricane Ian |
Jobs and pay in Darlington County
Darlington County had 20,044 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $57,913 a year. Unemployment was 3.3% in 2023; in Lydia itself the ACS puts it at 0%.
Towns near Lydia
- Hartsville, SC5.8 mi · 7,446 people · home $205,600
- Pine Ridge, SC8.1 mi · 807 people · home $113,300
- North Hartsville, SC8.4 mi · 2,775 people · home $110,600
- Lamar, SC8.6 mi · 862 people · home $127,000
- Bishopville, SC8.7 mi · 3,024 people · home $128,200
- Darlington, SC14.4 mi · 6,149 people · home $172,300
- Dovesville, SC14.5 mi · 827 people · home $96,600
- Timmonsville, SC14.7 mi · 2,099 people · home $104,300
Lydia questions
Is Lydia, South Carolina a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Lydia scores better for retirees than 53% of South Carolina towns and quieter than 88%. 81.6% of residents are 65 or older (median age 70.9).
What is the weather like in Lydia?
July highs average 91.5°F and January lows 32.8°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 46.6 inches of precipitation a year and 0.5 inches of snow.
Does Lydia get tornadoes?
19 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Lydia since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on April 18, 1969. 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)