The Town Files

McColl, South Carolina

Town in Marlboro County · population 2,070 (2020 Census)

Map: where McColl is in South CarolinaMcColl
Median home
$56,300
Household income
$26,638
Jan low / Jul high
34° / 92°
Snow a year
1 in
Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
20
Median age
28.2

McColl is a town of 2,070 people in Marlboro County, South Carolina. The median home is worth $56,300, below the typical South Carolina town ($183,100). It ranks better for cycling than 95% of South Carolina towns, easier by car than 92% of South Carolina towns, hipper than 70% of South Carolina towns.

McColl in our rankings:

How McColl 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.

McColl lifestyle rankings vs other South Carolina townsRetirement38th pctFamilies4th pctQuiet54th pctWalkability54th pctFirst-time buyers48th pctYoung professionals24th pctVibrancy15th pctHip & trendy70th pctCollege town2nd pctUpscale1st pctVacation homesbottomSeaside characterbottomCycling95th pctTransitbottomDriving92nd 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 McColl is worth $56,300, below the typical South Carolina town ($183,100). Homes cost about 2.1 times the median household income of $26,638, which is more affordable than 90% of South Carolina towns. Median rent is $456 a month. 45.5% of households own their home.

McColl vs Marlboro County vs typical South Carolina townMcCollMarlboro CountyTypical South Carolina townHome value$56,300$82,000$183,100Household income$26,638$34,301$53,875Monthly rent$456$689$937
Census ACS 5-year estimates, 2020–2024. "Typical town" = median of South Carolina towns with 500+ people.
HousingMcCollTypical South Carolina town
Median home value$56,300$183,100
Median rent$456$937
Median household income$26,638$53,875
Home value ÷ income2.1×3.4×
Homeownership45.5%68.0%
Median year built19771981
Seasonal / vacation homes0.0%—

Who lives in McColl

PeopleMcCollTypical South Carolina town
Median age28.240.0
Age 65 and over18.1%17.9%
Under 1835.6%—
Bachelor's degree or higher3.0%20.0%
Below the poverty line41.9%17.8%
Veterans7.2%—
Born outside the U.S.0.2%—
Work from home2.2%6.8%
Average commute26.1 min25.3 min
Homes with broadband55.8%87.8%

Weather in McColl

July highs average 91.5°F and January lows 34.3°F. About 41.7 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 1.1 inches of snow (typical South Carolina town: 0.8 in). Expect about 62 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 54 nights at or below freezing.

McColl monthly temperatures and precipitation30°40°50°60°70°80°90°100°32° freezing55°34°Jan60°37°Feb67°43°Mar76°51°Apr83°59°May89°67°Jun92°71°Jul90°69°Aug84°64°Sep75°53°Oct66°42°Nov58°37°DecPrecipitation (in) · snow (in) in blue3.40.53.20.43.02.93.04.44.23.74.72.73.23.20.2
NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals: average daily high and low by month; precipitation and snowfall in inches. Temperatures from the Mccoll 3 Nnw station (3.0 mi away); snow from Laurinburg (7.3 mi).

Tornadoes, storms and disasters

20 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of McColl since 1950, compared with 17 for the typical South Carolina town. 9 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on March 28, 1984 about 0.0 miles from the town center and killed 7. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 9 deaths and 227 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on September 16, 2018.

Tornadoes within 10 miles of McColl by decade21950s31960s21970s51980s31990s42000s12010s02020s
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 29 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on June 19, 2014.

Severe weather in Marlboro County since 1996

Storm events in Marlboro County since 1996 by typeHail51Heat4Drought10Tornado7Ice Storm7Heavy Rain7Flash Flood14Strong Wind5
NOAA Storm Events Database, Marlboro County, 1996–2026 (all event types recorded since 1996). 2 deaths recorded.

Marlboro County has been included in 26 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, tornado, hurricane.

DeclaredIncidentDeclaration
January 23, 2026Winter StormEM-3632: Severe Winter Storm
September 26, 2024Tropical StormEM-3619: Hurricane Helene
August 5, 2024Tropical StormEM-3606: Hurricane Debby
August 31, 2023HurricaneEM-3597: Hurricane Idalia
November 21, 2022HurricaneDR-4677: Hurricane Ian

Jobs and pay in Marlboro County

Marlboro County had 5,591 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $53,857 a year. Unemployment was 7.2% in 2023; in McColl itself the ACS puts it at 9%.

Largest industries in Marlboro CountyManufacturing1,389 jobs · $68,717Retail676 jobs · $33,026Transportation & warehousing235 jobs · $67,581Finance & insurance83 jobs · $47,346Construction70 jobs · $56,475Real estate42 jobs · $89,845
BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024, private-sector jobs and average annual pay.
Unemployment rate in Marlboro County, 2000–20230%4%8%12%16%20%2000200420082012201620202023Marlboro 7.2%
Annual average unemployment rate (BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics via USDA ERS).

Public schools in McColl

1 public school with 631 students, about 13.1 students per teacher.

SchoolGradesStudentsPer teacher
McColl Elementary/MiddlePK-863113.1

Towns near McColl

McColl questions

Is McColl, South Carolina a good place to retire?

On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, McColl scores better for retirees than 38% of South Carolina towns and quieter than 54%. 18.1% of residents are 65 or older (median age 28.2).

How much does a house cost in McColl?

The median owner-occupied home in McColl is valued at $56,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $26,638, so homes cost about 2.1 times income. Median rent is $456 a month.

What is the weather like in McColl?

July highs average 91.5°F and January lows 34.3°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 41.7 inches of precipitation a year and 1.1 inches of snow.

Does McColl get tornadoes?

20 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of McColl since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on March 28, 1984. The typical South Carolina town has had 17.

How this page is made. Every number comes from public data, matched to McColl's Census boundary (GEOID 4543630). 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.