The Town FilesWatts Mills, South Carolina
Community in Laurens County · population 1,654 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $108,300
- Household income
- $50,901
- Jan low / Jul high
- 30° / 91°
- Snow a year
- 1 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 13
- Median age
- 30.5
Watts Mills is a community of 1,654 people in Laurens County, South Carolina. The median home is worth $108,300, below the typical South Carolina town ($183,100). It ranks more walkable than 92% of South Carolina towns, more of a college town than 85% of South Carolina towns.
How Watts Mills 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 Watts Mills is worth $108,300, below the typical South Carolina town ($183,100). Homes cost about 2.1 times the median household income of $50,901, which is more affordable than 90% of South Carolina towns. Median rent is $817 a month. 42.1% of households own their home.
| Housing | Watts Mills | Typical South Carolina town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $108,300 | $183,100 |
| Median rent | $817 | $937 |
| Median household income | $50,901 | $53,875 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.1× | 3.4× |
| Homeownership | 42.1% | 68.0% |
| Median year built | 1972 | 1981 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Watts Mills
| People | Watts Mills | Typical South Carolina town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 30.5 | 40.0 |
| Age 65 and over | 4.6% | 17.9% |
| Under 18 | 25.3% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 2.8% | 20.0% |
| Below the poverty line | 8.7% | 17.8% |
| Veterans | 3.3% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 30.5% | — |
| Work from home | 1.9% | 6.8% |
| Average commute | 26.7 min | 25.3 min |
| Homes with broadband | 82.5% | 87.8% |
Weather in Watts Mills
July highs average 90.9°F and January lows 30.3°F. About 46.7 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 1.3 inches of snow (typical South Carolina town: 0.8 in). Expect about 63 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 80 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
13 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Watts Mills since 1950, compared with 17 for the typical South Carolina town. 4 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF2, struck on October 8, 2017 about 1.1 miles from the town center. The most recent was on March 3, 2023.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 42 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on April 24, 1955.
Severe weather in Laurens County since 1996
Laurens County has been included in 23 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, tornado.
| 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 Laurens County
Laurens County had 20,195 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $51,561 a year. Unemployment was 3.2% in 2023; in Watts Mills itself the ACS puts it at 10.9%.
Towns near Watts Mills
- Laurens, SC2.2 mi · 9,335 people · home $180,700
- Clinton, SC7.7 mi · 7,633 people · home $173,400
- Gray Court, SC9.7 mi · 763 people · home $185,900
- Enoree, SC10.1 mi · 687 people · home $95,500
- Joanna, SC12.6 mi · 1,517 people · home $88,100
- Woodruff, SC16.1 mi · 4,212 people · home $204,800
- Ware Shoals, SC17.2 mi · 1,701 people · home $82,000
- Fountain Inn, SC17.5 mi · 10,416 people · home $275,300
Watts Mills questions
Is Watts Mills, South Carolina a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Watts Mills scores better for retirees than 1% of South Carolina towns and quieter than 2%. 4.6% of residents are 65 or older (median age 30.5).
How much does a house cost in Watts Mills?
The median owner-occupied home in Watts Mills is valued at $108,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $50,901, so homes cost about 2.1 times income. Median rent is $817 a month.
What is the weather like in Watts Mills?
July highs average 90.9°F and January lows 30.3°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 46.7 inches of precipitation a year and 1.3 inches of snow.
Does Watts Mills get tornadoes?
13 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Watts Mills since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF2 on October 8, 2017. 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)